150th Commemoration of the Battle of Fredericksburg

     This is just a short - quick - hurried - & late post -- to write about the coming events planned for the commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Fredericksburg. 

   I wish I could be in Virginia this weekend for the sponsored events.   You can read about the activities here.    Fire on the Rappahannock

     I am particularly sad that I won't be present for the events planned December 9th   "A Nation Remembers"

A friend of mine was involved with a group that constructed two pontoon boats for the re-creation of the river crossing.  Here's a picture of the boats under construction.


     Union Artillery could not drive away William E. Barksdale's Mississippians. whose fire prevented Union Engineers from completing their pontoon bridge opposite the town.  In frustration soldiers of the 7th Michigan rowed across the river in 3 pontoon boats and stormed the opposite shore to establish a bridgehead.  The Confederates fell back into the town.  More Union troops crossed, then followed the Rebels into the town where bloody street fighting ensued. 

Artist Thure de Thulstrup, did this painting  --  One of my favorites of Civil War art.

My friend and his group that built the boats will be re-enacting the event.

 The 13th Mass. Vols did not cross the river here, and their river crossing was un-opposed.  They later fought on the Union Left on what is called the Slaughter Pen Farm.  They acted as skirmishers for the Grand Left Division, as I wrote in an earlier post.  A Confederate encampment is going to occupy the part of the ground during the commemorative activities.

So, if you're lucky enough to live close by please go!  There are more than a few unique aspects of this tragic battle, which will be re-created memorialized and remembered.

I close with a picture of the completed pontoon boat that my friend shared with me.    I'm so used to looking at sepia toned photos and b&w images that I  had no idea the boats were green.  After I received the pictures I noticed they were green in the painting!