Fredericksburg: Animated Battle Map

We at the American Battlefield Trust are re-releasing our original set of Animated Battle Maps with brand new openings and narration. Enjoy learning more about the Battle of Fredericksburg.
Our collection of animated maps bring battles of the American Civil War to life, complete with troop movement animations, narratives, reenactment footage and more.

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

By the request of many of our viewers, we have added narration to our already existing original set of battle maps. We appreciate your support and hope you enjoy the update! For our more modern animated maps, please visit the top of our Animated Battle Maps playlist kzbin.info/aero/PLZrhqv_T1O1sdxRNm5SNc6cGSWr7xiWZs.

[@mrthages]

You guys ROCK!! Thanks for your hard work

[@lucasjohnson2995]

The narration is certainly appreciated. However, a few pronunciation errors were noticed.

[@mark12358]

Very good job you did, thanks!

[@cootermcguffin1874]

@@lucasjohnson2995 Yes, the narration is great. If at all possible, pronunciation of Gen. Sturgis' name should be corrected.

[@danielp5570]

Make one on the battle of cassino ww2

[@gregruland1934]

Awesome portrayal of the battle, which makes Burnside's colossal failure much more understandable.

[@dwightcrapson6223]

No, it is a botched portrayal. See my comments above or watch it again and pay attention.

[@ReverendMeat51]

How does it make said failure more understandable?

[@gregruland1934]

@@ReverendMeat51 Decision to make an attack after Lee reinforced a function of Burnside's insecurity and pressures from Lincoln. It was a stupid attack given the setting. A more confident, an experienced general would not have attempted it.

[@ronaldshank7589]

Understandable? Yes. Forgiveable? Not with a lot of people. General Burnside definitely did the wrong thing that day.. and at least 7,500 Union Troops met their deaths, because of it!

[@marvinbush5278]

Burnsides actions at Fredericksburg are just mind-boggling to me.

[@db321g]

Just watched the Series Gallipoli on Prime. Same thing different war. It's really criminal.

[@timothyhetherington]

He charged up the hill like 13 times. After like the 5th failed attempt, Burnside should have retreated. The union got slaughtered.

[@michaellipschutz2620]

The confederates were behing a solid stone wall and other fortafacations. It was stupid for Burnside to send wave after wave of Union infantry in a frontal attack against such a strong position. Burnside was incompetant. If he could not do a flanking motion. Then he just should have withdrew. The Union army had great casualties.

[@theofficialsikris]

Seriously, Zapp Brannigan has better battle tactics then this idiot.

[@liamgriffin218]

Michael Lipschutz this was basically the Union's equivalent to Picket's charge.

[@stevestringer7351]

The union could have found other fords to cross before Gen Lee fortified his defenses.

[@stevestringer7351]

@@liamgriffin218 true.... both cases men were slaughtered uselessly

[@Maxbps88]

Clearly Gen. Lipschitz should have been in command = after watching one video he thinks he's Patton. Seriously, though, dude. Can't you stop for ONE second and imagine what it would have been like for a General 150-years ago with vastly imperfect information about what you are facing and what your enemy is doing and cut the man some slack? At least he was taking the fight to the Confederates which is 1Mx better than his predecessor. And while he did lose many men and IN HINDSIGHT should have stopped the siege much earlier, his actions brought about an end to the war MUCH, MUCH sooner than McClellan's lollygagging; thus, SAVING tens of thousands of lives. Try thinking outside the obvious HINDSIGHT/2020 (vision not the year.)) box.

[@joncheskin]

Once the pontoon bridges were late, the plan needed to change. There were 7500 reasons for this.

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

I do not understand why in the heck did Burnside boot just wait until the pontoons were available before he marched? Why march before they're ready, knowing there could be delays

[@NonPremiumID]

"Catchy"

[@alan30189]

Maekar I Targaryen - Burnside was incompetent, that’s why. Once the Confederates beat him to Fredericksburg, he should’ve went somewhere else. The truth of the matter is, the Confederates had the best generals, at least until the end of the war. Once Sherman and Grant came along, things changed. Before them, frankly, they sucked.

[@D4rkc14ymor3]

@@alan30189 They were there, but the Staff was too busy calling Grant a drunkard and Sherman crazy (which he actually was but it didn't effect him in the field). It took 2 years for Lincoln to see through his general staff and decide to promote winners instead of "good" officers. Grant and Sherman were winning from the word go save the occasional setback.

[@alan30189]

@@D4rkc14ymor3 Yes, Grant was in the western theater at the beginning, then after his success there, became the Commanding General for the Union. Sherman had a nervous breakdown in 1861 and took a leave of absense until coming back and fighting alongside Grant, until Grant's move north. Grant encouraged him to come back.

[@anthonylasure5286]

Lexington, Missouri, which is right on the Missouri River, had a major battle called The Battle of The Hemp Bales. The Confederates were advancing from the river bottom, and Union shells were catching fire to the Hemp Bales they were using for cover. So they soaked water into the Hemp, and pushed uphill and overran the Union into Wentworth Military Academy where eventually they surrendered. The battlefield had a mansion built by a man named Anderson, called "Anderson House" (creative right lol). The house was right on the battlefield, and it exchanged hands between Union and Confederates multiple times. It was turned into a field hospital for BOTH SIDES. It became neutral. It's still there today, and the Battlefield is a state historic site. This would make for a good video. Lexington is my hometown

[@Thechezbailey]

Cool, I'll have to study this one.

[@Taco0718]

I used to live in Independence Missouri, and I would visit Lexington battlefield often. I used to love seeing the cannonball in the courthouse LOL.

[@itgomm1]

For those saying Burnside should have changed his plan. Burnside was in a trap of his own making. His overall plan had been approved and he was ordered to do it. He was scared if being replaced as were his predecessors. He also didn't listen to subordinate generals whom he thought were second guessing him. Up to this point, the union had overall been whipped time after time. It wouldn't be until Meade took command that a union general would be able to keep pace with Lee. Grant actually left Meade in command of the army of the potomac once he took command if all armies for the union. Grant also made having a free hand a requirement for him taking command so that he wouldn't be trapped by congress or the war department. That is how he was so successful. Burnside was a product if the environment at the time. He was a good division commander in over his head with, he thought, his hands tied.

[@needmorecowbell6460]

My great great great grandfather was a corporal and served in the 53d Pennsylvania infantry regiment and was in the second wave to advance and attack Marye’s Heights …. How in the good lords name did he survive the entire war taking part in a lot of the wars bloodiest and gruesome engagements ranging from Fredericksburg, Wilderness, Antietam at the bloody lane, to the Rose farm and woods and wheat field at Gettysburg… ill never know but thank you dear lord for sparing my Great Papa Carpenter’s life or i wouldn’t be here today. 🙏

[@jimchumley7907]

It was indeed the will of the Lord which so often we do not understand. Isaiah15:8

[@lesliefranklin1870]

Thank you for the narration. It makes the video experience much better.

[@dwightcrapson6223]

No, not if you pay attention to the silly things the narrator says. See my post above for details, or better yet, watch the video again and pay attention this time.

[@ARCtrooperblueleader]

@Leslie Franklin - Absolutely.

[@BL-mk3lr]

Can confirm: Attending your first ball as a teen *does* feel like a lot like you’re stuck in an urban environment while being shot at.

[@MatinAmerica]

You told me exactly where my great grandfather was, with Kimball, under French, the first to go up that hill. Can’t believe he made it. Thankful to be alive. So excited to go see it live! Thank you Battlefield Trust for bringing our history into our homes.

[@alternatingcurrents3506]

That attack on Marye's Heights was so painful to watch

[@charjl96]

I laughed

[@prepper1013]

Watching my mother in law wake up every morning is more painful.

[@SClark-ww3vi]

Later the battle of Cold Harbor under Grant is pretty painful too.

[@afriendlyrebel5709]

@@SClark-ww3vi But it's succeeded to push Rebs tho.

[@jaysenkov1574]

@@charjl96 Sorry, I can't here you over the sound of Sherman and Grant annihilating the south

[@tomservo5347]

"They want to let us in-getting out won't be quite so smart and easy." -Union veteran as they crossed the pontoon bridge into Fredericksburg and destiny. General Burnside's plan was actually militarily sound and logical but should have been called off but he was under pressure to do something-anything. It was a miracle the pontoons showed up at all-but they might as well never showed up at all to prevent this senseless bloodletting. Burnside even stated that he felt being in command was too much for him, but sadly no one listened.

[@thelakeman5207]

If the pontoons showed up when expected, the battle would have been very different. Burnside's tactic was good. But waiting for the pontoons, then attacking after Lee was ready was suicide. Many lives would be saved if Burnside turned away.

[@thexalon]

The plan that would have made a lot of sense when the pontoons were late: 1. Leave a screening force of about 15,000 facing Fredericksburg, and make it look larger than it is by having lots of fires at night, noise, etc. 2. Send most of the remaining forces (around 100,000, still larger than the ANV) to cross on pontoons about 10 miles away. Try your best to make this move fast and secret. 3. One of two things will happen: Either Lee figures out what you're up to and moves away from Fredericksburg and allows your screening force to now attack with light opposition, or he doesn't in which case you now have got the majority of your army across and can now attack Lee from the flank or rear and push him away from that critical railroad. If Lee tries to counterattack at Fredericksburg, your screening force can slow Lee down enough due to the river crossing to get your main body back to the area. 4. Another option, if your large crossing is successful elsewhere, is to set up on high ground between Fredericksburg and Richmond, cutting Lee's supply, and make Lee turn back and fight you on ground of your choosing. Apparently, both Lee and Burnside considered this, and Lee guarded against it, but Burnside decided he couldn't pull it off.

[@thelakeman5207]

@@thexalon That's a good idea. Makes sense.

[@tomservo5347]

@@thexalon Nice plan but one problem-expecting Burnside to come up with it let alone successfully doing it. The man was cursed in every operation he was in charge of. (See 'The Battle of the Crater'.)

[@MrRiico]

@@tomservo5347 Yes, he was cursed but [as mentioned above] he never wanted the job and had twice turned down an opportunity to succeed McClellan as head of Union forces.. I mean, at least he didn't have a false sense of self...

[@TheGerudan]

What was Burnside's reasoning for the continued attack on Marye's Heights anyway? "Well, they have to run out of ammunition at SOME point!"?

[@staffsaber534]

No, cause there was a major supply road behind Lee's hill and Marye's Heights. It's called Plank Road after the planks laid down to keep the heavy Confederate supply carts from sinking into the mud. Ammo was not an issue because of this road, both during Fredericksburg AND Chancellorsville. Plank Road is still a major thoroughfare through Fredericksburg today, although paved.

[@alienworm1999]

Hindsight is always 20/20. The guy Burnside had replaced was sacked for his lack of decisive, confrontational action; he therefore marched off to Fredericksburg for a decisive, confrontational action that would take the Confederates by surprise. Except all surprise was forfeit because of the pontoons, they were strongly entrenched after almost two weeks of waiting, and Washington was still breathing down his neck looking for positive results after McClellan's failure at Antietam. Not attacking here and now, regardless of the circumstances, would surely mean his dismissal. His larger battle plan also hindered on keeping Longstreet's troops contained on Marye's Heights so that they couldn't participate in the larger battle for Prospect Hill. It was foolish of him to keep sending men into the slaughter like that but I'm sure he was getting increasingly desperate for a sign of success, while also finding it increasingly hard to determine the Confederate's true strength due to the carnage and smoke. Perhaps one more assault *could have* seen their forces dislodged from Marye's Heights; we've already engaged them with three divisions, surely they must be breaking by now right?

[@antoniopinto1579]

Macabre!

[@gerardjagroo]

The Romans under Marcus Licinius Crassus made that same assumption at the Battle of Carrhae when faced with massed Parthian horse archers. Spoiler warning: the Parthians did not run out of arrows and had brought in thousands by camel.

[@Ofthehouseofbeards]

"What are you going to do? Have us walk straight at them again?" "Why yes! How did you know?" "Because it's what you've had us do the past 18 times!" "That's the brilliance of it! They'll never see it coming! Only a madman would do it 19 times!"

[@manilajohn0182]

Fredericksburg- by far, the Confederacy's greatest victory. They needed to achieve victories like this in almost every battle to have a chance of surviving as a nation.

[@ThePcbdznr]

Good thing they couldn't.

[@davidcolley7714]

@@ThePcbdznr Perhaps a confederate win could have prevented the wholesale slaughter of the Native tribes residing on the great plains

[@mrbrainbob5320]

@@davidcolley7714 no the opposite actually

[@davidcolley7714]

@@mrbrainbob5320 Nonsense

[@mrbrainbob5320]

@@davidcolley7714 the Confederates were evil

[@Photograph1974]

An ancestor of mine (my great great uncle) from Alabama participated in this battle as a member of the Army of Northern Virginia. Another Alabamian, John Pelham, was very instrumental in the South’s victory in Fredericksburg.

[@nathanaelsallhageriksson1719]

Wow, I've become more interrested in the civil war after getting the game Ultimate General: Civil War, it's amazing BTW. I played through the battle of fredricksburg in that game and i can see everything they describe here through the game's perspective.

[@dewdropper1348]

Richard Kirkland was a true hero’s hero. He was later killed at the battle of chickamauga in 1863

[@rorschach1985ify]

RIP.

[@samiam619]

Was there not a single Lt. that could tell his men “It’s just one gun, let’s go take it”?

[@AlphaGator9]

I am still fascinated by our Civil War. I have a deep respect for the courage and tenacity of the Southern forces, but for the sake of humanity, very grateful that the Union won the war.

[@hatuletoh]

Pronunciation tip: Marye, as in "Marye's Heights" is pronounced 'MAHR-ee', rather than like the name "Mary". At least, that's according to a native of Fredericksburg whom I asked specifically about it when I met him during a completely unrelated business meeting. The night after the battle, many Confederate soliders went out into the piles of dead Union soliders in front of the stone wall to collect shoes and topcoats, as they themselves were severely short of both. One Confederate solider spotted the body of a lieutenant in a fine pair of new boots and as he grabbed a hold of one and tried to pull it off, the not-so-dead lieutenant raised his head and gave him an annoyed look. The Confederate private, with the dark sort of humor they always have in such anecdotes, touched his cap respectfully and said, "oh, beggin' your pardon, sir. I's thought you'd gone above." He leg go of the lieutenant's booted leg, the lieutenant lowered his head back down, and whether or not the lieutenant lived to see the morning, or the private found a decent pair of shoes, is not recorded.

[@iamnadexey]

Can confirm, but I actually hear more pronunciation of the "y" personally. I grew up literally within Chancellorsville battlefield, just outside of Fredericksburg. Nice story as well, that's a new one.

[@gordonsheaffer1228]

There was no Mee-ger the proper pronunciation is M-ar @@iamnadexey

[@Thechezbailey]

"You see, killbots have a preset kill limit. Knowing their weakness, I sent wave after wave of my own men at them until they reached their limit and shut down. Kif, show them the medal I won." - Zap Brannigan, Union General

[@kcobley]

Should have made sure the pontoon bridges were available at the Potomac before moving forces to Fredericksburg.

[@82mccord]

Kevin Cobley Many Union soldiers would have been grateful.

[@coolmanjack1995]

After they waited there for 10 days I think they should have changed their minds on their plan because they had lost the element of surprise, allowed the defenses to build, and allowed support to arrive

[@Tboy439]

@@coolmanjack1995 ...If you really look at battles of the Civil War, it will become apparent to anyone with common sense that Edwin Stanton, the secretary of war was a traitor. He was actually a southern democrat who was involved with the assassination of Lincoln after the war. He deliberately stalled the arrival of the pontoon bridges to allow the south to mobilize. What should have been a union victory ended up being a defeat. If not for Stanton, the war probably would have ended much sooner. But the people he was working for wanted as much death as possible. When I heard in this video that Burnside had contacted the war department requesting pontoon bridges, I already knew things weren't going to turn out well for the union.

[@markcasassa3025]

@@Tboy439 What are you on about? Andrew Johnson, a Democrat, wanted to remove him from his post once he took office. He was nearly impeached by radical republicans as a result. During the war, Stanton was one of Lincoln's most staunch supporters. He wanted to court martial McClellan after he refused to support Pope at Bull Run and rejected the Halleck's orders. He helped draft a proposition to arm slaves in the south to help put down the rebellion. He consistently opposed measures that would concede to the south's demands. When Buchanan wanted to withdraw from fort Sumter, he threatened to resign. He wanted to fight to keep the Union together, in contrast to secessionists and those who would appease them. For God's sake, he organized the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth! How does any of that point to him being a traitor, let alone a collaborator in his president's assassination?

[@amaree9732]

My great grandfather was lost at Gettysburg. He wandered away from the tour group.

[@Ginger-u6s]

Fredericksburg and the battlefield are my favorite civil war sites to visit. Great town and easy to navigate everything. Stonewall is chilling to stand behind.

[@jwhite146]

what is overlooked is that Burnside had a good plan if it ran on time. The late bridges are what cost the Union. it is very rare that anyone talks about the Union left which messed up the CSA right

[@-qj6ps]

A good plan can adapt. A good blacksmith would never strike after his iron has cooled

[@codybaker154]

My Great Great Great Grandfather James Thomas died on Marye’s heights fighting with the 48th NC. 160 years ago yesterday. I live on what was his grandsons farm in the same area as he did in NC. God bless all the men who lost there lives that day.

[@jean6061]

Two things. It was my understanding that on the second day of battle in Fredericksburg, Gen. Burnside continued to order troops up the hill to Marye's Heights and only at the insistence of his senior staff did he relent. Is this true? Also, I read that Sgt. Kirkland asked his CO for permission to give water to the wounded but was granted permission only on the second request - a bit different from the narration here. Also, Sgt. Kirkland had no idea if Union troops would fire at him, which would in turn prompt Confederates to return fire. His actions on that hill were incredibly brave.

[@shrapnel77]

Yes. Hooker was one of the generals that spoke to the other commanders and knew it was useless. Burnside hated Hooker, but had to relent when it was painfully obvious the attack was a colossal failure. Kirkland requested a white flag, but was denied. He went out there knowing he could be shot. When Union troops saw what he was doing, he was cheered.

[@anonymousanonymity2815]

@@shrapnel77 I think it’s important to note that the heights attack was meant to be diversionary and the attack on the south was supposed to be the main focal point, problem was that Franklin basically half assed the attack in the south and did not send timely reinforcements when Meades division actually made a breakthrough

[@johnflanagan2684]

Burnside was a joke. Why he lasted so long, until Grant relieved him at Petersburg is beyond me.

[@siraxolotl2634]

He wasn’t relieved by grant. He was replaced shortly after Fredericksburg and replaced by General George Gordon Meade. Meade was in command later during Gettysburg.

[@johnflanagan2684]

@@siraxolotl2634 Grant didn't relieve him as overall Commanding General. Grant relieved him of duty, period. I should have been more specific. Burnside failed for the final time at Peterburg with the disaster at the crater. Grant sent him back to Washington for good after that. That was what I was refering to.

[@siraxolotl2634]

John Flanagan okay. Now I get what ya meant. 😂

[@johnflanagan2684]

Just an aside..no critiscism. Hooker was the General who took over in the East after Burnsidel. Meade relieved Hooker.

[@siraxolotl2634]

John Flanagan I know. I just like to pretend that hooker never led the union army because of how incompetent he was. XD

[@oshaqsha9826]

Love this video a lot. Very in depth, but not overwhelmingly so. I’m a huge fan of your maps series, looking forward to more! Fingers crossed for a Stones River video someday, haha. I’ve said it before, but this channel is easily my favorite on YT.

[@KennyMcCormick99]

I grew up in Manassas just 45 minutes away, and we used to go Civil War relic hunting on all the time!

[@jarronsmith3733]

That’s awesome and your videos are great!! Keep up the good work!!

[@777Outrigger]

"General, if you put every Union soldier now on the other side of the Potomac on that field to approach me over the same line, I will kill them all before they reach my line." ~James Longstreet

[@thelakeman5207]

Longstreet was right. It was nothing but murder.

[@RebelPatriot355]

777Outrigger 🤔....Col. Porter Alexander, in charge of CSA Artillery, said... “not even a chicken could live on that field” referring to the overlapping fields of fire. Burnside was a fool... woefully unfit to lead the Army... mediocre Division commander at best. I’ve been to the battlefield back in 2010. One of the least preserved because it was such an overwhelming Confederate victory. 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@roguelead72]

@Doug Bevins Longstreet argued against Pickett's Charge, but got overruled.

[@davidcolley7714]

@Doug Bevins This is not about Gettysburg, it's about Fredericksburg. But I see by your other remarks that you are rather adept at using nothing but sophistry. But I would surmise that you are an American, so such lack of scholarship is to be expected

[@richardernsberger5692]

@Doug Bevins What Longstreet advice are you saying was wrong? Perhaps Lee was just too overconfident at Gettysburg; why else got into PA and charge against a well-defended Union position?

[@joycekoch5746]

Richard Kirkland's statue was nearly defaced in June of 2020 but was prevented. It still stands intact and there are no plans at this time to have it removed.

[@bryanbond7804]

I was just at the battlefield a couple of weeks ago. Who prevented it from being defaced?

[@knightstemplar4274]

The outro music is exact precision of the pain of a disaster battle of the fallen 😔. -Don't loot my guys when your in a war. You'll never get to keep the things with you when your time is up.

[@CaptainRed22447]

In the Roman civil war, Julius Caesar knew he had to march on Rome itself, which no legion was permitted to do. Marcus Lucanus left us a chronicle of what happened: "How swiftly Caesar had surmounted the icy Alps and in his mind conceived immense upheavals, coming war. When he reached the water of the Little Rubicon, clearly to the leader through the murky night appeared a mighty image of his country in distress, grief in her face, her white hair streaming from her tower-crowned head, with tresses torn and shoulders bare she stood before him, and sighing said: 'Where further do you march? Where do you take my standards, warriors? If lawfully you come, if as citizens, this far only is allowed.' Then trembling struck the leader's limbs; his hair grew stiff and weakness checked his progress, holding his feet at the river's edge. At last he speaks: 'O Thunderer, surveying great Rome's walls from the Tarpeian Rock -- 'O Phrygian house gods of Iulus, clan and mysteries of Quirinus who was carried off to heaven -- 'O Jupiter of Latium, seated in lofty Alba and hearths of Vesta -- 'O Rome, equal to the highest deity, favor my plans. Not with impious weapons do I pursue you. Here am I, Caesar, conqueror of land and sea, your own soldier, everywhere, now, too, if I am permitted. The man who makes me your enemy -- it is he who be the guilty one.' Then he broke the barriers of war and through the swollen river swiftly took his standards. And Caesar crossed the flood and reached the opposite bank. From Hesperia's forbidden fields he took his stand and said: 'Here I abandon peace and desecrated law. Fortune, it is you I follow. Farewell to treaties. From now on war is our judge.'" Hail, Caesar: We who are about to die salute you. -Lt. Col. Joshua Chamberlain, Gods and Generals 1862/2003

[@FirstStrikeSabre]

General Ambrose “Zapp Brannigan” Burnside.

[@ChickSage]

Did my reputation proceed me, or was I too quick for it?

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

Please stop. The adults are trying to have a conversation.

[@tasmanianwalrus583]

Could you guys do one of these for Chancellorsville but include all three days instead of just May 1st

[@kingericson490]

I Agree

[@heckinmemes6430]

"Once the confederate soldier reaches a certain predetermined kill count, he shuts down! Then all we have to do is walk past them. Checkmate and king me!" -Burnside, probably. "Sir, we are playing connect four." -Lee, maybe,

[@ugadawgs1990]

General Longstreet, who is buried near my home in Gainesville, Georgia, had his shining moment in this battle. The Yankees stood no chance. The northern lights over the field that night were, indeed, a sign.

[@walkermangum56]

I know God's and General's got bad reviews from the "critics" but I would've enjoyed Jackson's view of this battle much more than the slaughter depicted on Marye's Heights

[@jr-xs9tf]

My great, great grandfather was behind that wall on the heights. What a slaughter he must have been a part of.

[@flyingterminator357]

Greetings from Greece , you do great job !

[@ThecrazyJH96]

Born and raised in fxburg, visited all these spots, crazy knowing how much carnage happened and thankfully most of the spots are preserved well

[@MM-qi5mk]

This is the best channel on the Civil War on KZbin, period

[@miketalas7998]

Wow, it amazes me as a former big rig trucker, that I have driven, and delivered goods, all over these battle fields, and did not know exactly where, these battles, had been fought!

[@kfiscal01]

You would think that Lee, seeing the slaughter at the stone wall, would have thought twice with Picketts charge in Gettysburg.

[@_warren6659]

"it is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it." -Robert E. Lee

[@bobamericana3099]

a list of total losses for the action would be a welcomed addition to this superb upload

[@jackcoleman5955]

That is exactly my thought! I love the narration and the graphics are perfect. But I longed for an after action summary, with losses n army size.

[@broncoremy]

Army of the Potomac - 12,653 casualties: 1,284 KIA, 9,600 WIA, 1,769 MIA. Army of Northern Virginia - 5,377 casualties: 608 KIA, 4,116 WIA, 653 MIA. MIA includes captured and missing.

[@jackcoleman5955]

@@broncoremy Thank you!!!

[@TaterChip91]

Isn't it true when Lincoln offered the role to Burnside, he turned it down because he believed he didn't have the experience or intelligence to be able to do it successfully. But when Lincoln said if he didn't accept, the position would go to Hooker. But, relations between Burnside and Hooker had soured previously, he accepted the offer just to spite Hooker..?

[@kbonh22]

Lincoln's constant pressure on his generals to attack no matter what is one of the reasons why this disaster happened.

[@jacqueslemieux1802]

Commander of Irish troops’ name is pronounced Marr. He was later territorial gov of Montana. Died under strange circumstances in Ft. Benton, MT Territory.

[@marshalhaynes3007]

A classic example of committing troops piece meal.

[@andyorwig]

I love the intro music. It brings together the rise, fall and utter devastation of war in one ten second piece.

[@nuancolar7304]

This battle proves the vast difference in military leadership between the two armies. Had Lee been in command of all those Union forces at the outset of the war (as he had been offered) the war would have been over by the time of this battle. And, conversely, if Lee as Confederate General had the resources and men that the Union had, the South would surely have won the war.

[@mrbrainbob5320]

I dont think you realize that the south was losing on all fronts besides the eastern front.

[@nuancolar7304]

@@mrbrainbob5320 This battle was fought in December, 1862...so the South was NOT losing at all. Up to this point in the war, the South had the Union largely on the run and had outfought and outmaneuvered them in most of the engagements since Bull Run. Lincoln had become frustrated with this fact, which is one reason Burnside was in command and not GM. It would not be for another six months that the tide would turn for the North, as its logistical might began to take its toll on the South which could not replace men and equipment like the North could. Gettysburg was a real turning point and the South from that point was fighting a defensive war, and no longer waging offensive campaigns. But historians agree the South had better military leadership and won battle after battle in spite of being outnumbered in the early years of the war.

[@mrbrainbob5320]

@@nuancolar7304 like you said this is 1862 and the south had just finished being blockade and grant in on his way cutting the south in 2 from the Mississippi river. So yes the south was losing on all fronts besides the eastern front.

[@nuancolar7304]

@@mrbrainbob5320 Everybody knows the South eventually lost the war, but you are talking about campaigns which were as yet undecided at the time of Fredericksburg. I’m talking about the fact that, as of late 1862, the Confederacy was still waging OFFENSIVE operations. The tide had not yet turned on the Confederacy, but it was about to happen. The Confederacy had just invaded two Union states. Just before Fredericksburg the Confederacy actually threatened Washington DC itself after it defeated Union forces at Second Manassass. Yes, Lincoln had ordered Grant to press into his Vicksburg Campaign, but this was the beginning - not the end - of that engagement. The Vicksburg Campaign was just starting (December 1862, the same month as the Battle of Fredericksburg) and would take six full months before Vicksburg fell, which only then cut the South in two. As for the blockade, the blockade was not “finished” in 1862 but just beginning. It was poorly organized at first and only effective during daylight hours - the Union could not stop much of the shipping occurring during the night. For example, the South was equipped with British 1853 Enfield rifles and other supplies and provisions from England, and this came in via blockade runners. An estimated 900,000 rifles alone were imported for this - many right past Union blockade ships. Eventually, the blockade tightened in 1864 when Union commanders improved their tactics and received additional vessels cutting off many of the blockade runners. The South was not losing the war from the outset, and that was due largely to the military leadership that outclassed that of the Union. There were many in Congress and even in Lincoln's cabinet in late 1862 who wanted to recognize Southern independence, and this was largely due to their military successes and the carnage of going against the Southern armies. Lincoln was steadfast in his determination to preserve the entire union of the North American continent, and the rest is history. I say again - had Lee accepted command of Union forces when offered, the Civil War would have been over much, much sooner.

[@mrbrainbob5320]

@@nuancolar7304 ok but my point is the south was always going to lose ,just it would have taken longer this was a war of attrition and the south was losing day by day besides on the eastern front.

[@sgtcrab2569]

Burnside's errors were duplicated almost exactly by Le at Gettysburg. Federal soldiers chanted " Fredericksburg" as Picket attacked. No one learns anything it seems.

[@JohnReedy07163]

To be fair, Charges like Pickett's charge worked for the Confederates at Gaines Mill, also it was flatter land and preceded by the largest bombardment in American Warfare. Pickett's charge punctured the Union lines, it was much more successful than Maryes Heights.

[@duncanstevens2631]

Now that's what I call an intense battle!

[@serenade4926]

Not intense but a bloody one.

[@ottomatic3123]

@@serenade4926 Not intense?

[@serenade4926]

@@ottomatic3123 I meant it's more bloody than intense.

[@alanfike]

I seem to have found Pelham's Corner (according to the stream on the map, with the roads -- they have since changed the names of the roads) on the corner of Business Rt 17 (Tidewater Trail) and Benchmark Rd. It's honored by a 7-11 gas station, a Family Dollar and a pest control business.

[@jimmymags6516]

sounds reasonable .

[@morganottlii2390]

Umm, progress? Yes, that's a busy area, and things got zoned and built before anyone paid attention. Wouldn't matter now, because History is being stripped away

[@alanfike]

@@morganottlii2390 There was no marking of the location, whatsoever. Which is why I only said that I seem to have found it. I wasn't suggesting that having businesses was a problem. The problem was the lack of a historical marker.

[@patrickbush9526]

What an amazing presentation. They could have never imagined something like this graphic depiction of there exploits of battle would be available at the worlds fingertips amazing times

[@PR-ws8xq]

My great uncle John Rose 142nd PA Vol Co C was killed storming the hill and to the wall, his brother describes it in his notes as well as his cousin Miner “John burst over the wall, shot a rebel point blank and then tackled another as he reached up to get the flag he was mortally wounded. He died a week later.” The 142nd suffered the second worse causalities in those battles. If ANYONE has information on the 142nd, please reach out to me.

[@Arbeedubya]

Thomas Meagher's last name is pronounced "Ma-her" not "Meager". He became acting Territorial Governor of Montana. His equestrian statue is on the capitol grounds in Helena.

[@martinlaird4738]

Thomas Meagher - not pronounced like meagre but Mah-ur (its Irish)

[@acdragonrider]

Faugh ballagh

[@charjl96]

learned something new

[@3storiesUp]

It's actually pronounced more like Maaar ... rather than Mah-ur.

[@ianjones2068]

When does the map of Chancellorsville come out?

[@paulstan9828]

Very captivating. Well done.

[@smalltowndude1]

Total numbers of casualties on both sides after the battle?

[@tomygun1585]

I agree. It was a very precise and well laid out video but I wish there would have been a synopsis of some sort at the end.

[@FrAnC3sCoN123]

Union: 122,00 strong, 1,284 killed, 9,600 wounded, 1,769 captured/missing Confederates: 78,000 strong, 608 killed , 4,116 wounded, 653 captured/missing

[@smalltowndude1]

@@FrAnC3sCoN123 Thank you. It's appreciated.

[@scottsullivanmma]

People dump on Mclellan for his approach, but as soon as he was replaced this happened. Everything Mclellan complained about was validated

[@fredtorres1703]

I wish we had this series in high school for U.S history.!

[@eugenecoleman8525]

For anyone interested in more great civil war content like this, I highly recommend the channel warhawk. He does animated battle map videos like this but goes in to much more detail.

[@tomticush1397]

The narrator said General Samuel "Struggs", when I saw the screen he no doubt was referring to General Samuel "STURGIS".

[@robertoamorico2151]

Great work! From Italy

[@82mccord]

At least Burnside tried to tell them he wasn't competent enough. Then they found out.

[@drispyify]

I always wonder what would have happened if Jackson had turned up behind the Union lines and attacked, rather than joining the main army. Risky, but Jackson loved that type of risk.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

What if Franklin had supported Meade with more than one brigade, could the AoP have been split in two and defeated in detail? And to directly answer your question, what would've prevented the AoP from crossing further downstream and turning Longstreet's flank while Jackson was getting into position? (Yes, Jackson would've loved doing that, lol.)

[@Emanon...]

Thanks for the added narration!

[@gareththompson2708]

If they just hadn't come up piecemeal like that. There were other routes available that would have allowed more units to come into action at a time. I don't know that it would have been enough to make an attack on the heights successful. But surely it would have been enough that they would have done better than a 7.5:1 loss exchange ratio. I understand the mindset. I've sent my pixeltruppen into piecemeal attacks before out of impatience and on the belief that time was a more critical factor than concentration of force. But I've almost always come away feeling that it was a mistake. Even when the attack is successful I usually feel that I would have taken fewer casualties if I had waited so that I could bring up more troops all at once.

[@edwardgilmour9013]

This is far better explanation than that in the Ken Burns series!

[@hemihead001]

Stonewall Jackson was brilliant .

[@gordonsheaffer1228]

not at this battle

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

Sometimes people who have risen to high positions really have no idea what they are doing. Sometimes they are a general and sometimes they are a president. On too many occasions competence is in short supply. This message brought to you by the letters W and T.

[@kingbIIIr]

Great video. Greetings from Richmond.

[@AnvilMAn603]

burnside also cried when he was promoted: he knew he was good at corp command and bad at army command also he gets WAY more flak for fredericksburg then he deserves: the plan was good and would have worked if the army didnt screw him over and not send the pontoons.

[@Mr508films]

The attacks on Prospect Hill and Marye's heights occurred on December 13,1862. This video seems to suggest that the latter occurred on the 12th.

[@scrapplejacks8780]

I hope all of these can be "plussed" to the style of Shiloh video.

[@malcolmsmith609]

This is great, does anyone know any other channels with videos like this?

[@KyleOfCanada]

Hi Malcolm, Depending on where your historical interests lie, you may want to look into some or all of the following channels: -->Montemayor -->Baz Battles -->EmperorTigerstar -->Kings and Generals -->Military History Visualized -->Eastory For real-time battles, you may also consider checking out a playlist on my channel titled "Epic Battles" which contains historical battles recreated in real-time using the Medieval 2: Total War engine as well as fantasy battles and others that I found entertaining. Let me know what you think. All the best, Kyle PS -- If you're seeing this twice, it's because I'm reposting the same comment but without the links in case KZbin flags the first version as spam. Also edited to fix the spacing error that's occurring.

[@tbd-1]

www.battlefields.org/learn/maps

[@tunggulsujarwob.archmba7751]

Great animations. But too much zoomed and those black box annoying the real troops movement and many movements cut from view. Narations has good and will need no those massive black box. So pity.

[@slartybartfarst55]

I believe you protesteth too much!

[@tunggulsujarwob.archmba7751]

TheDude Abides maybe I did. My mistake. And I do believe that the one who listening inputs will greater then before.

[@veritasinvicta8128]

Union incompetence surely prolonged the war. The late arrival of the pontoons should have caused Burnside to rethink and move his army anywhere but to try and cross the river after the rebel forces had doubled. The Pontoons should have been anticipated.

[@kellyconstenius676]

Just think, If the union would have just held fast north near Washington until the pontoon bridges were close to Fredericksburg. Then move the army rapidly to the pontoons. They could have been across working their way to Richmond.

[@brighamcook3853]

Meagher is pronounced Marr. I'd expect the ABT to know that but otherwise great video!

[@donchichivagabond1578]

You had to be an insane fool to continue that left flank attack. I mean it happened a lot slower and the numbers of dead and dying had a greater emotional turmoil on those in command. Yet Burnside seemed to not be able to improvise for lack of creativity. He could hear Lincoln saying"attack" so he attack. He supposed attacking was obeying the orders. That man is the epitome of a boss which never should be in charge of sweeping a warehouse much less an army. A documentary should be made just on the foolish generals who never had it.

[@JohnJohnson-dj2dv]

Burnside should have been relieved after the second wave was defeated. If you don't have enough of a view of the battlefield - GET ONE! If you can't see that you should avoid a frontal assault and attack the flank of a strong hold and very well defended position then you have no business giving orders. Grab a musket and get in ranks!

[@philippekogler]

Lincoln: WTF ??? Burnside!!! Report!

[@aerofpv2109]

The first day of this battle and the Union losses is the opposite of Picket's charge at Gettysburg.

[@benjaminrush4443]

Great Stuff. Thanks, from Massachusetts.

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

Though I'm take it, I really wish they'd rerelease this video so the animated map is like the rest. It's a nitpick I know, but it would be awesome!

[@bigbaba1111]

Lee learned nothing from Burnside's mistake at Fredericksburg. He repeated his opponent's mistake 6 months later at Gettysburg.

[@Last555555555]

You'd think Lee would've learned from this at Gettysburg

[@bezukaking6860]

In Lee's defense, the business of retiring before an enemy who is at best just as tired as you are (Day 1, Gettysburg) is one of the most dangerous things to do in any war. Meade furthermore had far greater amounts of fresh troops at his disposal (and more coming in through the night after Day 1) although the only ones that come to mind are Hancock's II Corps and Syke's V Corps. To oppose their pursuit in a hypothetical retreat, the fresh troops that were available to form a rearguard were the divisions of Hood and McLaws; I don't believe that is enough. Burnside here (notwithstanding his failure to carry the hills before the onset of the action, that is something I cannot excuse him for) is in an even worse position. His men have just won the city of Fredericksburg and he has two options: break contact, which is still possible given the Rappahanock but would constitute conceding the field and no doubt hurt the morale of his army, or he could cross the river and attack; the Heights may very well be carried for all he knows. Once the attack begins Burnside faces a further complication: his back is to a river. If he falls back once he's completed his crossing, Lee can simply order his Army out of their fortifications and annihilate the Federals as they are bottled up by their very own pontoons; a very similar fate befell the Russian General von Benningsen at Friedland, although he did the equivalent of trying to jump Longstreet. To Benningsen's misfortune, Jackson arrived before Longstreet could be destroyed and his army lost at least 1/3 of it's men.

[@josephhewes3923]

Robert E. Lee was a reckless General, who valued a great victory over the lives of his men. It was a hallmark of both his and Stonewall Jackson's methodology. While this recklessness paid off well in the Seven Days Battles, Second Bull Run, and Chancellorsville, it did not pay off in other instances. Nothing displayed that recklessness more than first, his behavior at Antietam where first he divided his force while in enemy territory, and then second, set himself up with his back to a river and invited a larger force to attack him, and finally, in his his reckless behavior at Gettysburg where he refused to accepted Longstreet's better counsel to take a defensive posture.

[@londonwerewolves]

Richard Kirkland is a fictious character invented to fool the gulible.

[@slartybartfarst55]

Fantastic! Thank you!

[@aceous99]

I can't beleive the Union army couldn't get across a little river with all them engineers layin' around.

[@mondoseguendo6113]

aceous99 seriously. They should’ve gotten off their asses and built a bridge or two.

[@chipsterb4946]

aceous99 - I’m fairly familiar with Fredericksburg and the topography. The Rappahannock is not a “little river” at that point. I’ve canoed down to the City from a point upstream (west). How a military commander could be so stupid, so ignorant of the advantages of topography to Longstreet and Jackson is beyond imagination. Then again, Lee was just as stupid at Gettysburg on the 3rd day. Longstreet begged Lee to move south, flank the Union army, and take up defensive positions on high ground just like Fredericksburg.

[@markheidema3699]

I don't understand why the Union wouldn't try to flank the Rebel left at the stone wall? Use the Wall to your advantage and pin Walton and Longstreet against it. Mind boggling.

[@dvrmte]

I down voted this because the battle is out of sequence. The main attack started against Jackson's section of the line first, shortly after 10:00 AM, after the attacks against Jackson failed the attacks began against Longstreet's section around 2:00 PM. Jackson had the most difficult but shortest section of the line to defend. His men didn't have a wall or sunken road as natural fortifications. They only had woods. Jackson stacked his lines densely with his 35,000 men. That's why even though Meade broke through the unguarded, swampy section of his line, Jackson's reserves handily drove them out of it, leaving the ground littered with dead and wounded. My ancestor in Lawton's Georgia Brigade, then commanded by Atkinson, counterattacked Meade and drove them out and across to where they started before running into Union reserves and massed artillery. The Georgia Brigade would also counterattack the Union Iron Brigade, break it in the middle, and route it at the Battle of the Wilderness. At Spotsylvania they were sent in to close a breakthrough at the Mule Shoe salient, and they did so.

[@toad2117]

6:13 Fredericksburg was absolutely not the first opposed river crossing in American History! The Battle of Queenstojn Heights on October 13th 1812 saw the US army cross the river into Ontario under heavy fire from British artillery and infantry. You should know better Battlefield Trust!

[@carolbell8008]

The illustrations help a great deal to see clearly this battle which was one of the last real victories for the south.

[@kaletovhangar]

Honestly, only a idiot would either commence attack on such position, while it took quite a brain dead person to loose such a defensive fight.

[@morganottlii2390]

Chancellorsville was most likely the last, but Wilderness and Spotsylvania were both technically wins. After the latter, it was just a scramble to stay on inside lines