Ambrose Burnside proposes to move his Federal Army of the Potomac across the Rappahannock River, while Robert E. Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia continues strengthening its defenses west of Fredericksburg.

Exploring the most important 55 months in American history
Ambrose Burnside proposes to move his Federal Army of the Potomac across the Rappahannock River, while Robert E. Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia continues strengthening its defenses west of Fredericksburg.
Ambrose Burnside continues waiting for all his pontoons to arrive, while Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s Confederate corps hurries east from the Shenandoah Valley to reinforce Robert E. Lee’s army outside Fredericksburg.
Federals threaten to bombard Fredericksburg, Virginia, while men of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia hurry to strengthen the town’s defenses.
One of Robert E. Lee’s Confederate corps begin taking positions on the heights outside Fredericksburg, as Ambrose E. Burnside’s Federal Army of the Potomac assembles across the Rappahannock River at Falmouth.
Ambrose Burnside’s Federal Army of the Potomac steals a march on Robert E. Lee’s Confederates and arrives at Falmouth in northeastern Virginia.
The Army of the Potomac mobilizes for its march on Fredericksburg under its new commander, Ambrose E. Burnside.