A Visit to Chatham
Two weeks after the Battle of Fredericksburg, a correspondent from the New York Tribune visited the former antebellum estate known as the "Lacy House." He provided a sobering account of the devastation inflicted upon on the manor, which was being used as a hospital for the wounded. .
New York Tribune, January 1, 1863
Christmas, 1862
The Winter of 1862 was an incredibly challenging time for the Army of the Potomac. This period marked the replacement of their favored leader, George B. McClellan, and included the humiliating defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Additionally, many officers left the army, facing the prospect of enduring a harsh winter in quarters along the Rappahannock River. The Christmas holiday of 1862 was the first one spent under difficult field conditions. Several war correspondents were present to remind the Northern public of the deprivations and hardships experienced by soldiers who, for the first time, faced the holidays away from home and loved ones.
New York Tribune, December 27, 1862
“Welcome to These Madmen About to Die”
In a stirring account of the Battle of Fredericksburg, Lt. Colonel David Watson Rowe of the 126th Pennsylvania describes the sheer terror experienced by a nine-month regiment of volunteers during their first battle test.
D. Watson Rowe, 126th Pennsylvania