The Battle of Fredericksburg in late 1862 marked a significant victory for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Union Major General Ambrose E. Burnside aimed to destroy General Robert E. Lee’s Army but instead led his own troops into a devastating defeat.

On December 13, six Union divisions faced heavy losses against Lee’s fortified line, prompting Burnside’s despair and Lee’s famous remark: “It is well that war is so terrible. We should grow too fond of it.” This defeat was a low point for the Union, echoed eight months later when Union troops celebrated their victory at Gettysburg with cries of “Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!”