Preview of 2007 Southeastern Archaeology Conference Paper

”Torres Vedras Could Not Compare With Them”: The 1862-1863 Confederate Fortification of The Rappahannock River

From the winter of 1862 to the spring of 1863, Confederate forces at Fredericksburg, Virginia, constructed complex earthworks to defend the south bank of the Rappahannock River against an anticipated Federal attack. The Confederate defenses consisted of multiple trenches, redouts, and artillery emplacements fully utilizing the naturally defensible terrain. These defenses kept the numerically superior Army of the Potomac at bay and allowed the Confederates to achieve impressive victories at the Battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Salem Church. These defenses have been poorly documented, and many have been lost to urban sprawl. Recent archaeological and historical investigations by ECS Mid-Atlantic, LLC have investigated over 2 miles of the defensive works near historic Banks Ford, and have given us new insight into their tactical importance.