Slaughter Pen speech

Speech read by Frank O’Reilly, a historian with the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, while conducting a walking tour of Slaughter Pen, a crucial component of the December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg.

Date published: 10/16/2006

This field is farming ground.

This field is battleground.

This field is hallowed.

This land was made fruitful by the sweat and toil of man.

This land also became the altar forthe of man.

On Dec. 13, 1862, this field became the frontline of the entire Civil War.

Union and Confederate soldiers paired off across this land at the mid-point between the opposing capitols of Washington and Richmond. This was the only point where the Union army had a legitimate chance at victory.

Union artillery set up here and pummeled the hills before you; and 8,000 Union soldiers rolled across this farm field and into those trees.

The Union army reached theConfederate line--and broke through.

But they met with General Stonewall Jackson, who contained the breakthrough and forced the Union troops back.

Confederates emerged from the trees ahead, and some surged into the field to capture the Union cannon.

They were stopped dead by a devastating fire, which forced them to leave this open field as well.

Five men earned the Medal of Honor on this field.

Over 9,000 men ended up killed, wounded or missing on this end of the battlefield--up toward half of them in this open field.

This is where the battle of Fredericksburg was won and lost on Dec. 13,1862. Once the Union lost here, there was nothing it could do to alter the outcome of the battle.

The aftermath was stirring and appalling. Both victors and vanquished were moved to pathos by this field.

Gen. Robert E. Lee was particularly struck by the remarkable contrast between the morning and the afternoon: All the pomp and circumstance of neatly aligned units, marching with precision, shoulder to shoulder, following colorful flags and banners--only to be replaced by broken clumps of disorganized survivors who limped back amid a field of death, destruction and mayhem.

He whispered to his chief lieutenant with emotion: "It is well that war is so terrible, or we would grow too fond of it."

A veteran of the area battlefields returned many years later, and met with the men he had once fought against.

He spoke of this entire area when he said: "This spot should be consecrated ground. No other has drunk so deeply of brave men's blood. The individual acts of valor and heroism performed here can never be known or properly told.

While revering the memory of our brave comrades who so gallantly fought through this unparalleled conflict of arms, I cannot but feel my heart stirred with a thrill of soldierly pride and admiration for the brave men on the other side [as well]."

This ground was nurtured by the labor of man, and it was consecrated by the valor of man--and saved by the dedication of man.

--Frank O'Reilly, a historian with the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park

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Date published: 10/16/2006