Battle of Fredericksburg • Tour the Battlefield • Monuments & Markers • Armies
The Lee’s Hill Exhibit Shelter is at Stop Three on the Fredericksburg Battlefield Auto Tour. It is at the top of a steep walking trail that switchbacks up from the parking lot. The top of the hill was Lee’s headquarters during the Battle of Fredericksburg. A monument, two wayside markers and a map display are outside of the shelter.
There are five displays inside the shelter:
Lee’s Hill, the commander’s lookout
Text from the display:
Lee’s Hill, the commander’s lookout
General Robert E. Lee used this hill as a command post during the Battle of Fredericksburg. It has borne his name ever since.
Lee’s View from Here
Civilians viewing this scene might have focused their attention on the picturesque steeples which mark the skyline today, just as they did in 1862. Lee’s attention, however, was quickly taken up by the blue lines which made heavy attacks on both of his fronts.
Chatham (Lacy House)
This vantage point offered a fine view of the surrounding country. Across the Rappahannock, on Stafford Heights, Lee could see Chatham (the Lacy House) where Federal General E. V. Sumner had his headquarters.
”It is well that war is so terrible – we should grow too fond of it.”
– R. E. Lee, December 13, 1862
Lee uttered this oft-quoted phrase to Longstreet atop this hill while watching a Confederate counterattack sweeping down the valley of Deep Run, to his right.
“Jeb” — “Lee’s Eyes and Ears”
Major General James Ewell Brown Stuart, commanding cavalry, Army of Northern Virginia.
“Old Pete” — “Lee’s War Horse”
Lieutenant General James Longstreet, commanding First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. Lee’s left flank at Fredericksburg.
“Stonewall” — “Lee’s Right Arm”
Lieutenant General Thomas J. Jackson, commanding Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, Lee’s right flank at Fredericksburg.
Brig. Gen. Wm. N. Pendleton, Lee’s Chief of Artillery
Pendleton, a West Pointer, had left the U.S. Army to become an Episcopalian minister before the war. Lee was a vestryman in his congregation at Lexington after the war.
Artillery on Lee’s Hill
Text from the display:
Artillery on Lee’s Hill
Here and on hills to the left and right the Confederates developed a powerful concentration of artillery.
The Napoleon
The bronze 12-pounder smoothbores called “Napoleons” were less accurate than rifled cannon, but remained the standard field piece of the war. Sturdy and dependable, they had an effective range of about a mile.
12-Pounder Howitzer
These bronze smoothbores lobbed explosive shells in a higher curve than Napoleons. This made them especially useful among hills and valleys. Howitzers were manufactured in several sizes.
Enfilading Fire
During the Federal attacks of December 13, 1862, Confederates cannon poured devasting frontal and crossfire into the advancing battle lines. Long range rifles here on Lee’s Hill participated in the enfilade fire.
Shot and Shell
Solid shot and explosive shells thrown into massed troops were deadly at long range. Scattering pellets of canister often broke infantry charges.
Rifled cannon fired many kinds of shot and shell.
3-Inch Rifle
Spiral grooves, called rifling, inside these small iron cannons caused the projectile to spin in flight for greater speed and accuracy.
Commence Firing!
Sixteen men went into battle with a field piece. Each had a job to do.
Chief of piece, a sergeant
Gunner, a corporal
7 cannoneers, privates
Chief of caisson, a corporal
6 drivers, privates
(1) Sponge the bore to quench sparks before loading. Ram the ammunition charge to bottom of the hole.
(2) Put ammunition into muzzle.
(3) Close vent with thumb during sponging. Thrust wire through vent to break a hole in the powder bag. Shift gun in aiming.
(4) Hook lanyard to primer. Place primer in vent. Jerk lanyard to fire the piece.
(5) Carry ammunition from the chests on the limber or caisson to #2.
(6) Prepare fuses. Issue ammunition to #5.
(7) Help set fuses and issue ammunition. During rapid fire, help deliver ammunition to #2.
The Big Parrots
Text from the display:
The Big Parrots
Two mammoth Parrott rifled cannon, one placed here and the other south on Howison’s Hill, were the largest Confederate guns on the field.
From the captions to the drawing in the center:
The 30-pounder Parrotts were siege guns. Burnside’s delay gave time to bring them from Richmond by rail.
A smaller Parrott, like this Union gun, replaced the big one which blew up on its 39th firing. Lee, Longstreet and other officers near the exploding Parrott escaped injury; so did the gun crew.
Tredegar
The Confederates not only used captured Parrotts, they also manufactured guns on the Parrott principle. The two 30–pounders temporarily with Lee’s army were made at the Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond.
Whitworth Rifle
While the smaller Parrott was filling the place, the Confederates were bringing in one of their Whitworth rifles, but it did not arrive until dark. This English made breechloader could easily hurl its peculiar 12-pound bolt three miles.
Robert Parrott invented this capable iron rifle. It was made in several sizes. Because cast iron guns occasionally exploded, the Parrott had a wrought iron reinforcing band around the breech.
From the captions to the drawings of the three artillery pieces along the bottom, from left to right:
The huge seacoast guns were designed for use in large permanent fortifications.
Siege and garrison guns were too heavy for rapid movement. They were used to defend fixed field positions or permanent forts.
A field gun could move quickly.
The Pioneers
Text from the marker:
The Pioneers
“My army is as much stronger for these new entrenchments as if I had received reinforcements of 20,000 men.”
R.E. Lee, Decenber 14, 1862
Preparing Breastworks
In December, 1862, the Confederates had no organized engineer corps. For construction of defenseive works they relied on pioneers, special detachments from each regiment.
At Fredericksburg, the pioneers formed the core of Confederate work parties, but everyone pitched in to entrench the 7-mile line. The troops made effective use of existing cover.
The men constructed additional protecting works. Lee’s Hill was heavily wooded. The pioneers removed all trees in front of artillery positions.
Trenches Then and Now
Civil War earthworks were generally tall enough to protect infantrymen standing up. After the war, the trenches eroded several feet before becoming stabilized by nature.
From the captions for the inset photos:
Trench at the Wilderness soon after the battle
Trench remains on the Fredericksburg Battlefield
Railroad Embankments
Road Cuts
Stone Walls
Rifle Trenches
Abatis
Artillery Emplacements (modern view showing trees)
Digging In
Fredericksburg helped prove the value of cover. By 1863, the soldiers in both armies needed little urging to make the dirt fly.
The Second Battle of Fredericksburg
Text from the marker:
The Second Battle
of Fredericksburg
Chancellorsville Campaign May 3, 1863
General Lee conferred with some of his officers here at the start of the Chancellorsville Campaign. A few days later, Union soldiers overran Lee’s Hill.
Opposing Forces
The action here was part of a larger battle developing around Chancellorsville, ten miles west of Fredericksburg. Even so, over 20,000 Federals were available to strike these lines.
Major General John Sedgwick, U.S.A.
Commander of the victorious VI Corps at the Second Battle of Fredericksburg. A year later Sedgwick was killed by a sharpshooter during the Spotsylvania Court House operations.
Major General Jubal Early, C.S.A.
Early lost this battle, but then helped defeat Sedgwick at Salem Church. The main Union force under Hooker, already shaken by the Chancellorsville fight of May 2-3, retreated during the night of May 5.
Motif
Badge of the 3rd Division, VI Corps, U.S.A., the Federal Attack Force in the Second Battle of Fredericksburg.
Report on the action at Lee’s Hill by Colonel Henry Coalter Cabell commanding artillery battalion, C.S.A.
“…About 11 o’clock that day – Sunday – the enemy attacked and very speedily took and occupied Mayre’s Hill. As soon as they appeared on Mayre’s Hill, a large force of infantry advanced rapidly from the crest of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, on Howison’s farm, obliquely toward the position occupied by Captain Fraser on Lee’s Hill. Both of my batteries opened and continued fire upon both lines of infantry, inflicting great loss upon them. The ordnance reports show that a very large amount of ammunition of short-range shell and canister was expended. Captain Fraser defended his position to the last practicable moment. The limber chest of his howitzer was blown up, and he took off the piece with the limber of the caisson. He bore off the body of Lieutenant Habersham, who fell while courageously defending this position…”
Fall of Lee Hill
After the fall of Mayre’s Heights, the Federals stormed Lee’s Hill. A battery here barely escaped.
“The Campaign of Chancellorsville.”
From the captions to the photos on the right:
Softening the Opposition
Union artillery from Stafford Heights, across the Rappahannock, hit the Confederate lines. The Southerners had only 10,000 men on their seven-mile front.
The Stone Wall
This time the Federals seized the position that had proved impregnable in the fighting six months earlier.
Result of the Bombardment
Long range guns could reach Marye’s Heights. After the battle, a Union photographer recorded some of the damage
Location of the Exhibit Shelter
The shelter is is at the top of a steep walking trail that switchbacks up from the parking area at Stop Three. The trail is only about .25 mile long, but the Park Service recommends allowing 45 minutes for the roundtrip hike.