Fredericksburg

During the battle of Gettysburg, as Union troops along Cemetery Ridge rebuffed Pickett's Charge, they were heard to shout, "Give them Fredericksburg!" Their cries reverberated from a clash that, although fought some six months earlier, clearly loomed large in the minds of Civil War soldiers. Fought on December 13, 1862, the battle of Fredericksburg ended in a stunning defeat for the Union. Confederate general Robert E. Lee suffered roughly 5,000 casualties but inflicted more than twice that many losses--nearly 13,000--on his opponent, General Ambrose Burnside. As news of the Union loss traveled north, it spread a wave of public despair that extended all the way to President Lincoln. In the beleaguered Confederacy, the southern victory bolstered flagging hopes, as Lee and his men began to take on an aura of invincibility. George Rable offers a gripping account of the battle of Fredericksburg and places the campaign within its broader political, social, and military context. Blending battlefield and home front history, he not only addresses questions of strategy and tactics but also explores material conditions in camp, the rhythms and disruptions of military life, and the enduring effects of the carnage on survivors--both civilian and military--on both sides.

Fredericksburg, one of America's most historic cities, sits midpoint between the nation's capital and Richmond. Many visitors come to this city to walk in the footsteps of illustrious Americans, admire their homes, view the battlefields nearby, and enjoy true Southern hospitality.

MOVE THROUGH TIME AS NEVER BEFORE with this one-of-a-kind guide, which brings you face-to-face with the people and events that shaped the Battle of Fredericksburg.

The Army of the Potomac's defeat by General Lee. A classic reference.

In December 1862, things were still confused for the Union. Antietam had been a failure for both sides, and although the battle showed that the Union army could bring the Confederates to bay, it couldn't pin them in one place long enough to destroy them. In December 1862, General Burnside, newly appointed to command the Army of the Potomac, planned to seize and secure the town of Fredericksburg, and then take the Confederate capital of Richmond. Carl Smith's book details the epic struggle that engulfed the Union side as it crossed the Rappahannock on December 11, encountering stiff opposition from Lee's men.

Describes the Civil War battles fought in the Fredericksburg, Virginia area, and the condition of those battlefields today.

Ted Kamieniak collected these fifteen superb articles to amaze and fascinate all who feel "history" is simply a well-worn path. Each selection delivers fresh perspective and intriguing events connected to Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Fastidiously investigated and painstakingly written, this eclectic compilation presents little-visited neighborhoods of historical inquiry. Meet Fredericksburg's first cop on the beat; discover the persistence of hoodoo and conjuration in black plantation society; delve into the account of State Senator Benjamin Pitts and Fredericksburg's first drive-in movie theater--and so much more! Whether your interests lie in social history, vernacular architecture, historic technology or folkways, you will find this book an entertaining and profitable read.

Ulric Dahlgren led a Union cavalry raid on the town of Fredericksburg, Virginia on the cold Sunday morning of November 9, 1862. Only about 3 hours long, the incident is a minor footnote in Civil War history. Yet this story is a microcosm of the war as experienced by the citizens, newspapers North and South, the individual soldier and his officers. First person accounts paint a detailed picture of the events of that morning, eschewing the spin of triumph or perfidy so common to military narratives.