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Article: Federals lost chance to win at Fredericksburg.(Saturday)(The Civil War)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- December 19, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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After the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, federal forces refitted under the Union army commander Lt. Gen. George B. McClellan. A month later, McClellan revived the drive to Richmond with a move to Warrenton, Va., 30 miles northwest of Fredericksburg. This clearly indicated that Fredericksburg would be the focus of the next great collision.
Situated on the Rappahannock River, between the two capitals, Fredericksburg was a town of about 5,000 inhabitants nestled against the western bank. The 400-foot-wide river flowed southeasterly past the wharves and warehouses that helped make the historic old town one of Virginia's thriving ports. To the ...