Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, Dec. 11.

Click👉Today in History, Dec. 11.

ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY Dec. 11.

1861: A great fire burns a large swath of Charleston, S.C. on this day. The fire was fueled by high winds. General Robert E. Lee was staying in Charleston at that time at the Mills House Hotel. He helped others evacuate and then he went to the Edmonston-Alston House on East Battery. The fire roared on until the next day when it burned itself out. The conflagration consumed 540 acres, 575 homes, as well as many businesses and five churches. Damages were estimated at between $5 million and $8 million.

Gen. Lee was staying in Charleston

at the time of the great fire.

(Cdv, M.D. Jones Collection)

1862: The First Day of the Battle of Fredicksburg, Va. saw urban warfare in the town itself when Federals crossed the river on pontoon bridges and were met with blistering fire from Confederate artillery and infantry primarily from Brig. Gen. William Barksdale Brigade, fighting house to house. The Confederate's main line of defense was as little beyond the town on Marys Heights. The fighting continued until nightfall and the Yankees' crossing wasn't completed until the next day.

 

Pvt. Austin A. Trescott, Co. A, 21st Miss. Inf.

Holding the regimental battle flag. the 21st was

in Barksdale Brigade. (Liljenquist Collection, Library of Congress)

1863:  In the Mississippi River, the Federal Navy ironclad USS Carondelet became stuck on a sand bar and was fired upon by Confederate artillery. However, the heavier fire from the gunboat drove off the Confederate guns.

CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, DEC. 11

NONE.