Mud March

The Mud March marker stands along Warrenton Road near Fredericksburg and identifies the location of a failed Union Army offensive during winter 1863. The landscape is relatively flat with open fields, where thousands of soldiers once struggled against heavy rain that turned the ground into impassable mud.

The campaign began in January 1863 under General Ambrose Burnside, aiming to cross the Rappahannock River and attack Confederate forces under General Robert Lee. Heavy rains forced the Union Army to retreat within days, before troops could engage the enemy.

The marker represents a notable example of Civil War interpretation sites maintained by the Department of Historic Resources in Virginia.

The marker stands at 29 Banks Ford Parkway, where visitors can easily locate it. Several other historical markers are nearby and worth exploring to understand the campaign better.

Confederate soldiers left mocking signs across the battlefield during the failed campaign, including messages like 'Burnside Stuck in the Mud.' These taunts revealed both the humor and confidence of troops watching the Union Army struggle.