The Battle of Fredricksburg Essay - 1177 Words

The Battle of Fredricksburg 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†¦show more content†¦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, â€Å"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 aShow MoreRelatedBattle Analysis : Battle Of Chancellorsville1733 Words   |  7 PagesBattle Analysis: Battle of Chancellorsville During the American Civil War, influential leaders and proven commanders were among the most valuable assets in battle. Such was the case of Confederate Army Lieutenant General (LTG) Thomas Jackson. LTG Jackson was well known for his uncanny ability to detect and exploit an enemy’s weak spot, resulting in many battle successes. This paper will identify an alternate outcome to the Battle of Chancellorsville: Day 2. The Battle of Chancellorsville wasRead MoreDifferences Between Gods And Generals And Gettysburg1436 Words   |  6 Pagesbeing able to produce it. 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