Near Fredericksburg in Stafford County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Between Battles
Photographed By Kevin W., January 5, 2008
1. Between Battles Marker
Inscription.
Between Battles. . As the spring of 1863 brought green to the countryside and fish up the river, the legions of civil strife faced each other cheerfully across the Rappahannock. After the slaughter of Fredericksburg, the embattled brothers held off death for the time. No cannon roared. No picket fired. Instead, fishing parties on either bank shouted caustic jokes, and rival bands sent plaintive melodies back and forth. During favorable winds, the doughboys traded souvenirs by means of toy sailboats improvised from scrap lumber and torn bits of old shirts. The tides of the Rappahannock ran free of blood; each soft day seemed to dawn beyond the reality of war. Then Joe Hooker, the new Union commander, took his army upstream and across to defeat at Chancellorsville, after which, again on their sides of the dividing river, the foeman tensely awaited a further move. Lee made that one, and the result was Gettysburg.
As the spring of 1863 brought green to the countryside and fish up the river, the legions of civil strife faced each other cheerfully across the Rappahannock. After the slaughter of Fredericksburg, the embattled brothers held off death for the time. No cannon roared. No picket fired. Instead, fishing parties on either bank shouted caustic jokes, and rival bands sent plaintive melodies back and forth. During favorable winds, the doughboys traded souvenirs by means of toy sailboats improvised from scrap lumber and torn bits of old shirts. The tides of the Rappahannock ran free of blood; each soft day seemed to dawn beyond the reality of war. Then Joe Hooker, the new Union commander, took his army upstream and across to defeat at Chancellorsville, after which, again on their sides of the dividing river, the foeman tensely awaited a further move. Lee made that one, and the result was Gettysburg.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1863.
Location. 38° 18.493′ N, 77° 27.379′ W. Marker is near Fredericksburg, Virginia, in Stafford County. Marker can be reached from Chatham Lane. Marker is located
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at Chatham Manor, part of the Fredericksburg National Military Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 120 Chatham Ln, Fredericksburg VA 22405, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 14, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,311 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on January 14, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.
