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General Description: This parcel consists of 5.5 acres of easement and includes the sole surviving examples of Confederate river defenses erected along the Rappahannock River during the 1862 Fredericksburg Campaign. The Massaponax Corporation and the heirs of Charles Ruffin donated the easement to the CWPT in 1994. Civil War History: General Robert E. Lee arrived in Fredericksburg in November 1862 with the Army of Northern Virginia. To prevent the incursion of Union gunboats up the Rappahannock River, Lee asked his aide, T.M.R. Talcott, to examine the river for possible points on which artillery could be placed. Talcott recommended a site on the right bank, approximately four miles below Fredericksburg, where the river bent gently east. After General John B. Hood's troops constructed the gun emplacements on the brow of the bluff, they became collectively known as Fort Hood. On November 25th, William H. Pendleton, the Army of Northern Virginia's Chief of Artillery, ordered Captain H.M. Ross's battery to man the works with his four "long range" rifles. Men of "Tige" Anderson's Georgia brigade also picketed the fort. On December 11, Union troops crossed the Rappahannock River two miles above Fort Hood. As a result, the next day Pendleton ordered Ross's battery to abandon the fort and occupy a new position near Lee's Hill.
A day later, on December 13, General Abner Doubleday's division advanced downriver to protect the flank of George Meade's division. Meade's Pennsylvanians had been selected to assault the Confederate position on the wooded ridge beyond the railroad. Meade found Confederate troops occupying a pine forest south of him, and ordered Union guns on both sides of the river to shell the woods. Solomon Merideth's Iron Brigade then advanced to seize the woodlot. Meredith's attack swiftly approached in three lines: the 24th Michigan and 7th Wisconsin comprised the front line, the 19th Indiana and 2nd Wisconsin the second, and the 6th Wisconsin the third. Confederate pickets, perhaps belonging to the 9th Georgia, offered minimal resistance. The Midwesterners incurred few losses capturing the thicket and Fort Hood. Doubleday described the capture as "masked batteries for eight guns, arranged to sweep the river for a long distance." A couple of days later, the Federals restreated back across the Rappahannock and the Confederates once again picketed the river. The Property: The 5.5 acre easement that comprises Fort Hood contains the only remaining Confederate river defenses erected during the 1862 Fredericksburg Campaign. The terrain is mostly wooded and contains two extremely steep hills. A small stream separates the CWPT property from the county property. The site rests adjacent to a public area, Cosner Park, and a planned living community. Instructions: The 5.5 acre easement donated to the CWPT is open to the public. Interpretive facilities are currently not in place. Please walk carefully and respect our neighbors' property. Due to two steep climbs and descents, and the small stream crossing, a good pair of hiking boots is highly recommended. Fort Hood is located in the wooded area to the left of the Community Center at Cosner Park. Walk carefully down the only dirt trail along the river's edge, cross the stream, and walk up the second steep hill. The gun pits will be directly in front of you. Please remember to leave the earthworks indisturbed. Questions or special requests should be directed to the Education Department at the CWPT. Take Route 2 South (Business 17) from Fredericksburg and continue for approximately 4 miles. Shortly after passing a General Motors powertrain plant on your right, a Fort Hood State Historical Marker will appear on the right side. Take the second left onto Hugh Cosner Drive. Continue on this road until you enter Cosner Park. Park in the lot in front of the Community Center. Click here to get a map or driving directions. Be sure and put Hugh Cosner Drive, Fredericksburg, Virginia as your destination point. For a print friendly brochure, please click here.
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