Virginia Town Lives Amid Civil War Memories : Fredericksburg nestles between battlefields, but its atmosphere is more Colonial than antebellum.

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Between 1862 and 1864, four of the Civil War’s bloodiest and most important battles were fought within a few miles of this lovely Colonial town on the Rappahannock River, halfway between the Union and Confederate capitals of Washington and Richmond, barely 100 miles apart.

The horrendous carnage of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House were significant in that they profiled the progress and outcome of the entire war, starting with heroic victories by outmanned Rebel forces, ebbing to stalemates and finally turning into decisive Union triumphs that foreshadowed the final outcome.

Union Gen. George B. McClellan, who had become known as the “Virginia Creeper” for his hesitant tactics, was relieved at Fredericksburg in the fall of ‘62, but the equally tentative moves of his successor were just as disastrous, and Fredericksburg became Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s most one-sided victory.

In the spring of ‘63, Chancellorsville, thanks to a brilliant flanking maneuver by Stonewall Jackson, was another Lee victory. But Jackson, scouting Federal lines about 9 o’clock of a May evening, was hit by fire from his own troops and lost his left arm, causing Lee to say that “Jackson lost his left arm, and I lost my right hand.” Jackson died eight days later. (There’s an exhibit featuring Jackson memorabilia, “Stonewall Jackson Returns to Manassas,” at the Manassas Museum, about 30 miles north of Fredericksburg, through Feb. 28. For information, call 703-368-1873.)

The Wilderness battle in the spring of ’64 ended in a stalemate, but at the village of Spotsylvania a few days later, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant succeeded in flanking Lee, opening a Union route to the lengthy sieges of Richmond and Petersburg, Va. A year later, the South’s cause was lost at Appomattox Court House.

For all its importance during the Civil War, Fredericksburg is still more of an 18th-Century town than antebellum. George Washington’s father had a plantation and iron foundry here, and our first President lived there between the ages of 6 and 16. In 1772, he bought the Mary Washington House for his mother’s retirement, and locals claim that young George threw that dollar across the Rappahannock rather than the Potomac.

Set in forests of live oak, cedars, silver maple, sycamore and beech trees that also engulf its nearby battlefields, the historic district--with more than 350 original 18th- and 19th-Century buildings--seems bypassed by time. Its shaded brick sidewalks run alongside bosky gardens lush with magnolia trees, flowering pears, dogwood, honeysuckle vines and the South’s most beautiful shrub, crape myrtle.

Fredericksburg, a merchant’s town since its founding in 1728 as a tobacco trading center, is still very much a lived-in and livable city. More than 70 antique shops lure collectors from all over the country. The Chimneys Tavern, a marvelous 1772 Georgian house on the main street, still serves a delightful lunch or dinner of regional specialties, and nearby Goolrick’s Pharmacy has an old-fashioned soda fountain that seems a 20th-Century anomaly.

How long/how much? Plan on one full day for the battlefields and at least another for exploring the old town and its historic homes. We found lodging costs very moderate, dining the same.

Getting settled in: The Fredericksburg Colonial Inn is owned by a former antique-store proprietor who closed his shop and furnished much of the inn with his inventory and a variety of Civil War-period artifacts. Bedrooms are furnished in period style, with the two-room suites (four people) a real bargain. Continental breakfasts, the only meal served, are included in the room rate. The historic district is a comfortable walk away.

Kenmore Inn is an 18th-Century home with 14 bedrooms, all furnished in traditional style, some with four-posters and fireplaces. The Kenmore is set right in the historic district, and its dining room (see “Good local dining”), small bar and downstairs pub are local gathering places. The old home has a neoclassic front porch lined with fluted columns and a sunken courtyard for outdoor dining in pleasant weather. Continental breakfasts include juice, melon, cereals, croissants and muffins.

Hampton Inn is a busy but comfortable motel outside of the old town off Interstate 95. It’s a great place for families, with very friendly prices, self-service continental breakfasts and several restaurants within walking distance, including the popular and moderately priced De Vanza next door.

Regional food and drink: Fredericksburg is in the Tidewater region of Virginia, so look forward to plenty of fresh crab, oysters, scallops, shrimp, clams and other seafood from Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic. Few menus lack crab cakes, and the Tidewater version can take its place among the world’s great dishes.

Virginia hams, both the Smithfield type and the more moist and less salty country ham, also deserve a place with the best cured and smoked meat anywhere. Ham is never served as a main dish here; it’s usually cold and sliced playing-card thin inside a hot biscuit with butter. Look for these hams at roadside stands and in the supermarkets; the price (14 pounds, $22) is about half what one would pay in Southern California.

Iced tea is the summertime drink of choice, with oceans of it served at most meals, and Virginia’s wines are steadily gaining ground.

Good local dining: The Virginia Deli (101 William St.) is just the place to pick up a picnic lunch to take to the battlefields. The sandwiches, all in the $3.25 range, are glorious: the Virginian (Virginia ham, Swiss cheese and cole slaw on an onion roll with Russian dressing), the Montpelier (country ham and turkey breast with lettuce and tomato) and 18 other imaginative mixes on 10 kinds of breads and rolls. Decor at the deli consists mainly of a couple of soda coolers, but there are tables to enjoy the superb homemade desserts made by local ladies. Try the hummingbird cake (pineapple, bananas, pecans and spices) or “Emma’s” famous lemon bars. Lafayette (623 Caroline St.), in the old Chimneys Tavern, was named by the French couple who now own it. They have mixed in a few Gallic specialties with solid Virginia fare. Each of the several indoor rooms has a fireplace (very 18th-Century), and there’s a small garden dining area in the rear. Crab cakes go for $12.95, snails in a philo pastry for $7.50. The soups are wonderful, particularly the crab-and-corn that is a house specialty. Or you might start with the house-smoked salmon.

Kenmore Inn (1200 Princess Anne St.) has formal 18th-Century dining rooms with crystal chandeliers, a lovely silver service beside the fireplace and fine Oriental rugs on random-width-wood flooring. Fresh flowers grace all tables, there is candlelight dining in the evening, and the service is very attentive and friendly. We couldn’t pass on the crab cakes ($13.95); the roasted game hen on a bed of sauteed spinach with garlic ($12.95) was also done beautifully. The poached shellfish topped with a brandied Dijon mustard-and-cream sauce looked divine.

Carl’s Frozen Custard (Princess Anne and Hunter streets) is a Fredericksburg institution, where on warm evenings a half-block line waits patiently for dollops of the homemade ice cream.

On your own: Best bet for information on most of the sights is a stop by the Fredericksburg Visitors Center on Caroline Street. There’s a slide program here, plus brochures on the many historic houses, buildings and walking tours of the town.

By no means should you miss a visit to Kenmore, the home of George Washington’s only sister, for its truly magnificent bas-relief ceilings, often called the greatest example of plasterwork in the United States. After the house tour, stop in at the original colonial kitchen behind the house for tea and gingerbread.

Another must is Chatham, known as the Lacy House during the Civil War when it was both headquarters for the Union high command and a field hospital where Clara Barton and Walt Whitman nursed the wounded. When we were there, a “living history” Union private in worn battle garb (he was doing his Ph.D. in history at Penn State) kept adults and children fascinated with his account of how the war was going around Fredericksburg.

Start tours of the battlefields at the Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitors Center outside town. There’s an engaging small museum of uniforms and arms of both sides, a slide presentation every half-hour and walking tours. One may rent two-hour tape cassettes ($2.75) for tours of the battlefields here and at The Wilderness and Spotsylvania. Tapes of the Fredericksburg battle are available at the city visitors center.

Back in town, visit the daily farmers’ market, comb the antique shops for hidden treasures and ask if there are any “encampments” going on at one or more of the historic sites. These displays of Colonial-era life are more colorful than one can imagine, complete with uniforms, women’s costumes, food preparation and family chores.

GUIDEBOOK

Colonial Fredericksburg

Getting there: From Los Angeles, fly USAir, Delta, American or United to Richmond, all with changes, then take Amtrak (six trains daily each way) or rent a car for the one-hour drive on to Fredericksburg. An advance-purchase, round-trip air ticket is about $480. The ride on Amtrak will cost you about $12.

Where to stay: Fredericksburg Colonial Inn (1707 Princess Anne St.; $55 double B&B;, $65 suites); Kenmore Inn (1200 Princess Anne St.; $85-$105 B&B; double); Hampton Inn (2310 William St.; $53 B&B; double).

For more information: Call the Fredericksburg Visitor Center at (800) 678-4748, or write (706 Caroline St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401) for a color brochure on the town and its sights, another on history, plus three more on lodging, dining and upcoming events.