Customer Reviews

The Fredericksburg Campaign: Winter War on the Rappahannock

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Frank O'Reilly aims for - and achieves - a detailed military history, down to the regiment and battery level, laying out precisely the what, where, and when of combat operations. Fully 60 percent of his 500-plus page text is devoted to the action of December 13, 1862. This is not, however, a merely dry recounting of maneuver and sequence; O'Reilly takes care to maintain the vitality of his narrative by addressing the experiences and fates of individual officers and soldiers caught up in the fighting. The maps are clear and informative, although I do wish there had been a few more provided when describing some of the intricacies of the attacks and counterattacks in the Prospect Hill fighting. There is one curious omission: In books of this type, it has long been standard to list the Orders of Battles of the contending armies, something very useful as a quick reference when a reader wishes to check to what brigade the 121st Pennsylvania belonged or which subordinate units reported to Winfield Hancock. Oddly for a detailed military history tables of this information are not included in "The Fredericksburg Campaign"; perhaps the publisher wished to trim a few pages from this quite large book (yes, that information can certainly be readily obtained elsewhere, but it would be far more handy to have it in this volume). Although O'Reilly provides a passable description of events leading up to this short campaign and a discussion of its aftermath, he does not evaluate the performance of the various senior officers as extensively as I had expected, only quickly summarizing their merits or flaws - mostly flaws, in the case of the Union generals. In O'Reilly's estimation, clearly George Meade was the best Northern commander on the field, while Franklin, Birney, and Reynolds earn his sharpest censure. Confederate commanders are accorded perhaps even less analysis than their Union counterparts.

Only a few months ago, George C. Rable's "Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!" was published. Inevitably, a comparison between the two must be made. Rable sought a blending of what he characterizes the "old" military history (dealing largely with leaders and dissecting strategy and tactics) and the "new" (focused on soldier life and its connections to larger social themes). And, I think it is fair to say, he well achieved that blending in "Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!" In marked contrast to O'Reilly's study, less than 20 percent of Rable's text describes the December 13th fighting, only about 80 pages in a volume nearly as long as O'Reilly's. Where Rable excels is in providing what might be called the "context" of the campaign, including discussions of the impact of McClellan's replacement by Burnside, the continuing controversy over the planned formal issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, the repercussions of recently conducted state and congressional elections, and the realities of army life in the field. And Rable delves deeply into the experiences of the wounded after the fighting ended and into how the battle was reported, both North and South. For the general reader not deeply into the study of American Civil War military operations, "Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!) is probably more accessible than O'Reilly's more narrowly focused study.

Taken by itself, O'Reilly's book is clearly the definitive traditional military history of the Fredericksburg battle (and in the modern trend, he expands upon that traditional military history to portray the common soldiers as well as the generals). Paired with Rable's volume, the two together provide a uniquely comprehensive study of the campaign in all its multitude of aspects. I recommend reading both.

Francis Augustin O;Reilly's new book on Fredricksburg is well researced,well written and detailed in its micro-history approach to the Union defeat at the hand of Lee's Legions in December, 1862. O'Reilly's book is a military account of the battle eschewing the sociological implications of the battle delineated so well in George C. Rable's recent bestseller.
I enjoyed both books but would recommend Rable's book for the reader who has a general interest in the battle and doesn't care for detailed accounts of military strategy.
O'Reilly's book will be the standard military account for years to come. This impressive young historian now stands in the ranks of Robert K. Krick, Gordon Rhea and Peter Cozzens in the brilliant way he tells the story of the battle. Maps were helpful to the text (although more maps could always be used!). He did make the mistake of saying Lee's birtday was on Jan. 21 when the general was born on Jan. 19th.
Fredricksburg was the last complete battle where the gray legions were led by the peerless tandem of Lee and Jackson. The battle featured the first urban street fighting on a major scale in the Civil War. Fredricksburg also saw widespread looting by Union troops on a heretofore unprecedented scale.
Anyone planning to tour Fredricksburg should read this book. O'Reilly tells us of the important fighting on Prospect Hill and the slaughter before Marye's Heights (two separate battles).
I would enjoy hearing O'Reilly speak at our Civil War Round Table in Knoxville or on Book TV! I am impressed by this outstand author and Civil War scholar! An excellent work!

In my humble opinion Frances O'Reilly is one of the foremost experts in the study of the Battle of Fredericksburg. I had never heard of the man until I read this book but his this book is clear proof of his expertise. As an added bonus, the author has a clear and concise writing style and he keeps his story interesting even while spouting vast amounts of minute information.

From the very beginning it should be understood that this is not a book for the Civil War novice or the casual reader. Much of the information in this book is very detailed and it would turn off or confuse anyone who is not very familiar with the armies involved in this campaign. Not only do names fly at the reader at a rapid pace but there is also the behind the scenes politics of both the nation and the armies along with exact regimental placements. This is also not a book for anyone with a weak stomach for O'Reilly goes into great detail in describing many of the more horrendous wounds suffered by many of the participants. Over and over the author relates stories of flying blood, brains, and intestines. This is not to say that the gore takes away from the story for it indeed brings home the very nature of war and one can't understand Fredericksburg or the Civil War without a sense of the horrors these men were facing. O'Reilly also adds depth to his book by including many stories from the common soldier on the field, stories that are both humorous and poignant.

On the other hand, the author covers the big picture in a very complete way and he pulls no punches. It is made very clear for example that much of the blame for the carnage at Fredericksburg rests with Abraham Lincoln and that Lee and Jackson made a terrible mistake in placing their line, a mistake that almost led to a major Union victory. It is also made very clear that General Burnside's whole plan of attack was based on a faulty premise. That being that Lee had spaced his army evenly over their eight mile front even though Longstreet's half of the army held an area with huge natural advantages for the defender. As it turned out, Longstreet held six miles of the eight-mile front while Stonewall Jackson's men held only the remaining two miles. Still, with the huge hole the Confederates had left in their lines Burnside might have been successful except for the sad performance of most of his generals. Even the highly regarded John Reynolds let Burnside down and only George Meade stood out in his performance.

I have been to Fredericksburg and have walked the battlefield. I have also read other treatments of the battle but until I read this book I didn't really understand what had happened. This is undoubtedly the definitive work on this subject and it will remain so for years to come. The amount of research and work that the author has put into this book is staggering and the final result is a masterpiece of Civil War scholarship. Any serious student of the war in the east not only should but also needs to read this book.

O'Reilly has written what I believe to be the best title on the bloody events of December 1862 by blending an obviously deep knowledge of the battle with an engaging writing style.

While the book is a long read (over 500 pages), the chapters seemed to flow smoothly and the book was able to keep my interest. Particularly compelling were the descriptions of the Union attack on the Confederate right along the railroad cut that while initially succesful, failed due to lack of reinforcements and the descriptions of the futile Union assaults on the stonewall in front of Mayre's Heights. After reading the bloody descriptions of several decaptitations and limbs blown off due to cannon fire and the deadly accurate fire of the Confederates, I frequently reflected on how grateful I was not to be one of the unfortunate souls ordered to certain death.

The author seems to be fair and accurate on both sides - the incompentency of Burnside and Franklin on the Union side (ordering futile assaults, not sending in reinforcements) and the carelessness of Hill and Gregg on the Confederate side (had troops at rest and stacked arms on the Confederate left at the time of the initially successful Union assault by Meade by the railroad cut.

On pages 355-356 O'Reilly describes Meade's reaction to the attack on the railroad cut: "George Meade seethed at the loss. Reynolds tried to soothe him but the implacable division commander snarled, "My God General Reynolds, did they think my division could whip Lee's entire army?" Meade retired to Franklin's headquarters, where inquirers foolishly asked how he had fared. He showed them his bullet-ruined hat and rejoined acidly, "I found it quite hot for me." Such a description caused me reflect on whether an event like this caused Meade to hesitate to attack Lee after the latter's repulse at Pickett's Charge during the Battle of Gettysburg. While one can only speculate, such descriptions by O'Reilly engage the reader and will challenge you to think more about Civil War strategy (or lack thereof).

The only complaint I have is an issue common with many Civil War Campaign Studies - lack of maps. While the maps in O'Reilly's book were excellent, there could have easily been about 5-10 more. At times I was able to easily follow the flow of battle when an appropriate map was available to study while at other times I became lost because a map was not available to describe a particular action.

Complaint aside, I highly recommend the title as the definitive study of the tragic events around Fredericksburg in December 1862.

Read and enjoy!

Author Francis O'Reilly has put together a very thorough study of the Battle of Fredericksburg. O'Reilly brings the reader to the later part of 1862 by carefully explaining just why this battle was started and how it unfolded. O'Reilly explains how the Lincoln administration was eager for a victory and also quite bold in their plan to capture Richmond. The politics and situation that faced the Army of the Potomac was clearly identified early on. O'Reilly covered every aspect of the beginning of the battle, be it the desperate crossing of the Rappahannock, Confederate defensive works and just how the two armies became engaged. I liked how O'Reilly quoted the private soldier accounts through the beginning, landing of Fredericksburg, taking of the city and eventually the assaults upon Prosect Hill and Mayres Heights.

O'Reilly's description of the battle from both Union and Confederate views was extraordinary. The carnage of battle was complete and it truly explained just how futile and reckless the Battle of Fredericksburg was. O'Reilly also brought forth how generals failed or worked successfully with one another that added a lot of weight to this great book.

I highly recommend this thorough study of this great battle. It is an impressive book that defines every moment and situation with excellent writing.

"The Fredericksburg Campaign" is by far one of the most readable accounts of any of the Civil War's major battles. The books is meticulously researched, but O'Reilly doesn't beat readers over the head with needless details just for the sake of showing off his scholarly muscles. Everything is woven into a tight, compelling narrative that is nonehteless impressive in its depth of exploration. Anyone who's had the pleasure of joining O'Reilly for one of his tours of the battlefield will immediately "hear" his voice in the text--and what a treat it is to listen to.

I am a cavalry historian, and for years, I have found little of interest in the Fredericksburg Campaign. When I heard that Frank O'Reilly, whom I have known for a number of years, was working on a truly detailed tactical study of the Fredericksburg Campaign, I began looking forward to reading it.

Frank has done a superb job of chronicling the events of November and December 1862, casting a critical eye on the conduct of a battle that probably should never have been fought. Utilizing a vast array of sources and with a well-written narrative, Frank O'Reilly has done justice to a campaign that has long required a detailed tactical analysis.

I think that this is one of the finest campaign studies in years, on a par with the superb work of Gordon Rhea.

This book is an excellent and very detailed report of the battle of Fredericksburg. It is not a good book for someone who is interested in a simple overview of the battle, but to someone interested in the details of what happened at Fredericksburg and why the events unfolded as they did, it is an excellent reference. I believe that this will be the definitive book on Fredericksburg for many years.

I was very pleased how it shows that the plans of Burnside were not as myopic as a lot of current history buffs seem to think. Burnside actually achieved a number of positive accomplishments in the battle, including stealing a march on Lee and breaking Lee's lines in Jackson's front. The book makes clear that to a large degree that there is plenty of blame to go around for the defeat at Fredericksburg. People such as Halleck, Lincoln, Duane, Franklin, Smith and others all had a major hand in the defeat, and most of them had reasons to attempt to lay the entire blame at the feet of Burnsides. While no one can defend Burnside's later obsession with Maryes' Heights (which is covered in wonderful detail in the book), and in the final analysis the blame for the final result is with the general who planned the battle, which Burnsides freely shouldered, this book shows that at least in its initial conception his plans were not the ravings of a lunatic.

I believe it is only through looking at the details and accounts written at the time of the battle that a more true picture can be seen, and this is what I believe O'Reilly presents.

Burnside

An excellent recounting of the battle of Fredericksburg in great detail. It gives a real sense of the horror and magnitude of this battle, and for what the participants on both sides suffered. It is very detailed as to disposition of individual units, and their leaders, and should make a good reference book for serious students of the Civil War, and buffs like me.

One of the finest researched and written campaign studies to come out in many years. I have read this fine book twice. It is a big battle with a lot of brigades and regiments coming and going, yet O'Reilly keeps the action organized and the flow of the battle understandable. He describes each action individually within the context of the overall battle, helping the reader to fully comprehend the sequences of each attack and there importance. The battle of Fredericksburg was actually two different battles being fought simultaneously. The description of the horrific attacks by the various Union brigades on the stone wall is some of the best combat narratives you will find anywhere. The author truly knows this subject, and this battlefield. It is a great accomplishment in recent Civl War scholarship.