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| Fredericksburg overview |
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| Robert E. Lee |
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| Ambrose Burnside |
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia. It was one of the most bloody battle's of the war. Ambrose Burnside planned to take the Army of the Potomac and race to Richmond before Lee could stop him. However bureaucratic delays slowed Burnside down because he could not obtain the necessary pontoon bridges. Lee caught up to Burnside and blocked his way at Fredericksburg. When Burnside finally got the bridges the army crossed under fire and from December 11th to the 12th urban fighting ensued. After driving the confederates out they prepared to assault the strongly fortified Confederate positions south of the city at Marye's Heights. On the 13th Gen. William Franklin pierced Stonewall Jackson's line but was finally repulsed. Burnside launched many head on assaults that did nothing but add to their casualties.
On December 15th Burnside finally retreated having lost 12,653 men. The Confederates only lost 5,377 men.
Thus ended Burnside's campaign in the Eastern Theatre.
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