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.
#1542713 in Books The University of North Carolina Press 2007-02-26 2007-02-26Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x 1.02 x 6.10l; 1.26 #File Name: 0807858323408 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. By Birth or Consent - a deep readBy Sandra K. GorinThis book is extremely detailed and a help to historians or genealogists. It is not a fast read; there's a lot of material here which is most helpful.
