Rappahannock River.

[rbasin]

Good morning,

I am trying to find out if Union supply ships could reach Fredricksburg. If not, any idea how close a ship could get?

Thanks
rbasin

 

[rbasin]

Its for a "What If" scenario.

 

[DaveBrt]

Its for a "What If" scenario.

The current depth is 3 feet. Notes on the history of the region mention its frequent and rapid changes of depth due to runoff down several smaller rivers. Histories of the battle call the river deep and unfordable south of Falmouth.

From the above, I would say it was deep enough for very small craft, but the narrowness of the river would have made their use very hazardous.

 

[rbasin]

Thanks. That helps. I know some "gunboats" attempted to get to Fredricksburg, but didn't. Don't know what gunboats. So it's back to the O.R. for me

 

[DaveBrt]

Thanks. That helps. I know some "gunboats" attempted to get to Fredricksburg, but didn't. Don't know what gunboats. So it's back to the O.R. for me

Would like to hear what you find on the subject.

 

[Wellwords]

I don't know about supply ships, but I believe most of their supplies and mail, etc, came in by train and then had about a day of travel (wagon or walking) to the Camp at Falmouth.

Here's a quote from Walt Whitman:
"WASHINGTON, January, '63.—Left camp at Falmouth, with some wounded, a few days since, and came here [to Washington] by Aquia Creek railroad, and so on Government steamer up the Potomac. Many wounded were with us on the cars and boat. The cars were just common platform ones. The railroad journey of ten or twelve miles was made mostly before sunrise. The soldiers guarding the road came out from their tents or shebangs of bushes with rumpled hair and half-awake look. Those on duty were walking their posts, some on banks over us, others down far below the level of the track. I saw large cavalry camps off the road. At Aquia Creek landing were numbers of wounded going North. While I waited some three hours, I went around among them. Several wanted word sent home to parents, brothers, wives, &c., which I did for them, (by mail the next day from Washington.) On the boat I had my hands full. One poor fellow died going up."
https://iwp.uiowa.edu/whitmanweb/en/writings/civil-war/week-8/down-at-the-front

The Rappahannock next to Falmouth was described by many soldiers as something you could easily wade across, and occasionally did, to trade with the pickets on the other side.

The only boats that seem to have been really useful were flat bottomed Pontoon boats, which were carried overland, and then put in the river to make a bridge. But possibly they could have made it down the river if there hadn't been a war going on.

Even if a boat or a skiff could have made it down the Rappahannock, at least in the Winter and Fall of 1863, it would have been impractical, as the two armies were camped right next to each other for an extended period of time, on either side of the Rappahannock.

 

[Hoseman]

The Rappahannock is more of a mountain type river near Fredericksburg where the water is shallow and fast running with rapids and large rocks. Ships could not reach Fredericksburg but could come relatively close a few miles downstream. I am pretty sure the ships unloaded at Port Royal, VA which is 22 miles below Fredericksburg. It's also about the same distance overland to the Potomac river from Fredericksburg.

 

[Wellwords]

I just found this, and remembered this post. On October 30th, the Army of the Potomac left Harpers Ferry, and began it's trek to Falmouth. This is from a letter home from the Camp at Falmouth on 11/19/1862, about a month before the Battle at Fredericksburg.

"All Quiet on the Rappahannock Tonight" by Turgeon, Sandra A

"I expect a letter tonight from home, as no mail has been received for several days. Everything now will come by way of Acquia Creek, as that is the nearest route and quickest for transportation."

 

[Jamieva]

Fredericksburg, like Richmond, is right on the fall line. So the river west of town is rocky with falls and as you progress east of the city it widens out and deepens

 

[BlueandGrayl]

Imagine the Army of Northern Virginia being called the Army of the Rappahannock instead. That would be as good name as Northern Virginia.

 

[Jamieva]

Southern armies were not named after rivers, northern armies were

 

[BlueandGrayl]

Southern armies were not named after rivers, northern armies were

This is pretty odd to me.

 

[Bruce Vail]

The current depth is 3 feet. Notes on the history of the region mention its frequent and rapid changes of depth due to runoff down several smaller rivers. Histories of the battle call the river deep and unfordable south of Falmouth.

From the above, I would say it was deep enough for very small craft, but the narrowness of the river would have made their use very hazardous.

I think Falmouth was the limit for ocean-going ships. That is where parts of the AoP debarked on their return north from the Peninsula campaign of 1862.

Add -- I checked my source from the book I recently read. It says that part of the army was quartered at Falmouth, it did not specify the precise debarkation point.

 

[Bruce Vail]

Rebs maintained a post at Aquia Creek landing through most of 1861, with cannon to prevent any federal boats from passing.

 

[BlueandGrayl]

Rebs maintained a post at Aquia Creek landing through most of 1861, with cannon to prevent any federal boats from passing.

Well a Roman Catholic colony in Virginia. Didn't expect that.