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Painting by Thure de Thulstrup of the
River Crossing on Dec. 11, 1862. Image courtesy of the Home of the American Civil
War.
The legendary suicidal charge of
the 20th Massachusetts through the streets of Fredericksburg , Virginia on
December 11, 1862 took the life of this web developer's great great uncle,
Cpl . Anton
Steffens. The charge was the subject of a well-known
poem, a
recent full-length article and was cited in the greatest Memorial Day speech
ever given. Now America's leading historical artist, Don Troiani,
has immortalized the charge in his
work entitled ,"Fire on Caroline Street". Read the material below,
especially the letter from Lt. Henry
Ropes to his brother, to learn more about what happened that
day.
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Link
to image of historical artist Don Troiani's work, "Fire On Caroline
Street"
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Recent
article: Richard F. Miller and Robert F. Mooney, "Across the River and
Into the Streets: The 20th Massachusetts Infantry and the Street Fight
for Fredericksburg" (Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American
Civil War, Vol. 4, No. 4)
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"One of the greatest
accomplishments I ever witnessed"--Capt. David Beem, 14th Indiana
Infantry
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"General Sumner complimented
the regiment (after the battle), telling Capt. Macy that it was a noble
regiment...I firmly believe that if the 20th had not held their ground
as they did, everything in their rear would have been driven back to the
pontoon bridge"--Surgeon Nathan Hayward, 20th Mass.
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"A useless slaughter
of gallant men"--- link to account by A.W. Greeley, 19th Mass., who
witnessed the street fighting.
Engineers unsuccessfully attempt to
construct the pontoon bridge before the troops crossed over by
boat
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