Fredericksburg, Part 3: Slaughter on Marye's Heights

frozen corpses to shield himself from the bitter December wind and used a third as a pillow (Goolrick, 1985). The screaming of the wounded was so unbearable to one Confederate officer that he ignored warnings from his superiors and tended the wounded on the other side of the wall. He was 19-year-old Sergeant Richard Kirkland.

The next day Burnside seemed as poised as ever to continue the assaults. He was determined, if need be, to lead the attack himself with his old IX Corps. After consulting his top commanders and realizing none of them supported any further savagery, he relented and made plans to withdraw. On the night of the 15th, the entire Army of the Potomac retreated across the Rappahannock undetected by Lee's Confederates. The Battle of Fredericksburg, one of Lee's most decisive and one-sided victories, had come to an end; and with it Burnside's command.

Sources

Goolrick, W.K. (1985). Rebels resurgent: Fredericksburg to Chancellorsville. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books.

McPherson, J.M. (1988). Battle cry of freedom: The Civil War era. New York: Ballantine Books.

McPherson, J.M. (1992). Ordeal by fire: The Civil War and Reconstuction, (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

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