A detailed, illustrated account of another Union failure early in the Civil War.

In December 1862, things were still confused for the Union. Antietam had been a failure for both sides, and although the battle showed that the Union army could bring the Confederates to bay, it couldn't pin them in one place long enough to destroy them. In December 1862, General Burnside, newly appointed to command the Army of the Potomac, planned to seize and secure the town of Fredericksburg, and then take the Confederate capital of Richmond.

Carl Smith's book details the epic struggle that engulfed the Union side as it crossed the Rappahannock on December 11, encountering stiff opposition from Lee's men.

Carl Smith has had a life long fascination with many aspects of the military history of the United States. A specialist writer of many years experience, Carl has worked for several popular military magazines. He has written several volumes on the key battles of the Civil War in Osprey's Campaign series. Carl lives and works in Virginia, USA.

Adam Hook studied graphic design at art college and began his illustrating career in 1983. He has worked with a variety of educational publishers covering various subjects within the fields of history and natural history. For Osprey he has illustrated numerous Campaign and Warrior titles. Adam lives and works in Sussex, UK.