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1862 Ends: The Battle of Fredericksburg

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1 1862 Ends: The Battle of Fredericksburg

2 Mac is Gone…For Good Gen. Ambrose Burnside: takes over Army of the Potomac in Nov Commander of IX Corps No political ambitions Initially turned down offer

3 Burnside Plans His Offensive
Plan of Deception: Fake movement west Rapidly cross Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg Force Lee to attack Lincoln: “Sounds pretty awful, but ok”… What’s the worst that could happen? 120,000 Federals vs. 72,000 Confederates

4 Burnside’s Plan Falls Apart
Pontoon bridge arrive weeks late Extra time allowed Lee to move entire army Burnside refused to send piecemeal divisions across Lee’s men take strong defensive position

5 Battle of Fredericksburg (December 11-15, 1862)
Burnside erects 220 cannon in position to block counterattacks Crosses river, occupies town Decides on full frontal assault on Confederate positions

6 Battle of Fredericksburg (continued)
December 13: Union attack south of town Union attacks briefly break through; not supported by reserves Almost 9,000 casualties A “My God, Reynolds…did Burnside think my division could whip Lee’s whole army?” -Gen. George Meade

7 Battle of Fredericksburg (continued)
Secondary attack on Marye’s Heights becomes focus Confederates 2-3 deep, behind stone wall Confederate artillery dominated the approach 7 Union divisions annihilated Union losses: 8,000 CSA losses: 1,200 “A chicken could not live on that field when we open on it.” -Col. E. Porter Alexander, Longstreet’s artillery chief

8 The Confederate position on Marye’s Heights.

9 The Irish Brigade attacking the stone wall at Mary’s Heights
The Irish Brigade attacking the stone wall at Mary’s Heights. The brigade. Of 7,700 men engaged in the unit, nearly 4,000 were casualties by the end of fighting.

10 “The Angel of Marye’s Heights”
Sgt. Richard Kirkland, a 19 year-old from South Carolina, took water to the Union and Confederate wounded on Marye’s Heights without a flag of truce.

11 The Aftermath of Battle
Total Casualties: Union: 12,600 CSA: 5,300 Burnside relieved of command in January. “If there is a worse place than Hell, I am surely in it.” -Pres. Lincoln “It is well that war is so terrible, lest we should grow fond of it…” -Robert E. Lee


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