Burnside changed the whole plan of the campaign and decided to move on Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock River. His army moved forward in three divisions, under Sumner, Hooker and Franklin. They were delayed several days in crossing the river, due to the failure of the arrival of the pontoon bridges. A council of war was held on the night of December 10th, in which the officers were opposed to the plan of battle, but Burnside was determined to carry out his original plan immediately. After two days of skirmishing with the Confederate sharpshooters he succeeded in getting his army across the river on the morning of December 13th. General Lee had by this time entrenched his army on the hills surrounding Fredericksburg. His line stretched for five miles along the range of hills, surrounding the town on all sides save the east, where the river flows. The strongest position of the Confederates was on Marye's Heights, in the rear of the town. Along the foot of this hill was a stone wall about four feet high, bounding the eastern side of the Telegraph road, being depressed a few feet below the surface of the stone wall, and thus it formed a breastwork for the Confederate troops. Behind this wall a strong Confederate force was concealed, while higher up the hill in several ranks the main army was posted. The right wing of the Confederate army, consisting of about 30,000 men, commanded by "Stonewall" Jackson, was posted on an elevation near Hamilton's crossing of the Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad. The left wing was posted on Marye's Heights, and was commanded by the redoubtable Longstreet. The Southern forces numbered about 75,000 men. The town proper and the adjoining valleys had been occupied for two days by the Federal troops, marching to and fro and making ready for a decisive conflict, which required no prophet to foretell was near at hand. Franklin's division of 40,000 men was strengthened by a part of Hooker's division and was ordered to make the first attack on the Confederate right, under Jackson. Sumner's division was also reënforced from Hooker's division and was formed for an assault against the Confederates, posted on Marye's Heights. From the position taken by the Confederate forces their cannons and field artillery poured shot and shell into the town of Fredericksburg. Every house became a target, though deserted except by a few venturesome riflemen. There was scarcely a house that escaped. Ruined, battered and bloody Fredericksburg three times was a Federal hospital and its back yards became little cemeteries. All this magnificent battle formation had been effected under cover of a dense fog, and when it lifted on that fateful Saturday there was revealed a scene of truly military grandeur. Concealed by the curtain of nature, the Southern army had entrenched itself most advantageously upon the hills, and the Union force massed in strength below, lay within cannon shot of their foe. The Union army totaled 113,000 men.