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Civil War Interactive Discussion Board > Civil War Talk > General Civil War Talk > Save the Slaughter Pen -Fredericksburg |
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Civil War Interactive Discussion Board > Civil War Talk > General Civil War Talk > Save the Slaughter Pen -Fredericksburg |
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| Save the Slaughter Pen -Fredericksburg | Rate Topic |
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| You have chosen to ignore indy19th. click Here to view this post |
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| Posted: Wed Jun 21st, 2006 01:18 pm |
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2nd Post |
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MAubrecht Member 
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Thanks for posting this indy. Everytime I take the back road home from Old Town, I drive past there. It is amazing how the people who live and work in the areas around the farm have zero idea what transpired there. Here is another link to the Spotsy Battlefield Coalition: http://www.civilwar.org/preservation/chancellorsville/index.htm
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| Posted: Wed Jun 21st, 2006 02:13 pm |
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3rd Post |
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javal1 Grumpy Geezer 
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Could use some help from someone who has visited Fredericksburg more often than me. I was there once, about 7 years ago. It was a terrible day since we foolishly tried to visit Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Wilderness (as well as Salem Church) all in one near 100 degree day. So needless to say, I can't remember much about it, other than Rt. 3 traffic. While at Fredericksburg, I remember standing with a hill behind me, which contained some artillery. In front was a large field endind with a treeline and a railroad embankment. I remember there was a pyramid shaped monument which I think was to Meade. Does this portion of the field sound familiar to anyone? Is this the area of the slaughter pen?
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| Posted: Wed Jun 21st, 2006 02:59 pm |
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4th Post |
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MAubrecht Member
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That monument is where the Union line managed to break through. It's in the "general vicinity" but not that close - a few miles in fact. This area is near the Shannon Airport. BUT if you left Old Town, or even Lee's Hill (his winter HQ) and took the back roads, along the tracks toward the Jackson Shrine (Thornburg area) you would probably drive past both of these areas on the way. Here is a link to a PDF map: http://www.civilwar.org/news/maps/slaughterpenmap.pdf Last edited on Wed Jun 21st, 2006 03:07 pm by MAubrecht |
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| Posted: Wed Jun 21st, 2006 03:50 pm |
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5th Post |
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javal1 Grumpy Geezer
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Many thanks Michael. I really want to get back to Fredericksburg and give it a proper tour. The day we were there, it just so happened to be the only day of the year that the entire house at Chatham was open to the public, including the basement and upstairs. From what I understand, usually only 5 of the rooms are open. Anyway, we fell in love with the house, and all the history of it, and ended up spending most of our time there. Again thanks for the help and the link...
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| You have chosen to ignore indy19th. click Here to view this post |
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| You have chosen to ignore indy19th. click Here to view this post |
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| Posted: Fri Jun 23rd, 2006 02:18 pm |
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8th Post |
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HankC Member 
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How much history is rewritten during these preservation efforts? I've never heard of 'Slaughter Pen Farm' and the only web hits are in CWPT and other preservation web sites. I hope history is not being changed to fit an agenda... HankC Last edited on Fri Jun 23rd, 2006 02:42 pm by HankC |
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| Posted: Fri Jun 23rd, 2006 02:38 pm |
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9th Post |
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MAubrecht Member
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Actually Hank, that area is a major focal point of the battle. BUT more importantly - it has yet to be violated - which is VERY rare. The "big deal" is the fact that this area is one of the last remaining "untouched" sites in the 'burg. It is far enough away from the city proper - and far enough away from the main thoroughfares, that it has managed to "escape" the plague of urban sprawl that is spreading and infringing on all 4 of our battlefields. Its not a tourist attraction by any means, and w/ the exception of a road marker - most people would never know its anything of value. To describe it would be to say that its along a "lesser-traveled route" that parallels the major roads. That is why I think the local experts and we residents are so concerned about this one. Its one of the last remaining battlefields that has yet to be touched by commercial development. I may not be communicating that as well as I should - I guess you have to live here in Fredericksburg to witness the never-ending battle we have with urban-sprawl and land development. I personally drive past 3 major CW sites and 5 MAJOR construction sites on my way to work everyday. Thousands and thousands of cleared acres where there used to be trees and millions of square feet in shopping centers and strip malls going up as I type this. It infuriates me at times - and I think that is the general consensus in regards to the Slaughter Pen. FLS Quote about the Pen: The fighting through Fredericksburg, with its carnage at Marye's Heights, is etched in the nation's collective memory. But the rest of the story played out farther south on and around the farm, where Confederate Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's 2nd Corps battled Union Gen. William Franklin's Left Grand Division. At one point, half the Confederate army was concentrated along the railroad tracks southwest of the property, waiting for the Union attack across the farm. In some of the most desperate fighting of the day, Union forces under George Meade and John Gibbon punched through Confederate lines for a time before being driven back by Southern reinforcements. Historians estimate that of the 9,000 men killed or wounded on the southern end of the Battle of Fredericksburg, 5,000 met their fate on the farm that would become known as the Slaughter Pen. Hope that helps. I have a vested interest, and believe me, the Battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania, and the Wilderness are far from over - they are still being fought... in the courtrooms and at city council meetings. Last edited on Fri Jun 23rd, 2006 02:53 pm by MAubrecht |
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| You have chosen to ignore indy19th. click Here to view this post |
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| Posted: Fri Jun 23rd, 2006 05:29 pm |
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11th Post |
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MAubrecht Member
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Also wanted to add this for perspective. From CWPT: The Slaughter Pen Farm is the largest remaining unprotected part of the Fredericksburg Battlefield. It is also the ONLY place on the battlefield where a visitor can still follow the Union assault on that bloody day from beginning to end. Nearly all the other land associated with Union attacks at Fredericksburg – either on the southern end of the battlefield or in front of Marye’s Heights – has been destroyed by development.
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| Posted: Tue Jun 27th, 2006 03:15 pm |
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12th Post |
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HankC Member
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I hope the area is preserved. I've just never heard it called 'Slaughter Pen Farm'. I trust the CWPT is not making up names as part of it's marketing. I hope we'll not be hearing of the 'bloody lane at Gettysburg' and the 'stone wall at Antietam'? HankC
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