Four battles took place within a 15-mile area near Fredericksburg, Virginia, The Battle of Fredericksburg, there were two separate battles in 1862 & 1863, The Wilderness-1864, Spotsylvania-1864, and Chancellorsville-1863. More than 100,000 lives were lost in both battles.
Tours are offered of the battlefield by volunteer guides and park rangers. During high visitor season (usually summer and fall and weekends) regularly scheduled tours are offered. They are free.
When we visited, the tours had different themes. We took the tour that focused on the Sunken Road. It followed the actual Sunken Road and might be possible for someone in a wheelchair.
A lot of history was offered on the tour including information about the first meeting of Generals Lee and Grant which took place at The Wilderness. We learned about the difficulties President Lincoln had with some of his generals including McClellan and Burnside.
Fredericksburg itself was plundered by Union troops in retaliation for the decimation that was inflicted on their army by Confederate snipers. More than 8,000 Union soldiers were killed trying to cross 50 yards below the Sunken Road. The population of Fredericksburg didn’t return to the Civil War level until the 1930s.
A lot of history was offered on the tour including information about the first meeting of Generals Lee and Grant which took place at The Wilderness. We learned about the difficulties President Lincoln had with some of his generals including McClellan and Burnside.
Fredericksburg itself was plundered by Union troops in retaliation for the decimation that was inflicted on their army by Confederate snipers. More than 8,000 Union soldiers were killed trying to cross 50 yards below the Sunken Road. The population of Fredericksburg didn’t return to the Civil War level until the 1930s.
