What ultimately led to Burnside losing the battle of frederickburg?

Answer 1

General Ambrose Burnside was the reluctant new commander of the Army of the Potomac. He had been a friend of the deposed General George B. McClellan and President Lincoln asked him more than once to take over the Army of the Potomac. Burnside finally accepted. Much to President Lincoln's delight, a straight forward norther attack could be mounted against Richmond.
Burnside made the error of falling into the trap of assaulting dug in Southern troops north of Richmond at Fredericksburg. Reportedly, President Lincoln wired him to start an all out assault on the wall protecting Southern troops. His forces also received fire from artillery high on a bluff outside the city. Between ten and twelve assaults by the Union were attempted in late December of 1862. The results were a terrible defeat for Burnside's army.

Answer 2

Union General Ambrose Burnside had recently taken command of the Army of the Potomac replacing his friend General George B. McClellan. Burnside had refused President Lincoln's offer to promote Burnside two times but on the third request he accepted the position. At the time, late Fall, 1862, the Union's goal in the East was to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. Ambrose led the Army of the Potomac into Virginia and knew that in order to capture Richmond, he would need to defeat Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Lee had entrenched his troops behind a wall and on the top of a bluff. Reportedly, President Lincoln, by way of telegraph, ordered Burnside to make a frontal assault on Lee's position. Burnside's officers advised him not to challenge the enemy's entrenched forces. Despite that, he ordered at least eight or more charges upon the Confederates. The stretch of open field between Burnside and the Rebels was filled with 12,000 dead or wounded Union soldiers.

Although Burnside's army was not destroyed, it was clear that it would be impossible to move Lee's men out of their positions. He therefore ended the engagement, and the capture of Richmond lay more than three years ahead in time.

In summation, the Battle of Fredericksburg failed based on the tactic of the Union to assault a firmly entrenched enemy.

Answer 3

troops spread out over too great a distance and because when he had an opportunity to win the battle he didn't take it.

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