Second Battle of Fredericksburg

Other Names: Marye's Heights

Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia

Campaign: Chancellorsville Campaign (April-May 1863)

Date: May 3, 1863

Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick [US]; Maj. Gen. Jubal A. Early [CS]

Forces Engaged: 27,100[US]; 12,000[CS]

Casualties and losses: 1,100[US]; 700[CS]

Result(s): Union victory

Brief Description:

On May 1, Gen. Robert E. Lee left Maj. Gen. Jubal A. Early's division to hold Fredericksburg, while marching with the rest of the army to meet Hooker's main offensive thrust at Chancellorsville. On May 3, the Union VI Corps under Sedgwick, reinforced by John Gibbon's II Corps division, having crossed the Rappahannock River, assaulted and carried the Confederate entrenchments on Marye's Heights. The outnumbered Confederates withdrew and regrouped west and southeast of town. Following the campaign, Early became embroiled in an argument with Barksdale over what Barksdale considered a slight to his brigade in a newspaper letter that Early had written; the exchange continued until Lee ordered the two generals to cease.