Battle of Fredericksburg Facts

December 11–15, 1862

Fredericksburg Battle facts, including dates, location, casualties, leaders, who won, and more interesting facts you might not know. This fact sheet provides a quick overview of the battle and is for kids doing research and students preparing for the AP U.S. History (APUSH) exam.

Robert E Lee, 1864, Portrait

Robert E. Lee led Confederate forces to victory at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Image Source: Wikipeida.

Definition

The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America from December 11 to December 15, 1862, during the American Civil War.

Quick Facts

  • Also Known As: The Battle of Fredericksburg is also called the “Battle of Marye’s Heights.”
  • Date Started: The Battle of Fredericksburg started on Thursday, December 11, 1862.
  • Date Ended: The fighting ended on Monday, December 15, 1862.
  • Location: The battle took place in Spotsylvania County and Fredericksburg, Virginia.
  • Who Won: The Confederate States of America won the Battle of Fredericksburg.
  • Civil War Campaign: The Battle of Fredericksburg was part of the Fredericksburg Campaign.

Battle of Fredericksburg, Union Soldiers Crossing the River

This illustration depicts the Army of the Potomac crossing the Rappahannock River on the morning of December 13, 1862. Image Source: Library of Congress.

Important Facts

  • Union commander Major General Ambrose E. Burnside had been in charge of the Army of the Potomac only about one month before the Battle of Fredericksburg.
  • Many historians consider the Battle of Fredericksburg to be the most one-sided Confederate victory of the American Civil War.

Commanders and Forces Involved

Principal Union Commanders

  • Major General Ambrose E. Burnside

Principal Confederate Commanders

  • General Robert E. Lee

Union Forces Engaged

  • Army of the Potomac

Confederate Forces Engaged

  • Army of Northern Virginia

Casualties and Statistics

Number of Union Soldiers Engaged

  • Roughly 114,000

Number of Confederate Soldiers Engaged

  • Roughly 72,500

Estimated Union Casualties

  • 12,653 (killed, wounded, and missing/captured).
  • 1,284 Union soldiers were killed at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

Estimated Confederate Casualties

  • 5,377 (killed, wounded, and missing/captured).
  • 608 Confederate soldiers were killed at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

Results of the Battle of Fredericksburg

  • The outcome of the Battle of Fredericksburg was a Confederate victory.
  • The Battle of Fredericksburg ended Union commander Ambrose E. Burnside’s attempt to invade Virginia.
  • Union commander Ambrose E. Burnside’s Army of the Potomac was forced to retreat from Virginia after the Battle of Fredericksburg.
  • President Lincoln was severely criticized in the North following the Union defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg.
  • On January 26, 1863, about six weeks after the Battle of Fredericksburg, President Lincoln replaced Major General Ambrose E. Burnside with Major General Joseph Hooker as commander of the Army of the Potomac.
  • Following the Battle of Fredericksburg, General Robert E. Lee and his army became even more certain of their invincibility, a mindset that would serve them well during the next major battle of the war at Chancellorsville.

Timeline of the Battle of Fredericksburg

This list shows the main battles and events that took place before and after the Battle of Fredericksburg, and how it fits into the chronological order of the Fredericksburg Campaign.

  • December 11, 1862 — Action at Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg
  • December 13–15, 1862 — Battle Fredericksburg
  • January 1863 — Mud March