Fredericksburg and Its Many Points of Interest Part 1

Fredericksburg and Its Many Points of Interest.

by R. A. Kishpaugh.

FREDERICKSBURG.

Historical Sketch.

The visitor to Fredericksburg to-day finds, instead of the easy going town of ante-bellum days, an entirely new place risen from the ruins of war and time, new buildings, up-to-date streets and other improvements making a modern city of the present generation. The object of this little book is to furnish to the traveler, facts in the history of Fredericksburg, its many places of interest as well as an up-to-date guide to the city, and to extend to all a "welcome to Fredericksburg."

The exact time the site of what is now Fredericksburg was visited by white men is not known, but the general impression is that the first trip was in 1608 (one year after the landing at Jamestown). Capt. John Smith, the true founder and father of Virginia, with a crew of twelve men and an indian of a Potomac tribe for a guide, came to the falls of the Rappahannock just above where Fredericksburg was afterward located, and had a severe fight with the Rappahannocks, whom he described as the most courageous and formidable savages he had yet encountered.

The early history of Fredericksburg is full of events[1] along the general history of the country, it being a centre of trade, the river being wider and deeper than the present day, and that ocean going barges and schooners, laden with cargoes from the West Indies, Liverpool and other ports came to Fredericksburg, and took on for their return voyage consignments of tobacco and wheat to English and Scotch merchants. A fort was maintained near the falls of the Rappahannock, and with 250 men the town was legally founded in 1727 and was named for Frederick, son of George the Second.

[1] See Quinn's History of Fredericksburg.

Before the introduction of railroads, trade was carried on by what was known as "Road Wagons." These wagons were of huge dimensions, their curved bodies being, before and behind, at least twelve feet from the ground.

They had canvas covers and were drawn by four and often six horses. During the period from 1800 to the civil war, as many as three hundred was often seen on the streets and in the wagon yards of Fredericksburg at one time.

The country, to the Blue Ridge mountains, even to counties in the Valley of Virginia, was thus supplied from Fredericksburg.

The part which Fredericksburg played in the civil war is so well known, that we will be content with a brief reference. As soon as the Confederate capitol was removed to Richmond, it became at once, and continued during the entire war, the objective point of the Federal invasion of the South.

It was apparent, therefore, from an inspection of the map, that Fredericksburg would necessarily witness a b.l.o.o.d.y act in that direful drama; for she was situated half-way on the direct route between Was.h.i.+ngton and Richmond.

If ever anywhere grim-visaged war showed his horrid front, it was at this foredoomed, devoted town. She was the immediate theatre of one of the bloodiest battles of the war, on December 13, 1862. In the cannonade that ushered in that battle, a hundred and eighty guns, some of them seige pieces, carrying seventy pound projectiles, for ten mortal hours poured a pitiless storm of shot and sh.e.l.l upon the helpless town. No such cannonade, save that which preceded Pickett's charge at Gettysburg, was ever heard upon this continent; nay, ever heard upon this earth. Four and a half months after that b.l.o.o.d.y baptism, the town witnessed the desperate, but unsuccessful, endeavor of Gen Sedgwick to march his corps of thirty thousand men to the relief of Hooker, at Chancellorsville; and she was the hospital for fifteen thousand wounded men from Grant's army in the Wilderness campaign of May, 1864.

If lines be drawn from Fredericksburg to Chancellorsville; from Chancellorsville to the Wilderness battlefields; from the Wilderness battlefield to the b.l.o.o.d.y Angle, near Spotsylvania Court-House; and from there to the starting point at Fredericksburg, these lines will include a s.p.a.ce that is smaller in area than the District of Columbia. On this area more blood was shed, and more men killed, than upon any area of equal dimensions, in the world.

Early in December, 1862, Burnside, urged by the clamor of the Northern press and populace, resolved to cross the Rappahannock, and despite the near approach of winter to a.s.sume the offensive. At this time the attempt of Federal gun boats to pa.s.s up the river to Fredericksburg had been frustrated by Stuart and some field batteries.

On December 13, 1862, Burnside started to cross the Rappahannock. Never did a general or army await the attack of a more numerous enemy with greater confidence than did Lee and the Confederates at Fredericksburg.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BROMPTON (THE OLD MARYE MANSION) Now the Residence of Capt.

M. B. Rowe.]

When the two pre-arranged signal guns announced that the sh.e.l.ling of the town was about to begin, long streams of carriages and wagons, bearing fugitive women and children, and long processions on foot of those who could not procure vehicles, all seeking temporary shelter in the woods and wilderness, pa.s.sed the camp fires of the Confederate soldiers in the rear of the town.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FREDERICKSBURG IN 1862 Just Before the Bombardment, and After the Car Bridge was Burnt by the Confederate Army]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SUNKEN ROAD--SHOWING COBB MONUMENT]

Shortly after nine o'clock the sun s.h.i.+ning out with almost Indian Summer warmth quickly dispelled the mists which hid the opposing armies, and as the white folds dissolved, Jackson's men beheld the plains beneath them dark with a moving ma.s.s of more than 40,000 foes, and from the array of batteries upon the Stafford Heights a storm of shot and sh.e.l.l burst upon the Confederate lines. The Federal army advanced within 800 yards of the foot of the opposing ridge when suddenly the silent woods awoke to life and the flash and thunder of more than sixty guns revealed to the Federals the magnitude of the task they had undertaken. Column after column advanced only to be repulsed with terrible loss, until about 12 o'clock the Irish Brigade, under General Meagher, advanced at the spot on the Sunken Road which is now marked by the monument to General Cobb, he having fallen earlier in the day, and boldly charging across the shot-swept plains, opposed to it were men as fearless and as staunch; behind that rude stone breastworks, those who were "bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh," as some of the soldiers of Cobb's Brigade were Irish like themselves. On the morning of battle General Meagher had bade his men deck their caps with sprigs of evergreen "to remind them," he said "of the land of their birth." The symbol was recognized by their countrymen, and "Oh, G.o.d, what a pity! Here comes Meagher's fellows," was the cry in the Confederate ranks. The rapidly thinning line now was within a hundred yards of their goal, suddenly a sheet of flame leaped from the parapet, to their glory be it told, though scores be swept away, falling in their tracks, like corn before the sicle, the ever thinning ranks dashed on. Of the 1,200 officers and men in this gallant charge, 937 had fallen; one body, that of an officer, was found within fifteen feet of the parapet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHANCELLORSVILLE HOUSE AS IT APPEARED DURING THE WAR]

It is due to the truth of history to say that not in all the annals of war, neither in the "charge of the six hundred" at Balaklava, nor in Pickett's charge at Gettysburg was there ever displayed a more signal instance of dauntless courage than was exhibited by the men who made these hopeless attempts to carry Marye's Heights.

Under the cover of darkness and storm the Federals withdrew across the river two days later and resumed their position on the Stafford heights.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SALEM CHURCH]

[Ill.u.s.tration: "STONEWALL" JACKSON MONUMENT]

Fredericksburg played an important part in the battle of Chancellorsville, on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th of May, 1863. When General Hooker marched ninety thousand men across the Rapidan at Germania and Ely's Ford and entrenched them behind breast-works in the impenetrable jungle of stunted growth that screened and protected the plateau in front of the Chancellorsville House, he left thirty thousand men, under General Sedgwick, on the Stafford heights, opposite Fredericksburg. General Lee left Early with 8,500 muskets (a part of Jackson's corps) to hold back Sedgwick, while he marched with the main body of Jackson's corps and two divisions of Longstreet's corps to confront Hooker at Chancellorsville.

These two divisions of Longstreet's corps were those of Anderson and McLaws. Longstreet, himself, with the other two divisions of his corps, was down on the Blackwater, below Richmond, and did not partic.i.p.ate in the battle of Chancellorsville. Jackson was mortally wounded at nightfall on Sat.u.r.day, the 2nd of May, after routing and driving back in wild panic, the right wing of Hooker's army. The next morning (Sunday) a union was effected between Jackson's divisions and the two divisions of Longstreet's corps, and a combined, impetuous a.s.sault carried the Federal position in front of Chancellorsville, and the beaten enemy retreated to their second line of breastworks. Just as General Lee was preparing (on Sunday, at noon) to renew the a.s.sault, word reached him that Sedgwick had crossed the river and carried the Marye Heights, and was marching on Chancellorsville to join Hooker. The Confederate commander, in the exercise of what a great critic of the art of war, has characterized as the highest display of military genius, paused in his pursuit of Hooker, and, leaving Stuart in command of Jackson's corps, in front of the disheartened Federal troops at Chancellorsville, led the two divisions of Longstreet down the Fredericksburg road, to unite with Early in frustrating the purpose of Sedgwick to join his forces with those of Hooker. This was accomplished on Monday, the 4th of May, when Sedgwick was driven across the Rappahannock, at Bank's Ford. There was a severe engagement that raged around the "Salem Church," four miles out from Fredericksburg, upon the old turnpike road.

Captain Featherstone, who brought a splendid Alabama company to Virginia, at the outbreak of the war, occupied the church with his company, and did excellent work in holding back Sedgwick until Lee arrived.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SEDGWICK MONUMENT]

Gen. R. E. Lee, in speaking of the privations and sacrifices incurred by the citizens of Fredericksburg, said: "History presents no instance of a people exhibiting a purer and more unselfish patriotism, or a higher spirit of fort.i.tude and courage than was evinced by the people of Fredericksburg. They cheerfully incurred great hards.h.i.+ps and privations, and surrendered their homes and property to destruction, rather than yield them in the hands of the enemies of their country."

[Ill.u.s.tration: MONUMENT TO GEN. HUGH MERCER]

Since the close of the Civil War, and the equally distressing war of the reconstruction, Fredericksburg has entered upon a career of commercial and industrial prosperity, far exceeding any ever experienced in her ante-bellum days. Her population has largely increased. Situated half way between Richmond and Was.h.i.+ngton. Five trunk lines with twenty-six trains daily, run through the city, thus giving prompt and easy access to all the large eastern and northern cities, while the water transportation puts this section in cheap reach of the markets of the eastern seaboard. A splendid water-power with the present capacity of 4,000 hydro-electric horsepower with an ultimate development of 35,000 horse power, furnishes cheap power to manufacturing plants located in the city. Mr. Frank J.

Gould, the owner of this immense power, has completed a survey for an electric line from Richmond, Va., to Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C. This line will give Fredericksburg direct communication by electric railway, with Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C., Richmond, Va., and Petersburg, Va. Fifteen miles of this line north of Richmond is now in operation.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NEW POSTOFFICE]

The United States government has erected a handsome Government postoffice.

The State of Virginia has established at Fredericksburg a State Normal and Industrial School for Women, this consists of two handsome buildings situated on part of the historic Marye's Heights.

A good High School with new modern school building, the Fredericksburg College and two libraries furnish educational opportunities for the youths of both s.e.xes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: R. F. & P. R. R. Pa.s.sENGER DEPOT]

Four banks, a silk mill, pants factory, flour mills, foundry and machine works, sumac mills, pickle factory, buggy, wagon and wood-working plants, cigar factories, extract works, plow manufactories, brick yards, ice factories, bark mills, bone mills, granite works, mattress factory, excelsior mills, two daily and two tri-weekly newspapers, telegraph, mail, express and freight facilities unexcelled, all help to make Fredericksburg an industrial center of the present generation.

Good roads to Fredericksburg through the various adjoining counties open up a larger territory for trade than ever before, and with the completion of the National Highway from Quebec to Miami, Florida, which pa.s.ses through Fredericksburg, its many points of interest will be opened up to the tourist.

The city is amply supplied with water, pumped from the river into a reservoir higher than any of the houses, while the water from the old "Poplar Spring" is also used. The city owns and operates Electric and Gas Plants, and there is also an Incandescent Light Plant, owned by a private corporation, for lighting houses.

The town offers inducements to enterprising capitalists, and to those who are seeking homes in the genial climate of the South.

POINTS OF INTEREST.

Chatham

One of the most interesting points of historical interest to all who visit Fredericksburg is the magnificent old Colonial estate of Chatham, residence of A. Randolph Howard, Esq., beautifully situated upon Stafford Heights overlooking the town.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The house was built in 1730 by William Fitzhugh, upon a small grant of a few hundred thousand acres from King George of England.