Fredericksburg Battlefield

At Chatham Manor, explore the grounds of this Southern plantation and learn about the history of slavery, freedom, ruin, and reconstruction.

Prior to the Civil War, Cobb was a prominent lawyer, most well known for his legal treatise defending slavery. He became an leading secessionist in Georgia and formed his own military unit in 1862. The Battle of Fredericksburg was Cobb's first battle as a general, but it would be his last battle of the war. Confederate General Thomas Cobb died near this spot on December 13, 1862.

The charge of Andrew Atkinson Humphreys’ Division of the US Army of the Potomac was the last major assault against the stone wall at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862. While Humphreys survived the war and is not buried here, his soldiers felt that Fredericksburg was the proper place to honor their service and that of their fallen comrades. They dedicated this monument in the Fredericksburg National Cemetery in 1908.

At 1:00 p.m. on December 13, 1862, Union General George Meade's 3,800-man division pushed ahead and charged into the Confederate line. Meade's Pennsylvanians broke through where the Confederates were not expecting them: a swampy, wooded area that was left completely undefended. Despite his success, Meade's forces were unsupported and greatly outnumbered. Meade's retreat signaled defeat for the Army of the Potomac's Left Grand Division.

Originally called Telegraph Hill, this hill became known as Lee's Hill because it was the headquarters for Confederate General Robert E. Lee during the Battle of Fredericksburg. From this vantage, he could observe much of the battle. Cannons were also placed on this hill.

Howison Hill was crowned with Confederate artillery that blasted the Union attackers in front of Marye's Heights. A large 30 pounder Parrot was among the guns at this location. This type of gun is classified as siege artillery and not usually found on a battlefield.

The Fredericksburg National Cemetery is the final resting place for over 15,000 United States soldiers, the majority of whom died during the Civil War, plus about 100 soldiers from the 1900s and a handful of spouses. Over 80% of the soldiers here are unidentified.

The Kirkland Memorial pays homage to the deeds of Richard Kirkland, a Confederate sergeant, who crossed over the stone wall to give water to wounded US soldiers after the fighting of December 13, 1864 at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

The Army of Northern Virginia's 2nd Corps, commanded by General Stonewall Jackson defended Lee's right at Prospect Hill. On December 13, this would become the location of an intense artillery standoff between the two armies. Ultimately, Jackson's troops would use the terrain to their advantage and hold off the United States forces, bringing fighting on the southern portion of the battlefield to a close.

*Note: The Superintendent's Lodge is not open to the public.* When the Fredericksburg National Cemetery was established, the lodge, located at the cemetery's entrance, housed the Union veteran who was responsible for managing the cemetery.