Front cover of an issue of the Fredericksburg Guidebook

Battle of Fredericksburg

Read a brief history of this Civil War battle. The infamous "Mud March" occurred during this campaign.

On November 14, Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, in command of the Army of the Potomac, sent a corps to occupy the vicinity of Falmouth near Fredericksburg. The rest of the army soon followed. Lee reacted by entrenching his army on the heights behind the town. On December 11, Union engineers laid five pontoon bridges across the Rappahannock under fire. On the 12th, the Federal army crossed over, and on December 13, Burnside mounted a series of futile frontal assaults on Prospect Hill and Marye’s Heights that resulted in staggering casualties.

The Union left flank briefly penetrated Jackson’s line but was driven back by a counterattack. Union generals C. Feger Jackson and George Bayard, and Confederate generals Thomas R.R. Cobb and Maxey Gregg were killed. On December 15, Burnside called off the offensive and recrossed the river, ending the campaign.

Burnside initiated a new offensive in January 1863, which quickly got bogged down in the winter mud. The abortive “Mud March” and other failures led to Burnside’s replacement by Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker in January 1863.
Timeline (December 11 – 13, 1862 )

  • Dec 11, am: Confederate sniper fire delays completion of Federal pontoon bridges.
  • Dec 11: Federal artillery attempts to drive away Confederate sharpshooters but without success.
  • Dec 11, pm: Federal Infantry cross river in boats and force Confederates out of Fredericksburg.
  • Dec 13, 10:00-11:00 am: Confederate artillery prevents main Federal attack with only one gun on Federal’s flank.
  • Dec. 13, Noon: Following a Federal bombardment, Union troops attack but are repulsed.
  • Dec 13, 1:00 pm: Federal troops renew their attack, breaching A.P. Hill’s line through a marshy gap.
  • Dec 13, 1:30 pm: Additional Union forces attack in support of this advance, capturing railroad.
  • Dec 13, 2:15 pm: Early Confederate counterattacks, driving Federals from the breakthrough.
  • Dec 13, 2:30 pm: Union forces retreat before Confederate reinforcements arrive.
  • Dec 13, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm: Confederates in strong positions repulse repeated attacks by Federals with minimal loss.
  • Dec 13, 3:00 pm: Advancing Federal pickets precipitate a vicious counterattack from the Confederate brigade.