Sick and wounded soldiers from the Battle of the Wilderness and the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse were brought to Fredericksburg and Belle Plain to be treated in preparations for transportation to hospitals in the North. The seriously wounded soldiers were brought into Fredericksburg by wagons or ambulances from field hospitals. Some of the less seriously wounded were transported straight from the field hospitals to Belle Plain where they boarded steamships to take them north. As soon as possible, the soldiers were moved from the field hospitals to the permanent hospitals in Washington D.C.

The wounded soldiers began to arrive in Fredericksburg after the Battle of the Wilderness, which ended on May 7, 1864. The first wagon train of wounded arrived in the city on May 9, and they kept coming as the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House waged for almost two weeks. It is hard to say how long individual wounded were in Fredericksburg. The general rule is that they were transported out as soon as they were healthy enough to make the trip or when boats or trains became available. On May 27, 1864, orders were given to evacuate Fredericksburg. Within the next two days, all wounded soldiers and Union officials had left Fredericksburg to go to Port Royal.

The roads from Fredericksburg to Belle Plain were muddy and rough, and the military had no time to worry about repairing them. Transporting the soldiers by road also left them vulnerable to guerrilla attacks. It was clear to Union officials and relief workers that a safer means of transportation was needed. On May 20, 1864, the Rappahannock River was rendered passable by gun-boats. This allowed the workers to begin transporting soldiers up the river on steamboats. The steamers Connecticut and State of Maine were commonly used to transport the soldiers. Some soldiers travelled directly from Fredericksburg to Washington D.C. by boat, never stopping in Belle Plain. The railroad to Aquia Creek was completed on May 22, which provided another way from the soldiers to be transported. The trains were platform cars with no railings or cover. The use of trains to transport the wounded sped up the evacuation process.

Sources:

"Report of Thomas G. Mackenzie," O.R. Vol. 36, Pt. 1, p. 272-274. Transcribed by John Hennessy. Read it here.

"Report of Thomas McParlin," O.R. Vol. 36, p. 210-241. Transcribed by John Hennessy. Read Part 1. Read Part 2. Read Part 3.