American Civil War
Battle of Fredricksburg, Virgina 
Confederate Victory
December 11th - 15th 1862
 
(Every bullet may vary in size or shape, bullets are picked at random. Our choice only.)
 
Fired by Union Troops every 10th round as a way to clean the interior of the barrel from black powder residue built up during battle. This important piece of history was rescued from development by metal detectorists on private property.
 
The battle began on December 11, 1862, when Union engineers began constructing pontoon bridges to facilitate the crossing of the Rappahannock River. However, delays in completing the bridges allowed Confederate forces under General James Longstreet to occupy strong defensive positions on the heights overlooking the city.
 
On December 13, Burnside launched a series of frontal assaults against the Confederate positions. Union troops advanced across open ground under heavy fire from Confederate infantry and artillery, suffering devastating casualties. The most infamous Union assault occurred against Marye's Heights, where Confederate troops under General Stonewall Jackson were entrenched behind a stone wall at the base of the heights. Despite repeated attempts, Union forces were unable to break through the Confederate defenses, and the attacks were repulsed with heavy losses.
 
The battle continued into December 14, with additional Union assaults failing to dislodge the Confederates from their positions. By the evening of December 15, Burnside conceded defeat and ordered a withdrawal across the Rappahannock River.
 
The Battle of Fredericksburg resulted in a decisive Confederate victory, with Union casualties numbering over 12,000 killed, wounded, or missing, compared to around 5,000 Confederate casualties. The lopsided nature of the Union defeat and the high casualty rates caused significant morale issues within the Army of the Potomac and led to criticism of Burnside's leadership.