This is the Jocco podcast Civil War excursion number four with JD Baker and me,

Jocco Willink, good evening JD. Good evening Jocco. We slept upon our arms

last night and daylight this morning found us in line. The battle began at an

early hour and the shot and shell screeched and screamed over our heads to our

right we could see the fight going on for the heights beyond the back of

Fredericksburg. General Sumner tried to take the hills but failed. The city was on

fire in several places and the noise was deafening. We could see the long

lines of Union troops move up the hill and melt away before the rebel fire.

But we were not idle. Although at times there would be a low in our front and we

would watch and we could watch the fight on the right. At 3 p.m. our regiment was

sent down to the left of the line in order to support a battery. This was no

fun for us for we had to stand the rebel shells fired at the battery. Just at

dark the firing ceased. But what a scene was before us. The dead and wounded

covered the ground in all directions. Ambulances were sent out to pick up the

wounded but the enemy opened fire upon them and wounded were left to suffer.

During the evening if a match was lighted it would bring a shell from the

rebel forts on the hills. At 8 p.m. we were ordered to the rear and our division

rested for the night. That right there is an excerpt from Elijah Hunt Rhodes book.

His book all for the Union. It's his account as they began the Battle of

Fredericksburg. At this point since our last podcast which focused on the

Battle at Antietam there has been some pretty significant changes in what

was going on. Lincoln was not happy with his leadership in the Union Army.

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