Near Fredericksburg in Spotsylvania County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Slaughter Pen Farm

Into the Field

Photographed by Craig Swain, July 25, 2009

1. Into the Field Marker

Inscription.

Slaughter Pen Farm. Into the Field. You are standing near the center of the most successful Union attack at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Two Union divisions, Gen. George G. Meade's on your left and Gen. John Gibbon's on your right, advanced into this field and soon encountered the "Virginia ditch fence" visible on your right and left. The ditch fences, dug by farmers to divide their fields and to promote drainage, were much steeper, deeper, and wider during the battle. Union soldiers scrambled across this and other obstacles however they could., After Union troops crossed the ditch fences, converging Confederate artillery fire stopped them cold. The Federals laid down in the fields in front of you as Union cannons replied in kind. Both sides suffered heavy losses in men, horses, and equipment. When the fire was too hot for the men of one Confederate battery, its commander "wrapped his battle flag around him, walking up and down among his deserted guns" to shame his gunners back into position.,

"The trees around our guns were literally torn to pieces and the ground plowed up. I have been several times covered with dirt, and had it knocked in my eyes and mouth." , "Ben," Pee Dee (South Carolina) Artillery, CSA, "Being no breeze to carry away the smoke of our guns, the gunners on firing would quickly run to either flank to clear the great volume of smoke hanging in front of their muzzles that they might see where their shells were going." , Pvt. Bates Alexander. 7th Pennsylvania Reserves, USA

, (captions) , As the Union troops advanced into this field, terrain slowed them and Southern cannon fire brought them to a halt., "We blew up one of their caissons," remembered one Union soldier, "causing a cheer to break forth from our lines. But soon thereafter they blew up one of ours." This 1863 image was taken on Marye's Heights, a few miles to the north. - Courtesy National Archives, Just prior to the Union assault, 24-year-old Confederate Major John Pelham advanced one cannon a mile to your left and wrought havoc on the Union lines. Dangerously exposed and outgunned, Pelham disrupted the Union attack for nearly an hour and emerged unscathed. Of Pelham's actions, Gen. Robert E. Lee said, "It is glorious to see such courage in one so young." - Courtesy Library of Congress

You are standing near the center of the most successful Union attack at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Two Union divisions, Gen. George G. Meade's on your left and Gen. John Gibbon's on your right, advanced into this field and soon encountered the "Virginia ditch fence" visible on your right and left. The ditch fences, dug by farmers to divide their fields and to promote drainage, were much steeper, deeper, and wider during the battle. Union soldiers scrambled across this and other obstacles however they could.

After Union troops crossed the ditch fences, converging Confederate artillery fire stopped them cold. The Federals laid down in the fields in front of you as Union cannons replied in kind. Both sides suffered heavy losses in men, horses, and equipment. When the fire was too hot for the men of one Confederate battery, its commander "wrapped his battle flag around him, walking up and down among his deserted guns" to shame his gunners back into position.

"The trees around our guns were literally torn to pieces and the ground plowed up. I have been several times covered with dirt, and had it knocked in my eyes and mouth." — "Ben," Pee Dee (South Carolina) Artillery, CSA

"Being no breeze to carry away the smoke of our guns, the gunners on firing would quickly run to either flank
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to clear the great volume of smoke hanging in front of their muzzles that they might see where their shells were going." — Pvt. Bates Alexander. 7th Pennsylvania Reserves, USA

(captions)
As the Union troops advanced into this field, terrain slowed them and Southern cannon fire brought them to a halt.

"We blew up one of their caissons," remembered one Union soldier, "causing a cheer to break forth from our lines. But soon thereafter they blew up one of ours." This 1863 image was taken on Marye's Heights, a few miles to the north. - Courtesy National Archives

Just prior to the Union assault, 24-year-old Confederate Major John Pelham advanced one cannon a mile to your left and wrought havoc on the Union lines. Dangerously exposed and outgunned, Pelham disrupted the Union attack for nearly an hour and emerged unscathed. Of Pelham's actions, Gen. Robert E. Lee said, "It is glorious to see such courage in one so young." - Courtesy Library of Congress

Erected 2009 by Civil War Preservation Trust and Virginia Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list.

Location. 38°

American Battlefield Trust replacement marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Benjamin Harrison Allen, December 13, 2020

2. American Battlefield Trust replacement marker

15.753′ N, 77° 26.565′ W. Marker is near Fredericksburg, Virginia, in Spotsylvania County. It can be reached from Tidewater Trail (U.S. 17), on the right when traveling south. Located on the American Battlefield Trust's Slaughter Pen Farm trail. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11232 Tidewater Trail, Fredericksburg VA 22408, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area,

in Northern Virginia,

and in the Piedmont.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Slaughter Pen Farm (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Slaughter Pen Farm (about 600 feet away); Battle of Fredericksburg (about 800 feet away); a different marker also named Battle of Fredericksburg (about 800 feet away); a different marker also named The Slaughter Pen Farm (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Slaughter Pen Farm (approx. 0.2 miles away); Colonial Fort (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Slaughter Pen Farm (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fredericksburg.

Also see . . . The Slaughter Pen Farm. American Battlefield Trust (Submitted on July 26, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

3. Civil War Preservation Trust

Help preservation like the Slaughter Pen Farm.
Click for more information.

Close Up of the Battle Map image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, July 25, 2009

4. Close Up of the Battle Map

The north seeking arrow points to the lower right.

Second Wayside on the Slaughter Pen Farm Trail image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, July 25, 2009

5. Second Wayside on the Slaughter Pen Farm Trail

Looking Southeast Down the Virginia Ditch Fence Today image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, July 25, 2009

6. Looking Southeast Down the Virginia Ditch Fence Today

The Northwest Leg of the Fence image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, July 25, 2009

7. The Northwest Leg of the Fence

This side of the fence appears more a barrier to passage, perhaps due to contrast with the surrounding corn.

Major John Pelham image. Click for full size.

Library of Congress

8. Major John Pelham

Just prior to the Union assault, 24-year-old Confederate Major John Pelham advanced one cannon a mile to your left and wrought havoc on the Union lines. Dangerously exposed and outgunned, Pelham disrupted the Union attack for nearly an hour and emerged unscathed. Of Pelham's actions, Gen. Robert E. Lee said, “It is glorious to see such courage in one so young.”

Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 26, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,811 times since then and 40 times this year. Last updated on January 12, 2023, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on July 26, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on February 23, 2022, by Benjamin Harrison Allen of Amissville, Virginia. 3. submitted on July 26, 2009. 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on July 26, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 8. submitted on September 23, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.