These trenches are part of the remaining confederate trench lines at the Fredericksburg battlefield. This stretch was held by General Stonewall Jackson. The Yankees broke through at a point just west of here, but did not succeed for long. The wintry landscape would have looked similar to this when the battle was fought in December 1862, though I think there was some snow on the ground then. The battle was a profound loss for the Union. And so, the Civil War ground on.