The Slaughter Pen

The last issue on the Battle of Fredericksburg featured the northern part of the battlefield, where Ambrose Burnside’s Union soldiers attacked James Longstreet’s Confederates along the Stone Wall and Sunken Road at the foot of Marye’s Heights. They were mowed down with horrific losses on the plain before that terrible Stone Wall. Frank O’Reilly’s narrative and B&G’s presentation with Maps and Driving Tour were very well received. Many students of the battle commented that it was the clearest and most concise account of the action they had ever read.

In this issue author O’Reilly concludes our two-issue treatment with action on the southern part of the battlefield. As he pointed out last time, the Battle of Fredericksburg is best remembered for the slaughter in front of the Stone Wall, but that is not where the battle was decided. In fact, O’Reilly is firm in his conviction that the battle was decided on the southern part of the battlefield long before the firing finally sputtered out along the Stone Wall.

Robert E. Lee’s victory was won along Stonewall Jackson’s front at Prospect Hill and some fields between the old Richmond Stage Road and the Richmond, Fredericks-burg & Potomac Railroad that came to be called the “Slaughter Pen.” For many years the Slaughter Pen was private property. It bordered National Park Service holdings, but certain forces in play had marked this prime real estate for development. Then Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) entered the game and won one of the most important preservation battles of recent years. We encourage you to support their efforts: CWPT, 1331 H St. NW, Suite 1001, Washington, DC 20005. Ph. (202) 367-1861. Web: www.civilwar.org.

editor