“Chancellorsville Tavern,” Gen. Hooker’s Headquarters during the
battle there in 1863. Burnt during that battle, May 3rd.
(See [page 95])
“The Sunken Road,” along which the “stone wall” stood, forming
breastworks for the Confederates in 1862 and 1863.
(See [page 91])
GENERAL BURNSIDE’S OCCUPATION OF FREDERICKSBURG.
The Preliminaries to the Great Battle.
On Sunday morning, the 10th of November, 1862, a company of Federal cavalry, commanded by Captain Ulric Dahlgren crossed the Rappahannock river, above Falmouth, and charged rapidly down Main street, with drawn sabres. A small force of Confederate cavalry (Colonel John Critcher’s battalion), was quartered in town, who, recovering from the disorder into which they were thrown by the sudden and unexpected appearance of the enemy, quickly rallied, and, aided by citizens and Captain Simpson’s company, of Colonel W. B. Ball’s command, attacked the raiders, pursued and drove them across the river, inflicting upon them a slight loss in men and horses. The Federal army then began to move down from Fauquier, Culpeper and Prince William counties, through Stafford county, to occupy Fredericksburg.
To Colonel Wm. A. Ball, an experienced officer, who had greatly distinguished himself at the battle of Leesburg, and in other encounters, was entrusted by General Lee the duty of holding the town, and in retarding the approach of the enemy, if possible, with the promise of speedy reinforcements. The divisions of Gen. Lafayette McLaws and General Robert Ransom, of General Longstreet’s corps, with General Wm. H. F. Lee’s brigade of cavalry and a battery of artillery, were marched hurriedly to this point, and the whole of General Lee’s army prepared to follow.
On Sunday, November 16th, Colonel Ball’s scouts announced the approach of the enemy on three roads—the Warrenton, Stafford Courthouse and the Poplar. He telegraphed to General Gustavus W. Smith, in Richmond, for reinforcements. General Smith promptly sent him a battalion of four companies, under Major Finney, from the Forty-second Mississippi. With his small force, which scarcely exceeded five hundred men, the gallant Colonel proposed to engage the enemy, if he sought to cross the Rappahannock near Fredericksburg. Colonel Ball placed his infantry in the mill-race and mill opposite Falmouth, stationed his cavalry in the upper part of Fredericksburg and planted Captain John W. Lewis’s battery of four guns and eighty men on the plateau around the old Fitzgerald residence, at Little Falls, half a mile above the town.
At 10 o’clock on Monday, the 18th, the Southern scouts were driven across the river by the enemy’s cavalry, and several hours thereafter a Federal corps, of twelve thousand strong, appeared on the Stafford Heights, opposite Fredericksburg, and planted their field-batteries, consisting of more than twenty guns. Capt. Lewis’s men maintained their ground and replied to the rapid firing of the enemy. The distance was short—less than half a mile. The firing of the men was accurate, yet the Confederate fire was kept up, and the Federals, uncertain as to the force opposing them, made no attempt to cross the river.
Colonel Ball, with five hundred men, maintained his front, in the face of the twelve thousand Federals, encouraged by General Lee, who telegraphed him, “Hold your position if you can. Reinforcements are hurrying to you.” On Tuesday, the 18th, the enemy’s force was largely increased. General Burnside’s whole force was pouring down to the Stafford hills. They were waiting for pontoon bridges, and did not cross the river.