Fredericksburg

City in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, eastern USA, situated on the Rappahannock River, about 88 km/55 mi south of Washington; population (2000) 19,300. Fredericksburg serves an agricultural region and has light manufacturing. During the American Civil War it was the scene of four significant battles 1862–64: Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and the Spotsylvania Courthouse. The battlefields lie west of the city, within the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.

Fredericksburg is known for its association with the Washington family: George Washington lived here as a child, as did a number of members of his family. James Monroe, 5th president of the USA, also lived here.