original_query: What were the preparations made by Burnside for the new offensive?
query: What were the preparations made by General Burnside for the Mud March offensive?
answer: Burnside's preparations for the Mud March involved feints at the fords upstream of Fredericksburg to distract the Confederates while the main force crossed the Rappahannock River seven miles south of town.  He also planned a large-scale cavalry operation to move around Richmond and reach Suffolk before returning by ship.  This involved detailing 1500 troopers, with 500 creating a feint towards Warrenton-Culpeper.