The First Battle of Fredericksburg: Lessons of Strategic and Operational Command and Control
Abstract
The Union defeat in the Battle of Fredericksburg was the culmination of a disjointed strategy communicated from President Lincoln to Major General Burnside, coupled with a poorly conceived and executed operational design by Major General Burnside and his Grand Division Commanders. The period of November 1862 through the first Battle of Fredericksburg witnessed a notable shift in the Army of the Potomac's leadership during the Civil War. President Lincoln relieved Major General McClellan for inaction following the Antietam Campaign and replaced him with Major General Burnside. This transition proved to be of interest to modern military leaders because it displayed a textbook example of how strategic guidance from the National level has a direct impact upon the operational and tactical outcomes of campaigns and battles. Major General Burnside was unsure of his abilities and lacked the necessary strategic guidance from the President and Major General Halleck (General-in-Chief). These facts, coupled with two insubordinate Grand Division commanders and the inability to effectively design an operation, led to poorly communicated operational plans, which resulted in thousands of casualties on the field on December 13, 1862.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 15, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA600897
Entities
People
- Shannon M. Shea
Organizations
- Marine Corps University