The Battle Of Fredricksburg Essay, Research Paper

In the next pages I will explain why Fredericksburg was such a tragedy. Why it was a big morale booster for the South, but a disappointment for the North?

It all started in the year 1862. General George McCellen currently controls the army of the Potomac. When it was determined that McCellen was a bad general, in December of 1862 he was replaced with General Ambrose Burnside. Within a week, Burnside decided on a campaign to the Southern capitol, Richmond. He told his plans to Lincoln and Lincoln approved, but told Burnside the only way for a win was to move quickly. Burnside split his group into three grand divisions, each with two corps. Burnside?s division arrives first at Fredericksburg; when he arrived there weren?t many Confederates. After Burnside?s arrival there was a swarm of Confederates who arrived. The problem was, that while the Confederates moved into position, General Burnside had to wait for pontoon builders so they could cross the Rappahannock River. (See Map1) He had requested pontoons from Harper?s Ferry but they hadn?t arrived yet and came two weeks later. This gave the Confederates time to get an advantageous position over the Union. While Burnside waited he looked at the town from on top of a ridge.

While Burnside waited, Lee was positioning himself for the best way to attack. Lee also had help from Stonewall; Stonewall was positioned down stream on the Rappahannock River. Stonewall had two regiments by the creek and two regiments by the railroad. Lee also had help from General Longstreet, who was positioned by the Rappahannock River and the railroad. The position that Lee had set up was good because he was on higher ground looking down on the Union. Lee, with the major advantage, just sat back and relaxed until General Burnside was ready. (See Map 1)

When Burnside?s pontoons arrived, he went into position. Burnside had Generals Sumner and Hooker as his help. Burnside, Sumner, and Hooker were on one side of the railroad with 10 regiments and on the other side of the railroad was General Franklin with eight regiments. Burnside also had one regiment of engineers to build the pontoons to cross the river. (See Map 1)

While Burnside had been waiting for two weeks he saw how the Confederates were positioned; even though the Confederates had the advantage he still believed he could win. The night before Burnside was going to start building the pontoons, he sent a message to Lincoln saying, ?We hope to succeed.? So, on the night of Wednesday, December 10, 1862, the engineers started to build the pontoons. However, another general from the South, General Will Barkslade, was right above the area where the engineers were and whenever a soldier went to check on the progress of the pontoons, the Confederates would shoot at them.

Now that everything was off schedule, Burnside knew that the Confederate general was getting ready to attack. So, Burnside ordered Brigadier General Henry to take 147 heavy caliber guns and shoot at the Confederates at Stafford Heights. The shooting lasted for an hour. During that hour, 70 solid shots were fired a minute and that firing destroyed the town of Fredericksburg instead of the Confederates. General Barksdale was still there to intercept the bridge builders and troops crossing the bridges. When Barksdale sent a report to General Lee asking if he wanted a bridge of dead Yankees, the comment showed how much trouble the Union was really in.

The hunt was on as Lee ordered more help from Stonewall to assist Longstreet at Port Royal and Skiner?s Neck, which was where the pontoon builders and Bridgadier General Henery were. (See Map 1) Burnside was pleased by the destruction that had been done by his army and that six pontoons had been built. (See Map 3) Burnside learned from reports that Stonewall was still in his original position, so Burnside decided to wait another day before he moved. Burnside believed that if Jackson was so far away then there would be no problem getting positioned on the other side of the river. (See Map 2)

On Thursday Fog shrouded the entire valley as Burnside began his march. To keep the Confederates back, the Union shot blindly at the top of the height. Unfortunately, at noon the fog lifted and Lee saw Burnside, and he told Jackson to come and help him immediately. Even though Lee was outnumbered 3:2, and Burnside was going to run up the hill, Lee said, ?I shall try to do them all the damage in our power when they move forward.? While the Union infantry was moving over the pontoon, their cavalry was raiding the town of Fredericksburg by ripping pictures of families, raping women, burning things, stealing clothes, and other destructive acts.

On Friday morning, the fog was very thick and Lee?s reunited army awaited the challenge at hand. Longstreet was at the left of the height. (See Map 2) He had four of his five divisions on the line in command by Major General Richard Anderson, and Generals Lafayette, McLaws, Pickett, and Hood. The fifth division was under Brigadier General Robert Ransom. Major General A.P. Hill was posted along the entire front line, backed by a second line of two close-packed divisions under Brigadier Generals William Taliaferro and Jubal Early. Major General D.H. Hill?s division was, their backup. Hamilton?s Crossing by Massaponax Creek area was less guarded, so JEB Stuart was placed there. (See Map 2)

On Saturday at 10:00, as the fog lifted, Lee tested his guns: first on Longstreet?s side, and then on Jackson?s side. The right side of the Confederates fired first and made the Union bleed first. The fog lifted so quickly that all the Union troops were revealed and so the Confederates started endless fire with two guns. The person leading the firing was Major John Pelham. After that initial firing, the Union regrouped and started to fire at Stonewall, but the Confederates didn?t answer with a shot, they kept quite until the Union was in range. As soon as the Union got within 800 yards, Stonewall fired endlessly. As the Confederates fired, so did the North.

At 11:30, the North set off to go to Mary?s Height, which was a mile away, but still in view of the Confederates. (See Map 3) With soldiers closely packed, they reached their bridges but some of the planks were removed and the Union decided to cross over in single file. As they did, the Confederates had a surprise in store for them. Brigadier General T.R.R. Cobb had his troops behind stone walls ready to attack the Union as they marched up the height. Even though Lee was scared that Longstreet?s line would be invaded, Longstreet said, ?Don?t worry sir I won?t have any problems, but look at your side, you?re in danger not me.? Lee was in danger of invasion because Burnside?s plan was to deliver many attacks on Lee. Burnside had General John F. Reynolds, Major General George G. Meade, and Brigadier Generals Abner Doubleday and John Gibbon. Burnside sent these generals up Stafford Heights to take down the Confederates, but in turn the generals? men die. (See Map 2)

The Confederates would never fall; they stood strong on Lee?s hill and every attack that Burnside sent they killed most of the men that came. This was the same on Longstreet?s side; every attack sent was shot down. As each the division was shot down, General Burnside would send another. If any of the Union made it past Stafford Heights, Stonewall Jackson?s men would gun them down. (See Map 2)

At the beginning of the war, Burnside had said that the Confederates wouldn?t gain any fruits, but what Burnside didn?t know that they would devastate him. The Confederates wiped out even a last attempt by the Union; Burnside wouldn?t give up until Hooker called a stop to the carnage. Burnside contacted Lincoln to say he would try again the next day, and he had taken the lower height. Burnside still was determined to go ahead the next morning, but when the time came the other generals advised him not to do so. Even if Burnside decided to attack, General Lee was ready. Burnside didn?t fight, but he did bury his dead men. Longstreet?s men killed 9,000, and all together 12,653, men died. The Confederates had half the amount of casualties.

Fredericksburg was one of the worst battles in history; so many died and many mistakes were made. The time that General Burnside wasted was unnecessary; he could have used it to try to get a better position. Even after the South was all set up and it looked impossible for Burnside to win, he decided to try anyway. All of the mistakes Burnside made could have been avoided, so it was Burnside?s entire fault for this big disaster. I think that General Burnside was out-of-line; he was being very na?ve by ordering more troops up the hill when he knew they would die. For these reasons, Fredericksburg was a morale booster for the South and a man-killer for the North.

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