The "Demon of Destruction"

The "Demon of Destruction" (HM11Q)

Location: Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Buy Virginia State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 38° 18.137', W 77° 27.594'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 867 views
Inscription
Had the demon of destruction held an orgie in the town, had all the imps of hell been called together and turned loose upon the city, it could scarcely have been more blasted, ruined and desecrated than when left by the Yankee army."
—A correspondent of the Charleston Courier, December 16, 1862

It started with shelling from 140 Union guns on the morning of December 11, 1862—two days before the Battle of Fredericksburg. Whizzing shell fragments, tumbling bricks, and raging fires engulfed the town. "Nothing in war can exceed the horror of that hour," wrote one Mississippian. Most civilians fled; those who remained huddled in basements.

Then came Union soldiers?thousands of them. While awaiting orders to attack Marye's Heights, they looted homes and ransacked businesses. By battle's end, one of Virginia's oldest cities was a shambles.

Between the shelling and the looting, few buildings in Fredericksburg escaped damage. These shell-ravaged homes stood at the intersection of Hanover and George Street.

(Caption for picture in lower right) "Our troopstole [or destroyed] everything they could lay their hands on?Beautiful pictures, books, jewelry, ladies dresses, silverware, and all kinds of household furniture. Every house was completely riddled. ?I never felt so much disgusted with the war as I did that day."
—Lt. Tully McCrea, U.S. Artillery, December 1862
Details
HM NumberHM11Q
Tags
Placed ByFredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, National Park Service
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Thursday, October 2nd, 2014 at 12:41am PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18S E 284901 N 4242217
Decimal Degrees38.30228333, -77.45990000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 38° 18.137', W 77° 27.594'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds38° 18' 8.22" N, 77° 27' 35.64" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)540
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 801-899 US-17 BUS, Fredericksburg VA 22401, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. This marker needs at least one picture.
  10. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  11. Is the marker in the median?