Central Virginia

Fredericksburg and Area

Excellent walking tour brochures detailing street fighting in the city are available at the Fredericksburg City Visitor Center, 706 Caroline St. Just outside the building are Civil War Trails signs describing city and area Civil War sites.

Jump to City of Fredericksburg | Stafford County | Spotsylvania County | Caroline County

Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park

Main visitor center
1013 Lafayette Blvd, Fredericksburg VA 22401
www.nps.gov/frsp, 540-373-6122
 Road map 
   Significant areas of four major battlefields plus a handful of historic buildings are maintained in this 5,500 acre park. More than 100,000 men became casualties in the fighting in and around Fredericksburg, making it perhaps the bloodiest piece of ground in the country.
    Start at the main visitor center for a short audiovisual presentation, maps, exhibits and ranger help. Other visitor centers are manned year-round at Chatham and Chancellorsville. Main visitor center hours are 9 am–5 pm daily with extended hours in the spring and summer. No park entry fee but there is a $2 charge (ages 10–61) for movies at the Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville visitor centers.

Park highlights

Fredericksburg battlefield – The visitor center is just steps away from the famous stone wall at Marye's Heights that was successfully defended by Confederates Dec. 13, 1862. Short self-guided walking tours along the wall and up to Confederate positions on the heights are available. The National Cemetery is located just above the center. A driving tour with several stops takes visitors through the lesser-known Prospect Hill area of the battlefield on the Federal left.
Animated map from Civil War Preservation Trust

Chancellorsville battlefield
9001 Plank Road, Spotsylvania VA 22553
 Road map 
   The visitor center here is located just off Route 3 about 10 miles west of Fredericksburg. Stop there for information about this site, scene of intense fighting in early May, 1863. Stonewall Jackson was severely wounded May 2 at a spot marked near the visitor center. The famous general died about a week later. This battle is regarded by many as Robert E. Lee's greatest victory. A driving tour highlights significant areas. Note: A wayside with a cluster of Civil War Trails signs describing the action early on May 1 is located just off the westbound lanes of Route 3, 0.07 miles west of Route 626. This part of the battlefield was preserved recently by the Civil War Preservation Trust.
Animated map from Civil War Preservation Trust

Wilderness battlefield
VA 20 and Hill-Ewell Drive
Spotsylvania and Orange counties
 Road map 
    An exhibit shelter (manned during the summer) helps explain the action here May 5–6, 1864, as Federal soldiers pushed forward in what would become the Overland Campaign. A short walking tour from the shelter routes visitors through Saunders Field, one of the most fought-over areas in the battle. Ellwood, a plantation home, became a Federal headquarters during the battle and is open on special occasions and weekends during the summer. It's also the burial place of Jackson's arm. A driving tour includes significant areas of the battlefield. Road map

Spotsylvania battlefield
Visitor Center, Brock Road and Grant Drive West  Spotsylvania VA 22553
 Road map 
    Another exhibit shelter (manned during the summer) highlights the fighting as the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia slugged it out in mid-May 1864. Among the short walking tours in this park unit explores the Confederate salient that became known as the "Bloody Angle."

Stonewall Jackson Shrine
Caroline County between Fredericksburg and Richmond, watch for the signs along I-95
540-373-6122
    Jackson died here May 10, 1863 following his wounding at Chancellorsville. Open during the summer season and at other times.

Chatham
120 Chatham Lane, Fredericksburg VA 22405
Located in Stafford County across the river from downtown Fredericksburg
 Road map 
Great views of the city from here, a Federal position during the 1862 fighting. Restored rooms in the Georgian mansion and exhibits tell the story here. Open 9 am–5 pm.

Old Salem Church
4054 Plank Road, Fredericksburg VA 22407
Located in Spotsylvania County on busy Route 3 just west of Fredericksburg
 Road map 
   1844 church was site of fighting during the Chancellorsville campaign and a refuge for Fredericksburg citizens in 1862.

City of Fredericksburg

Slaughter Pen Farm
Walking trail with interpretive signs located just off Route 2 south of Fredericksburg. Entrance at 11232 Tidewater Trail, Fredericksburg VA 22408
 Road map 
   A 1.75-mile walking trail with interpretive signs covers the site of an 8,000-man Union attack south of Fredericksburg Dec. 13, 1862, battle there. The area is known as the "Slaughter Pen Farm" because the soldiers advanced with little or no cover against strongly positioned Confederates on high ground (Prospect Hill) and sustained heavy casualties. This was supposed to be the main Union attack that day, followed by the more famous (now) assault at Marye's Heights. The land has been preserved by the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT). The Trust asks that groups of five or more register before going on the site, still an active farm. Call 800-298-7878. See www.civilwar.org for a virtual tour of the property.
   Related sites: Pelham's Corner (just south on Route 2) and Prospect HIll area of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.

Pelham’s Corner
Interpretive signs located southwest corner of Route 2 and Benchmark Road south of downtown
 Road map 
This is the spot where Confederate artillerist John Pelham shelled the Federal flank as it advanced toward the Southern line during the December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg.

Kenmore and Washington Street Tour
Begins at Kenmore, 1201 Washington St, Fredericksburg VA 22401
540-373-3781
 Road map 
    A walking tour of an often overlooked area of the Frederickburg battlefield focuses on Kenmore, the 1775 home of Fielding Lewis and his wife Betty Washington Lewis (George Washington's sister). The tour includes Kenmore's grounds with views of a cannon ball imbedded in the mansion's walls and stories about its use as a hospital in December 1862. A short walk covers Civil War action along and below Washington Street. Stops include the Mary Washington Monument and the Confederate Cemetery. Pick up a free tour map/brochure at Kenmore. Request a copy by writing Kenmore.

Union attack route
Group of interpretive signs located at intersection of Hanover Street and Kenmore Avenue, Fredericksburg VA 22401
 Road map
    Signs with contemporary photographs describe the action at this critical spot on the Union attack route to Mayre's Heights Dec. 13, 1862. Among the topics are landscape features still visible and the site of an old canal (now Kenmore Avenue) that soldiers crossed during the attack.

Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center
1001 Princess Anne St, Fredericksburg VA 22401
540-371-3037
 Road map 
    Downtown museum devoted to area history including the Civil War. Highlight is a Confederate flag that flew over the city during the 1862 battle.
Open noon-5 pm Monday, Thursday-Saturday and 1-5 pm Sunday (March-November). Shortened hours in December. Closed January-February. $7/adult.

City Dock
Sophia Street, downtown Fredericksburg VA
 Road map 
    The site of one of the Federal pontoon bridges constructed under fire in December 1862. Located at the east end of Sophia Street at the Rappahannock River. Civil War Trails interpretation.

Upper Pontoon Bridge Site
Sophia and Hawke streets
 Road map 
Interpretive marker and a monument to the 7th Michigan Vol. Infantry at the site of one of the Union pontoon bridges used to cross the Rappahannock River during the battle.

Stafford County, north of Fredericksburg

White Oak Museum and White Oak Church
985 White Oak Road, Falmouth VA 22405
(Intersection of Routes 218 and 603 about 5 miles east of Fredericksburg)
 Road map 
    Great presentation of primarily local artifacts found at camp sites in the area. Some rare military and personal items are on display. Soldier huts replicated in a demonstration of Union camp life in Stafford County. Wednesday–Sunday, 9 am–5 pm. $3 adults. 540-371-4234. A Civil War Trails marker outside the museum describes White Oak Church across the road, which was the center of much activity during the Federal "occupation" in the winter of 1862.

Aquia Creek Landing
2846 Brooke Road, Stafford VA 22554
 Road map 
    Confederates began fortifying this spot soon after Virginia seceded. Shore batteries dueled with Union navy here early in war; Grant used it as supply base in 1864. Virginia Civil War Trails interpretation.

Hartwood Church
50 Hartwood Church Road, Fredericksburg VA 22406
 Road map 
    Federal troops, occupying the area early in the war, ripped out the woodwork and wrote on the walls of this historic Presbyterian Church. Confederate cavalry captured a group of inattentive Union troops here Nov. 28, 1862. Trails sign.

Potomac Creek Bridge
Trails sign located at end of paved section of Leeland Road, Stafford VA 22405
 Road map 
    Looked like "beanpoles and cornstalks" to Lincoln when he crossed in 1862. Bridge helped carry the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad between Fredericksburg and the Potomac River. Used by both sides. Civil War Trails interpretation.

Ferry Farm
268 Kings Highway, Fredericksburg VA 22405
www.ferryfarm.org, 540-370-0732
 Road map 
   Site just across the Rappahannock River from Fredericksburg was George Washington's boyhood home and saw considerable Union activity during the December 1862 battle. Open daily 10 am–5 pm. Fee charged.

Spotsylvania County, south and west of Fredericksburg

Spotsylvania County Visitor Center
4704 Southpoint Parkway, just off US Route 1 south of Fredericksburg
    Three major Civil War battles — Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania — were fought here. See listings for the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park (top of this page) and the 1864 Overland Campaign tour for more information.

Caroline County, southeast of Fredericksburg

See the 1864 Overland Campaign tour for more information about Caroline County's Guinea Station, Bowling Green and Carmel Church. Also noted on a state historical marker on US Route 301 about 9 miles north of Bowling Green is the site of the Garrett Farm where Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth was cornered.