Synopses & Reviews
During the battle of Gettysburg, as Union troops along Cemetery Ridge rebuffed Pickett's Charge, they were heard to shout, "Give them Fredericksburg!" Their cries reverberated from a clash that, although fought some six months earlier, clearly loomed large in the minds of Civil War soldiers.
Fought on December 13, 1862, the battle of Fredericksburg ended in a stunning defeat for the Union. Confederate general Robert E. Lee suffered roughly 5,000 casualties but inflicted more than twice that many losses--nearly 13,000--on his opponent, General Ambrose Burnside. As news of the Union loss traveled north, it spread a wave of public despair that extended all the way to President Lincoln. In the beleaguered Confederacy, the southern victory bolstered flagging hopes, as Lee and his men began to take on an aura of invincibility.
George Rable offers a gripping account of the battle of Fredericksburg and places the campaign within its broader political, social, and military context. Blending battlefield and home front history, he not only addresses questions of strategy and tactics but also explores material conditions in camp, the rhythms and disruptions of military life, and the enduring effects of the carnage on survivors--both civilian and military--on both sides.
Review
Well researched, written, illustrated, and with good maps, it is a rich tapestry of a sometimes overlooked campaign. (Confederate Veteran)
Review
In a sweeping narrative riddled with illuminating details, previously unknown information, and extremely valuable analysis, Rable has succeeded brilliantly in giving Fredericksburg the attention it deserves. (T. Michael Parrish, author of Richard Taylor: Soldier Prince of Dixie)
Review
"The very best study of the horrific bloodbath known as the Battle of Fredericksburg."
--The Lone Star Book Review
Review
Rable's fine volume will be the standard study of Fredericksburg for a long time to come. (Journal of Military History)
Review
Sets a new standard for Civil War historians who write about military campaigns. (Civil War Book Review)
Synopsis
Rable offers a detailed history of the Fredericksburg campaign and shows how the horrific carnage (with 13,000 casualties on the Union side and 5,000 Confederate casualties) haunted military and civilian survivors on both sides.
About the Author
George C. Rable is the Charles G. Summersell Professor of Southern History at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. His previous books include The Confederate Republic: A Revolution against Politics and Civil Wars: Women and the Crisis of Southern Nationalism.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Chapter 1. Armies
Chapter 2. Politics
Chapter 3. Strategy
Chapter 4. Marching
Chapter 5. Delay
Chapter 6. Camp
Chapter 7. History
Chapter 8. Discontent
Chapter 9. Preparations
Chapter 10. Crossing
Chapter 11. Orders
Chapter 12. Artillery
Chapter 13. Breakthrough
Chapter 14. Attack
Chapter 15. Perseverance
Chapter 16. Futility
Chapter 17. Retreat
Chapter 18. Carnage
Chapter 19. Wounds
Chapter 20. News
Chapter 21. Recrimination
Chapter 22. Winter
Chapter 23. Freedom
Chapter 24. Morale
Chapter 25. Mud
Epilogue
Order of Battle
Notes
Bibliography
Index