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In the Battle of Fredericksburg(Dec.13, 1862) the Army of Northern Virginia(Lee) took a defensive posture. They placed themselves in protected positions(behind stone walls,in trenches,etc.). They had good placement of the artillery. When the Union Army began the attack they had to first build a pontoon bridge to cross the Rappahannock River under fire of the Confederates. Eventually, they achieved crossing in large enough numbers to launch direct attacks on the Confederate positions in the high ground beyond the town of Fredericksburg. The Confederates,being in well-protected positions,simply mowed-down the exposed Union troops in large numbers. The Commanding Union General Ambrose Burnside ordered his troops to make several such attacks,each time with great loss and without any significant harm to the Confederate forces. The Generals under Burnside finally refused to launch further futile attacks. The result of this battle was a stunning victory for the Army of Northern Virginia.

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13y ago

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