Illustrated with wartime photographs and drawings of the locale of the Battle of Fredericksburg, together with battle maps which simplify the task of visualizing the terrain and the successive movements and battle actions of the contestants.

The rise and fall of George B. McClellan -- The Virginia theatre of operations -- Lincoln tries another general -- Strategy of the Fredericksburg campaign -- The case of the missing pontoons -- Agonizing interlude -- The curtain rises slowly -- Confederate countermeasures -- Over the river : at last! -- Federal failure on south flank -- Slaughter at the Stone Wall -- The depressing aftermath of battle -- Burnside's last effort -- The disintegration of a general -- An appraisal of Fredericksburg.