Confederates Across Bridge in Fredericksburg

[Mtn.Guerilla]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

That's a really interesting sketch from the "camera side of things". Where did it come from? It appears there may have been some friendly banter going back on back and forth. I'm only assuming so, by the fella waving the Harpers Weekly, in regards to something. Very cool !

[yeoman]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Sir and ma'am, I see this drawing, (post 45), has been brought out in another thread and apologize for walking over it.
http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...871#post125871
Again, sorry for the repetition.

[DougCooper]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Russel of course is the photographer who captured the scenes at Marye's Heights (CS dead at the stone wall, etc) and elsewhere during the Chancellorsville Campaign. As for the bridge, the rebs destroyed it the previous year to keep the yanks out. It gave Burnside's engineers a chance to construct pontoon bridges on a large scale under fire the previous December.

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Has anyone ever confirmed what was in the window here? I have read Here that it was a cannon, but that does not seem correct to me. It looks more like a length of pipe simulated to resemble a cannon maybe. Any other thoughts?

CONFEDERATES BEFORE A UNION CAMERA The single known instance in which the Union photographers succeeded in getting a near view of the Confederate troops. After Burnside's fatal attempt to carry the heights back of Fredericksburg he had retreated across the Rappahannock leaving more than 12,000 dead and wounded on the field. A burial truce was then agreed upon with Lee and afforded Brady and his men the sad opportunity to record many a gruesome spectacle. Near the end of the railroad bridge in Fredericksburg was secured a view of the living men of Lee's
army which had inflicted such terrible punishment upon the Union forces but a short time before. They were evidently quite willing, during the suspension of hostilities, to group themselves before Brady's camera set up on the partially repaired end of the bridge. Here we get a nearer view of the old mill in the preceding picture. A cannon has been placed in one of its upper windows for defense. Although these houses had escaped injury from the Federal bombardment, other Brady photographs record the ruins of the little town.

[DougCooper]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

So many problems with this caption it is hard to know where to start. It isn't just after the battle of Fredricksburg, but instead the following Spring, Brady was never involved (and there are no known photos of the dead of Fredericksburg), that isn't a cannon, etc.

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Doug, Thanks. I have seen many other inaccuracies on that particular website. When I saw the cannon quote, I just had to share it. I guess it is a case of some very creative writing. It is a good source however to look at original covers of Harpers Weekly etc . The captions on the other hand should be taken with a grain of salt.:wink_smil

[Earbyreb]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Do we have any idea when this picture was taken, I mean prior to the actual battle or after? The buildings in the background appear intact and I always imagined the town being fairly well destroyed during the battle.

[Possum Stew]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

One thing that I notice right off the bat:
None of them are sporting the "Proper Rakish Hat Angle" so loved by us reenactors. Hats all appear to be pulled down low on the forehead to protect eyes from the sun.

Great pic!

Nor are they sporting the extra 200lbs of body fat so loved by us reenactors. They all appear to be thin from malnourishment and manual labor.