This entry includes a virtual tour! Take the tour.
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
The Second Battle of Fredericksburg occurred on May 3, 1863 as part of the Chancellorsville Campaign. While Union General Joseph Hooker maneuvered most of the Army of the Potomac to the west to flank the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee, he left Union troops under Major General John Sedgwick as a division at Fredericksburg. When Lee took his army west to meet Hooker’s troops at Chancellorsville, he left a division under Major General Jubal Early to defend Fredericksburg. On May 3, Sedgwick’s force attacked the Confederate defenses at Marye’s Heights and successfully defeated Early’s force to open up a route to move west along the Orange Plank Road towards Chancellorsville.
Images
.png)
.jpg)
_(14739760236).jpg)
.png)
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Union Major General Joseph Hooker, commanding the Army of the Potomac, devised a strategy in the spring of 1863 to flank the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee and force him from the entrenchments at Fredericksburg. This campaign was in the aftermath of the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862 during which the Union army was unable to break through the Confederate defenses on the heights just behind the city of Fredericksburg. In Hooker’s campaign strategy, he would take a portion of the army north and west to cross the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers and get behind Lee’s army to either surprise the Confederates in battle or force them to move to new ground where the fight would be more in the Union’s favor.
In order to successfully maneuver the majority of the Union army away from Fredericksburg without Lee and the Confederates reacting, Hooker needed to leave a force at the city to convince the enemy that the Union troops were still in place. The task was left to Major General John Sedgwick who was to cross the Rappahannock just south of Fredericksburg and make demonstrations against Lee’s army to keep the Confederate focus there while Hooker made his grand maneuver west.
Initially Sedgwick was in command of his VI Corps, the I Corps of Major General John Reynolds, and the III Corps of Major General Daniel Sickles. On April 28, 1863, the VI Corps and I Corps crossed the Rappahannock River south of Fredericksburg and took up positions by the Bowling Green Road (or Richmond Stage Road). They remained there for April 29 and April 30, waiting for Hooker to make his moves. On April 30, Sickles’ III Corps was called to join Hooker near Chancellorsville and on May 1, as the Battle of Chancellorsville began to the west of Fredericksburg, Reynolds’ I Corps was also ordered to join the main force. This left just Sedgwick’s VI Corps opposing the Confederate line, plus one II Corps division (under Brigadier General John Gibbon) stationed across the river from Fredericksburg.
On the Confederate line, General Lee realized on the night of April 30 what Hooker and the Union army were planning. That night he removed most of his army to the west to resist the Union maneuver, starting the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 1. Lee left one division, under Major General Jubal Early, to defend the line at Fredericksburg. Early had most of his force on the south of the line, in the entrenchments near Prospect Hill, with only a light force defending Marye’s Heights behind the city. This was because in the December 1862 battle the Union had successfully broken through at Prospect Hill while they were unable to break the line at Marye’s Heights; after the disastrous outcome of the previous battle, Early did not expect Sedgwick to try another direct assault at those heights. In addition, for April 28-May 2 Sedgwick’s force was stationed to the south of the city directly across from where Early had the majority of his division.
On the evening of May 2 Sedgwick finally received definitive orders from Hooker to move, take Fredericksburg, and join the main army west at Chancellorsville. Through the night of May 2 into May 3, Sedgwick moved his troops up the Bowling Green Road into Fredericksburg. At the same time, Gibbon was ordered to cross the Rappahannock into Fredericksburg with his division. In the early morning of May 3, the Confederate defenders of Fredericksburg noticed Sedgwick’s movement and quickly tried to move reinforcements into place (although it would only be two Confederate brigades to cover Stansbury Ridge down to Howison Hill, compared to the three brigades at the south of the line).
As Early predicted, Sedgwick did not want to make a direct attack on Marye’s Heights, even as Hooker was putting more and more pressure on him to break through and join the army at Chancellorsville (where the battle was increasingly going in Lee’s favor). Sedgwick first ordered Gibbon’s division to attempt a flanking attack from the north of the city; this was stopped by the Fredericksburg canal and Confederate artillery fire from the heights. Next, Sedwick ordered men from the VI Corps division of Major General John Newton to make an attempt towards the stone wall on Marye’s Heights to determine the Confederate strength there. That reconnaissance attempt was stopped by Confederate fire from the Sunken Road, in a familiar scene to those who had fought in the 1862 battle. Finally, Sedgwick tried another flanking maneuver on the southern part of the heights, with troops from Howe’s division near Hazel Run.
With all his initial attempts failing, Sedgwick decided that they needed to make a direct assault on Marye’s Heights and try to break through. The main attack against Marye’s Heights consisted of two Union columns moving up William and Hanover Streets while a battleline assaulted the stone wall at the Sunken Road. At the same time, Sedgwick ordered Howe’s division just south of Fredericksburg to also attack; some of Howe’s men ended up attacking Marye’s Heights while others assaulted Lee’s Hill. This combined assault broke the Confederate defenses and by the early afternoon Marye’s Heights and Lee’s Hill were under Union control. As Jubal Early repositioned his division just to the south along the Telegraph Road, Sedgwick prepared to move west towards Chancellorsville and the rest of Hooker’s army.
The Second Battle of Fredericksburg was followed immediately by the battle at Salem Church (May 3-4, 1863).
Note about the battlefield tour: The tour is set up as a digital map of the battle, not as a driving tour. You can drive to each of these locations, but be mindful that the locations pinned on the map may be in roadways or on private property. If you chose to explore the battlefield using the tour, please be mindful to park and walk off the roads and in safe areas and respect private property.
Sources
Furgurson, Ernest B. Chancellorsville, 1863: The Souls of the Brave. New York: Vintage Books, 1992.
Gallagher, Gary W. The Battle of Chancellorsville. National Park Civil War Series. Eastern National, 2007.
Parsons, Philip W. The Union Sixth Army Corps in the Chancellorsville Campaign: A Study of the Engagements of Second Fredericksburg, Salem Church and Banks’s Ford, May 3-4, 1863. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2006.
Sutherland, Daniel E. Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville: The Dare Mark Campaign. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1998.
Notes about maps: The maps done by Kathleen Thompson were designed by referencing maps in the Furgurson, Gallagher, Parsons, and Sutherland book as well as from research to construct the general battle narrative. In addition, the David Rumsey Map Collection has a feature that allows you to overlay a historic map onto a modern map; in this case, I overlaid Jed Hotchkiss' map of "Chancellorsville, Salem Church, and Fredericksburg" onto a modern map to help pinpoint locations. I chose to use the modern satellite image of Fredericksburg as the map backdrop to allow viewers to associate the events of the battle with modern landscapes they can physically see in the present. This also emphasizes how much of the battlefield has been covered by the modern landscape and is not preserved.
"Second Battle of Fredericksburg." Wikipedia. Accessed May 11, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Fredericksburg.
"John Sedgwick." Wikipedia. Accessed May 11, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sedgwick.
"Jubal Early." Wikipedia. Accessed May 11, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubal_Early.
Map by Kathleen Thompson
Map by Kathleen Thompson
Map by Kathleen Thompson
Map by Kathleen Thompson
Map by Kathleen Thompson
Map by Kathleen Thompson
Map by Kathleen Thompson
Map by Kathleen Thompson
"Second Battle of Fredericksburg." Wikipedia. Accessed May 11, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Fredericksburg.
"Second Battle of Fredericksburg." Wikipedia. Accessed May 11, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Fredericksburg.
"Second Battle of Fredericksburg." Wikipedia. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Fredericksburg.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 156. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 157. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 158. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 159. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 160. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 160. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 161. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 162. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 163. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 164. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 165. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 166. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 167. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 168. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 169. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 170. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 789. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 790. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 791. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 792. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 793. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 794. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 188. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 189. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 190. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 191. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 192. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 806. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 807. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 808. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 809. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 1000. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 1001. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 1002. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 1003. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 557. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 558. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 559. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 560. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 561. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 562. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 794. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 795. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 796. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 797. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 798. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 799. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 800. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 801. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 802. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 803. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 804. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 805. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 246. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 247. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 248. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 249. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 250. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 251. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 252. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I-Volume XXV-Part I-Reports, page 253. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730244&view=1up&seq=3.