Summary;Battle movements, outcome etc.
The Battle of Fredericksburg
In November, 1862 after the elections political pressure caused President Abraham Lincoln to replace commander George B. McClellan, with Ambrose E. Burnside. General B McClellan was slow to move the Union troops into battle. President Lincoln wanted the Union to attack the Confederate army in the Southern states, ideally in Virginia.
General Burnside
Burnside though,as a new commander, had no loyalists in his Union army. This was because many of the Generals were still loyal to Mclellan, the former Union General. Lincoln had fired Mclellan because he wanted to attack the Confederate Army, this putting immense pressure on him to strike quickly. Also, if Burnside was to have a bad loss during battle, he would not have any political allies who would support him.
Burnside decided to reorganize the Potomac Army into three Grand Divisions. This made it more difficult to have quick actions or corrections of the troops movement in the middle of a battle. Burnside now had to go up against two of the Confederates best Generals. General James E. Longstreet and General Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson were their names. Both of these men had just been promoted to Corps commands under General E. Lee.
Troop Movements of the North
On November 14, 1862, President Lincoln approved General Burnside's Plan to march to Richmond ,Virginia via the route of Fredericksburg. Then on November 17, 1862 part of General Edwin V. Sumner's Right Grand Division reached Falmouth, Virginia. There were supposed to be pontoons for the army to cross the river, but no pontoons were ready. Then materials used to build the pontoons didn't arrive until November 27, 1862. General Sumner though, wanted to cross the Rappahannock river immediately without the Pontoons, but then General Hooker suggested that they cross the river above or below the city. This would've been less defended by the Confederate troops, which is why General Hooker suggested this. Instead Burnside decided he wanted to cross the Confederates right at Fredericksburg, expecting that General Lee wouldn't think of an attack on the defended town. General Burnside's lack of action was questioned, as this was the turning point of the battle.
Troop Movements of the South
General Robert E. Lee had sent General Longstreet to Fredericksburg. General Lee had decided to stay and defend the town of Fredericksburg, since the army of the Potomac had decided not to cross the Rappahannock. General jackson though, remained in the Shenandoah Valley.
The Battle
During the battle, General Burnside was looking to split Lee's troops in half. He had a plan to was to attack the Confederate Right and divide the army into two. General George Mead, of the Union, attempted Burnside's plan, but never got additional troops to help, so he and his troops got pushed back. General Burnside was also given false reports that the Confederate's artillery was located at Mayre's Heights. These false accusations caused Burnside's future plans to be inaccurate. This made Burnside have many more men dead and wounded, resulting in higher casualties.
On the morning of December 14, Burnside had to be talked out of approaching the Confederate's with yet another attack. The long list of debt and casualties had appeared in many papers, making the Union look poor. Out of the Union's casualties (12,653), there were 1,284 dead. The Confederates on the other hand with only 5,309 casualties, had only 595 dead soldiers.
In the end, the Confederates defeat the Union. But, to them this isn't exactly an accomplishment, as they didn't gain any ground. The south now also doesn't have a sufficient amount of soldiers left to fight another battle,due to the loss of their 5,309 soldiers. This put the south in potential danger, although they won the battle, they gained nothing from it and it made them less likely to be able to keep fighting strongly.
The Battle of Fredericksburg
In November, 1862 after the elections political pressure caused President Abraham Lincoln to replace commander George B. McClellan, with Ambrose E. Burnside. General B McClellan was slow to move the Union troops into battle. President Lincoln wanted the Union to attack the Confederate army in the Southern states, ideally in Virginia.
General Burnside
Burnside though,as a new commander, had no loyalists in his Union army. This was because many of the Generals were still loyal to Mclellan, the former Union General. Lincoln had fired Mclellan because he wanted to attack the Confederate Army, this putting immense pressure on him to strike quickly. Also, if Burnside was to have a bad loss during battle, he would not have any political allies who would support him.
Burnside decided to reorganize the Potomac Army into three Grand Divisions. This made it more difficult to have quick actions or corrections of the troops movement in the middle of a battle. Burnside now had to go up against two of the Confederates best Generals. General James E. Longstreet and General Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson were their names. Both of these men had just been promoted to Corps commands under General E. Lee.
Troop Movements of the North
On November 14, 1862, President Lincoln approved General Burnside's Plan to march to Richmond ,Virginia via the route of Fredericksburg. Then on November 17, 1862 part of General Edwin V. Sumner's Right Grand Division reached Falmouth, Virginia. There were supposed to be pontoons for the army to cross the river, but no pontoons were ready. Then materials used to build the pontoons didn't arrive until November 27, 1862. General Sumner though, wanted to cross the Rappahannock river immediately without the Pontoons, but then General Hooker suggested that they cross the river above or below the city. This would've been less defended by the Confederate troops, which is why General Hooker suggested this. Instead Burnside decided he wanted to cross the Confederates right at Fredericksburg, expecting that General Lee wouldn't think of an attack on the defended town. General Burnside's lack of action was questioned, as this was the turning point of the battle.
Troop Movements of the South
General Robert E. Lee had sent General Longstreet to Fredericksburg. General Lee had decided to stay and defend the town of Fredericksburg, since the army of the Potomac had decided not to cross the Rappahannock. General jackson though, remained in the Shenandoah Valley.
The Battle
During the battle, General Burnside was looking to split Lee's troops in half. He had a plan to was to attack the Confederate Right and divide the army into two. General George Mead, of the Union, attempted Burnside's plan, but never got additional troops to help, so he and his troops got pushed back. General Burnside was also given false reports that the Confederate's artillery was located at Mayre's Heights. These false accusations caused Burnside's future plans to be inaccurate. This made Burnside have many more men dead and wounded, resulting in higher casualties.
On the morning of December 14, Burnside had to be talked out of approaching the Confederate's with yet another attack. The long list of debt and casualties had appeared in many papers, making the Union look poor. Out of the Union's casualties (12,653), there were 1,284 dead. The Confederates on the other hand with only 5,309 casualties, had only 595 dead soldiers.
In the end, the Confederates defeat the Union. But, to them this isn't exactly an accomplishment, as they didn't gain any ground. The south now also doesn't have a sufficient amount of soldiers left to fight another battle,due to the loss of their 5,309 soldiers. This put the south in potential danger, although they won the battle, they gained nothing from it and it made them less likely to be able to keep fighting strongly.