Second Battle of Fredericksburg (Tour)

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1. The Union Crosses the Rappahannock, April 28-May 2, 1863

Second Fredericksburg, Part I: On April 28, 1863 the VI Union Corps (John Sedgwick) and I Union Corps (John Reynolds) crossed the Rappahannock River and took up positions south of the city of Fredericksburg. In General Joseph Hooker’s plan for the Chancellorsville Campaign, this Union force would act as a diversion to keep Confederate General Lee at Fredericksburg while Hooker attempted a flanking maneuver.

2. Jubal Early's Position, May 1-2

Second Fredericksburg, Part II: On April 30, 1863 General Robert E. Lee determined that the Union force at Fredericksburg was a diversion and he removed most of his troops west to meet the expected flank attack. Lee left the division of Major General Jubal Early to defend the entrenchments behind Fredericksburg. Due to Sedgwick’s position south of the city, and the disaster of Marye’s Heights in December 1862, Early expected an attack closer to Prospect Hill. He positioned the majority of his force there.

3. Sedgwick Ordered to Attack, night of May 2 into May 3

Second Fredericksburg, Part III: After a few days of inactivity and unclear orders from Hooker, Sedgwick received orders to take Fredericksburg on May 2. Overnight into May 3, Sedgwick moved his three divisions under Newton, Howe, and Brooks up the Bowling Green Road towards Fredericksburg. As the lead division approached the city, the Federal troops skirmished with the Confederate pickets stationed there.

4. John Gibbon's Second Division, II Corps, Crosses the Rappahannock, May 3, 1863 (6:30am)

Second Fredericksburg, Part IV: Hooker’s order to Sedgwick on May 2 included instructions for the division of John Gibbon to cross the Rappahannock into Fredericksburg. Gibbon was part of the Union II Corps, but his division had been left at Fredericksburg as part of the diversion force. On the morning of May 3, Gibbon crossed pontoon bridges into Fredericksburg.

5. Early Shifts his Line, Morning of May 3

Second Fredericksburg, Part V: As Sedgwick and Gibbon converged on Fredericksburg, Brigadier General William Barksdale commanding the lone Confederate brigade in the city, became more concerned about the Union force to his front. In response, Early sent the brigade of Brigadier General Harry T. Hays to reinforce Barksdale and the brigade of Brigadier General Cadmus Wilcox independently moved to support Marye’s Heights.

6. Gibbon's Attack, May 3, 7:00am

Second Fredericksburg, Part VI: Sedgwick wanted to avoid a direct assault on Marye’s Heights and did not have complete information about the Confederate line. He ordered Gibbon’s Division to a position north of Fredericksburg to attempt to flank the Confederate defenses on Marye’s Heights. Unfortunately for the Union, the reinforcements of Hays and Wilcox had just taken their positions and artillery fire from the heights, as well as the inability to cross the canal, stopped Gibbon’s attack.

7. The Union Makes an Attempt Against the Stone Wall, May 3, 9:00am

Second Fredericksburg, Part VII: Gibbon’s attempt at a flanking maneuver was quickly stopped and Sedgwick now realized that the Confederate line extended well past Marye’s Heights. To determine the strength of the Confederate force behind Fredericksburg, he ordered a reconnaissance against the stone wall at the base of Marye’s Heights.

8. Howe's Attack, May 3, 10:00am

Second Fredericksburg, Part VIII: Sedgwick tried one more flanking attempt to the south of Marye’s Heights. Howe sent one regiment in reconnaissance to determine if a flanking maneuver was possible, but his men were hampered by Hazel Run and artillery fire from Lee’s Hill. As a result, Sedgwick decided he would have to directly assault the heights to break through.

9. The Federal Assault on Marye's Heights, May 3, 10:30am

Second Fredericksburg, Part IX: With Hooker putting pressure on Sedgwick to join him at Chancellorsville, Sedgwick planned a direct assault on Marye’s Heights to break through the Confederate line. The Federal attack was a coordinated assault by the divisions of Newton and Howe against Marye’s Heights and Lee’s Hill. Beginning around 10:30am, this direct assault was successful in defeating the Confederate defenses and taking the heights.

10. Fight at Lee's Hill, May 3

Second Fredericksburg, Part X: As Newton’s troops moved forward against Marye’s Heights from Fredericksburg, Howe’s men attacked just south of town. Organized into three battle lines, one of Howe’s lines ended up attacking Marye’s Heights with Newton while the other two attacked Lee’s Hill. With the Confederates pushed off both Lee’s Hill and Marye’s Heights Sedgwick’s VI Corps won the Second Battle of Fredericksburg.

11. Early Retreats Down the Telegraph Road, May 3, 12:30pm

Second Fredericksburg, Part XI: With the center of the Confederate line broken by the Union attack, the brigades of Barksdale and Hays retreated down the Telegraph Road and held off Howe’s division near the Leach House. This gave Jubal Early time to reposition the rest of his troops into a new defensive line by the Cox House.

12. Battle of Salem Church, May 3-4, 1863

The Battle of Salem Church occurred May 3-4, 1863 as part of the Chancellorsville Campaign. Directly after the Second Battle of Fredericksburg on May 3, when Major General John Sedgwick’s Union VI Corps successfully took Marye’s Heights, Sedgwick moved west in an attempt to join General Joseph Hooker at Chancellorsville. A delaying action by Confederate Brigadier General Cadmus Wilcox along the Orange Plank Road prevented Sedgwick from reaching Hooker and allowed reinforcements to arrive at Salem Church. An engagement at Salem Church in the evening of May 3 forced Sedgwick into a defensive position. Robert E. Lee organized an assault on the Union VI Corps on May 4 which ultimately resulted in Sedgwick’s retreat across the Rappahannock.

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Second Battle of Fredericksburg

Created by Kathleen Thompson on August 11th 2020, 2:59:00 pm.

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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.

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Second Battle of Fredericksburg

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