The Sunken Road Fredericksburg

The Sunken Road in Fredericksburg as it is today. In 1862 it was the Confederate defensive position outside Fredericksburg where the Angel of Marye's Heights nursed wounded Union soldiers.

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Category:

Education

Tags:

• Fredericksburg
• Sunken
• Road
• American
• Civil
• War
• Maryes
• Heights
• Richard
• Kirkland
• Confederates
• Union

[huffdawgs8]

Don't call this the "sunken road" that's at Antietam.. this is just the stone wall, defended by mostly Georgians...

[VideoHistoryToday]

@huffdawgs8 The area shown in video is called the Sunken Road by the National Park Service and just about ever other reference I can find on the web, not by me.

[VideoHistoryToday]

As far as I am aware you are correct. no one reached the wall (but I stand to be corrected). The terrain is completely different today with houses, roads and trees blocking the view but even so the defensive advantage of the wall is clear. The 'sunken road' area here is a lovely piece of preservation.

[Bhobbs1985]

Man your videos are great. I wish I could go to all these places...

Have you been to Franklin, TENN? There's some pretty big history there that a lot of people dont take the time to learn. Kind of a forgotton battle to a lot of people.

[VideoHistoryToday]

Glad you like them Bhobbs. I spent two weeks visiting sites in and around Virginia and most of my clips from there are already done. Didn't get further east or south then Virginia.

I recently visited northern France and Belgium so expect some more from there soon.

[gwth963]

was born and raised in Fredericksburg...my grandparents lived at the top of Marye's Heights on Hanover Street. Spent many a day on those streets. I still miss living in Fredericksburg.

[Burco1]

I just stopped here two weeks ago! I dragged my wife and daughter to the Sunken Road in Fredericksburg, VA on the way back from vacation in South Carolina. My daughter was not happy! The Richard Kirkland story is amazing and sad! Thanks for your video.

[VideoHistoryToday]

@TigerRifle1 Quite agree Tiger. The sites of First & Second Manasas (or 1st, 2nd Bull Run) are very well preserved and they were both Confederate victories. As with Antietam and Gettysburg, they took places outside of the town, allowing much of the battle sites to be preserved. I'm not so sure about the preservation of National v Confederate cemeteries, the former beautifully maintained & preserved, the latter very nice but not too National standards.

[TigerRifle1]

@kglenn86 that has nothing to with it, The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought within the city limits, hard to preserve the land when its already developed. Battles like Gettysburg and Antietam were fought primarily on farmland and undeveloped fields. Not everything is as biased as you portray it.

[zacher456]

@huntingboy2 i still don't believe you

[zacher456]

@huntingboy2 no hes not..youd be dead..

[rebel2276]

Actually one Union soldier did get over the wall. He had not been hit and the Confederates yelled at him to "come over". He did and lived. A Union officer (Irish Brigade) did get to 30 yards to the wall and he was shot and killed.

The Irish brigades dead were found closest to the wall. The Irish Brigade lost several flags, the 69th NY lost their "Cream Color Guidon", 88th NY lost a guidon and they lost their brigade flag also. It was red and white with (1) in the center.

[stflaw]

Ditto Olibhear333. Thank you, and terrific job. I appreciate the way you took your time and slowly scanned across the battlefield. Your commentary was also most helpful. For those of us who may never have the opportunity to visit Fredericksburg, this is the next best thing to being there. Thank you!

[kamakazi423]

Yes that is true, it was murder. Alexander Porter, who was in charge of the cannon on the heights said, "A chicken could not live on that field when we open up on it" The Rebel soldier who was the angel was Sargent Richard Kirkland. I belive he died in fighting in 1864