Union takes Marye's Heights!

infomanpa

1st Lieutenant
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Location
Pennsylvania
That's right. It's the 156th anniversary of the Second Battle of Fredericksburg, which occurred on May 3rd, 1863. I happened to be on site today and took this picture of the sunken road at the base of the heights where units of Sedgwick's 6th corps defeated the Barksdale's Confederate troops.
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Here is a good view from the Lacey House on Stafford Heights where Union generals in their headquarters area could view Fredericksburg.
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Yes thank you for your posts. Am I correct in thinking that the Yankees actually lost that engagement? I'm not talking about Burnside's debacle in Dec 1862. I thought that the Yanks won early and the Rebels late in this encounter. Please correct me if I am mistaken.
 
Yes thank you for your posts. Am I correct in thinking that the Yankees actually lost that engagement? I'm not talking about Burnside's debacle in Dec 1862. I thought that the Yanks won early and the Rebels late in this encounter. Please correct me if I am mistaken.

The Federals had to fight to take the heights from the Rebels that day in May, 1863, but yes, eventually when Hooker gave the order to pull back across the Rappahannock River, Maryes Heights were abandoned to the Rebels.
 
The Federals had to fight to take the heights from the Rebels that day in May, 1863, but yes, eventually when Hooker gave the order to pull back across the Rappahannock River, Maryes Heights were abandoned to the Rebels.

Thank you. The question really was intended for my edification, not as a critique. Whenever I think of Fredericksburg I recall the terrible description of Lt. Col Joshua Chamberlain of the 20th Maine, whose men were huddled on the plains of the Fred. battlefield at night in freezing cold, using the bodies of Yankee soldiers to protect themselves from Rebel bullets and the elements. I guess that battle was no more awful than Shiloh or Antietam or Spotsylvania or Franklin or Gettysburg or the other 1200 or so engagements fought in the war. rh

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