Battle of Fredericksburg
by Krysta Cardinale On December 13, 1862 Union General Burnside was defeated in his first battle as the new commander of the Potomac Army. He suffered a staggering loss at the “Battle of Fredericksburg.” His casualties that day alone totaled over 12,000 men while the Confederates’ losses were around half that number at 5,300.
Two months earlier, Burnside was appointed the new general replacing the presiding General George B. McClellan. Even though McClellan prevented General Robert E. Lee and the Confederates from taking Maryland, President Lincoln was not happy with the lack of tenacity McClellan showed from not following and intercepting Lee’s retreat. After receiving pressure from Lincoln and General-in-Chief Henry W. Halleck, Burnside planned an offensive attack. Burnside assembled a supply base just outside of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Burnsides battle movements of Fredericksburg were to confuse Lee by making himself visible in Warrenton, than making it look like a move towards Orange Court House, Culpeper Court House, or Gordonsville. Burnside would then quickly shift his troops over the Rappahannock River and make an attack against Richmond, along the railroad from Fredericksburg. This plan was rejected at first, Lincoln doubted General Lee would be deceived, however after much debate was approved.
Battle Movements of Fredericksburg
On November 17th the Union Army arrived in Falmouth to establish their supply base. Once here, Burnside’s plan quickly collapsed underneath him. The pontoon bridges that were supposed to be sent down to cross the river quickly were not there. Burnside was also being prodded by General Charles Sumner to immediately cross the river to disperse the few hundred Confederate troops in town. This combined with the fact that the continuing fall rains might make fording the river impossible, Burnside dismissed his original plan and ordered Sumner to remain in Falmouth.
The first pontoon bridges arrived for the Union army on November 25th. However, it was much too late for the deception Burnside had planned. General Lee already had General Johnston’s troops reinforcing him at Fredericksburg. In addition, General Stonewall Jackson was en route nearby. Burnside could have attacked Lee’s and Johnston’s troops while they were still setting up their lines before Jackson arrived, however he waited once again. By the time all of the pontoon bridges arrived, Burnside had to change his original plan of crossing 10 miles east of Fredericksburg to crossing right into Fredericksburg.
Unsure of where the Union Army would attack he sent about 20,000 of his men to reinforce Johnston’s troops on the left flank just west of the city, and the rest he sent downstream to Jackson’s forces in the southern part of the city. The left flank line was established behind a stone wall and Jackson’s line was dispersed in a densely forested area, both were affective defensive positions. On December 10th, Burnside finally set up his pontoon bridges in preparation for battle.
On the morning of December 13, 1862 the “Battle of Fredericksburg” began. The early hours of the battle took place just south of the city. The Union Army sent two divisions into what seemed to be an opening in Jackson’s line. There was a thick fog that plagued both sides throughout the Battle of Fredericksburg. In the south the two sides seemed to see-saw the entire morning. By eleven o’clock the battle had also begun on the river just west of Fredericksburg. Due to the swampy grounds and the fog the Union Army had to cross the bridges in two massive lines making them target practice for the Confederates set up behind a stone wall. Burnside made continued attempts throughout the day to cross the line, but failed every time just increasing his amount of casualties.
The Battle of Fredericksburg remained stagnant throughout the entire next day as Burnside planned one final attempt to break Lee’s line. However, that afternoon Burnside reconsidered his offensive tactics and asked Lee for a truce so he could tend to his injured on the field. General Lee granted this and the Battle of Fredericksburg was over as the Union Army retreated back over the river.
Consequences from the Battle of Fredericksburg
Under the command of Burnside in Fredericksburg, Virginia, the Union suffered over 12,000 casualties and two generals were fatally injured. On the other side, the Confederates suffered only 5,300 casualties most of which were early in the battle. The Confederacy was overwhelmingly pleased with another great victory, while President Lincoln felt the wrath of another defeat from one of his generals. Lincoln dismissed Burnside of his duties a month later.
The Union army saw yet another defeat by the smaller Confederate army at Chancellorsville, Virginia in May 1863, thanks to a daring strategy by General Lee and by the following month, Lee had begun a second invasion of the North, this time heading into Pennsylvania in what would soon lead to the battle at Gettysburg.
