Fredericksburg
Before the war of Fredericksburg Union Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside took command of the Army of the Potomac and had a plan to move directly toward Richmond, Virginia. On November 14th the Union occupied Falmouth, a town on the opposite side of the river from Fredericksburg. General Robert E. Lee entrenched his army in the heights of Fredericksburg after seeing the Union army. The Union was delayed to cross the river because they needed pontoon bridges.