What comes next from a Victory at Fredericksburg

As the title says I'm interested in mapping out so to speak of what battles would come next from a Federal Victory at Fredericksburg.

That is to say Victory in the sense that the Federal Army crossed the Rappahannock before Lee could get into defense positions behind Fredericksburg.

The initial plan of action calling for the Army of the Potomac to cross the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg and in essence to race Richmond before the Army of Northern Virginia could stop him, if such a scenario had been successful what would have come next in the aftermath?
 
Where in the race are you asking?

The odds are very high Lee will somewhere between Fredericksburg and Richmond meet Burnside in battle.
 
Where in the race are you asking?

The odds are very high Lee will somewhere between Fredericksburg and Richmond meet Burnside in battle.

Yes the question though for me at least were would that exact spot be? would Lee be on the defense or the offensive, would Burnside follow up his momentum or let it the enemy catch it like his former commander.

Sadly these are questions that can not be properly answered from a volume or a novel so i decided to see what everyone else would think would happen in such a scenario.
 
Yes the question though for me at least were would that exact spot be? would Lee be on the defense or the offensive, would Burnside follow up his momentum or let it the enemy catch it like his former commander.

Sadly these are questions that can not be properly answered from a volume or a novel so i decided to see what everyone else would think would happen in such a scenario.

Burnside seems like he'd give it his best to actually attack, whether he actually pulls it off is more questionable.
 
Burnside seems like he'd give it his best to actually attack, whether he actually pulls it off is more questionable.

You think so? i would imagine that in such a situation Burnside would be in full form but on the other hand Burnside while usually a competent commander while in a battle he took a very long while to actually get into said battle.

If anything i would summarize that either Burnside moved to slow and thus allowing Lee to get his army in between his and Richmond, or if a general engagement started by the AONV managing to reach the rear of the AOTP.

In that regard what do you regard the chances of Burnside managing to reach and take Richmond without Lee managing to get the AONV in between the city and him?
 
You think so? i would imagine that in such a situation Burnside would be in full form but on the other hand Burnside while usually a competent commander while in a battle he took a very long while to actually get into said battle.
If we're assuming things are going smoothly, I think Burnside is going to at least try. "His best" doesn't necessarily mean he's going to be good enough, but Burnside doesn't seem like he'd be half hearted.

If anything i would summarize that either Burnside moved to slow and thus allowing Lee to get his army in between his and Richmond, or if a general engagement started by the AONV managing to reach the rear of the AOTP.

In that regard what do you regard the chances of Burnside managing to reach and take Richmond without Lee managing to get the AONV in between the city and him?

Not very good.

I think the scenario of Lee intercepting him is most likely - but Burnside is probably not going to be leaped on from the rear unless Lee gets lucky.
 
If we're assuming things are going smoothly, I think Burnside is going to at least try. "His best" doesn't necessarily mean he's going to be good enough, but Burnside doesn't seem like he'd be half hearted.

So its more likely certain now that Lee would undoubtedly intercept Burnside, so next would question would be is were will that exactly be?

With considerations of how fast and mobile the AOTP will be compared to the AONV, how long would it be before Lee managed to get in between Burnside and Richmond.

With everything considered in such a scenario that if Burnside moves fast and strong, Lee would be in a struggle to catch up let alone get past him, and with that in mind i would imagine a detachment of troops trying to hold the AOTP off until Lee could reinforce them.

In the even would said detachment of troops would be a part of the AONV or troops that were scrapped together in a hurry by Richmond, with the first sounding more plausible since i do believe( correct me if I'm wrong) that Lee and his Army was the only major source of Military Power in the Confederate east.
 
So its more likely certain now that Lee would undoubtedly intercept Burnside, so next would question would be is were will that exactly be?

With considerations of how fast and mobile the AOTP will be compared to the AONV, how long would it be before Lee managed to get in between Burnside and Richmond.

That would depend on when Lee realizes Burnside is across the river, too.

This could get tricky.

With everything considered in such a scenario that if Burnside moves fast and strong, Lee would be in a struggle to catch up let alone get past him, and with that in mind i would imagine a detachment of troops trying to hold the AOTP off until Lee could reinforce them.

In the even would said detachment of troops would be a part of the AONV or troops that were scrapped together in a hurry by Richmond, with the first sounding more plausible since i do believe( correct me if I'm wrong) that Lee and his Army was the only major source of Military Power in the Confederate east.

It is. There might be (All totaled) half the number of men in the ANV in "everywhere else in Virginia, North Carolina, and Beauregard's department put together". Maybe a bit more. And that's spread from SW Virginia to Florida.

So I would expect Longstreet or Jackson (whoever is closer - I believe Longstreet) having to intercept Burnside.
 
Top