Fredericksburg due to illness from December 1864 until February 1865. Lieutenant Francis E. Shepperd commanded her for a time during December 1864, and from January 14 through 25, 1865. By the beginning of 1865, the situation was becoming bleaker for the Confederates due to several military defeats, and it was decided to risk an attack against the Union fleet on the James in hopes of breaking the blockade on the river and destroying the depot at City Point. The Union obstructions at Trent's Reach had been damaged by high water, and part of the Union fleet had been transferred to North Carolina for operations against Fort Fisher. On the night of January 23/24, the Confederate fleet, composed of Fredericksburg, Richmond, Virginia II, Hampton, Drewry, Nansemond, the gunboats and , and the torpedo boats , , and moved downriver towards Trent's Reach. Fredericksburg was in the lead as she had the lightest draft. The ships successfully passed Fort Brady in the darkness, but Torpedo ran aground not long after and had to be abandoned. Fredericksburg was able to cross the Union obstructions at Trent's Reach at about 01:30 on January 24, but suffered hull damage during the process. The damage caused the ship to spring a leak. While Hampton also passed the obstructions, none of the other Confederate ironclads could. Virginia II ran aground, and the Confederates decided not to push further that night and recalled Fredericksburg and Hampton back across the obstructions. Drewry also became grounded and was abandoned; Union fire sank her later in the morning and the resulting explosion pushed Scorpion towards Union lines, where she was captured. Fredericksburg withdrew to Battery Dantzler. Union vessels arrived during the morning and reached the obstructions, firing on the now-freed Virginia II, and Richmond who were still in the process of moving upriver towards the battery. The two Confederate ironclads were able to reach the safety of Battery Dantzler, which provided fire support, striking the gunboat USS Massasoit. Union forces also brought up a Drummond light so that the river could be illuminated during nighttime. While the Confederates considered another attempt through the obstructions that night, it was decided not to risk a movement, and the surviving vessels of Mitchell's squadron withdrew to Chaffin's Bluff. In addition to the hull damage from crossing the obstructions, Fredericksburg also lost an anchor during the affair. Shortly after the battle at Trent's Reach, Mitchell