Fredericksburg, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Big Gun at Howison Hill
The Battle of Fredericksburg
— Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park —
Two weeks of Union delay before the Battle of Fredericksburg gave the Confederates time to bring up large cannons rarely seen on other battlefields in Virginia. The sturdy gun emplacements above you protected a huge siege gun, capable of firing a 30-pound shell nearly two miles. Ten men operated the cannon; typically, a gun like this would fire a round every five minutes.
As they awaited battle, Confederate cannoneers cut down trees and carefully calculated the range to likely areas of Union attack. When the fighting started on December 13, 1862, the Confederate guns here on Howison Hill fired rhythmically on Union columns in front of Marye's Heights. The crossfire from Howison Hill added horror to an already impossible Union task.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1877.
Location. 38° 16.73′ N, 77° 28.428′ W. Marker is in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Marker is at the intersection of Lee Drive and Lloyd Lane, on the right when traveling south on Lee Drive. Located at the Howison Hill pull-off, stop four of the driving tour of the Fredericksburg Battlefield. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 302 Lee Dr, Fredericksburg VA 22401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Confederate Artillery Defense (within shouting distance of this marker); Braehead (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lee’s Hill (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Pioneers (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Second Battle of Fredericksburg (approx. 0.4 miles away); Artillery on Lee's Hill (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lee's Hill, the commander's lookout (approx. 0.4 miles away); Near Disaster (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fredericksburg.
More about this marker. The background of the marker is a 1930s view of landscapes from Howison Hill, with fields of fire overlayed.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 11, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 5, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,958 times since then and 15 times this year. Last updated on April 8, 2023, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on August 19, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. 2. submitted on May 10, 2023, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 3, 4. submitted on July 5, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.