Gettysburg An Overview Essay, Research Paper
This most famous and most important Civil War Battle occurred over three hot summer days, July
1 to July 3, 1863,
around the small market town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It began as a skirmish but by the time
it ended, it
involved 160,00 Americans.
Before the battle, major cities in the North such as Philadelphia, Baltimore and even Washington
itself, were under
threat of attack from General Robert E. Lee s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia which had
crossed the
Potomac River and marched into Pennsylvania.
the Union Army of the Potomac under its new and untried commander, General George G.
Meade, marched to
intercept Lee.
On Tuesday morning, June 30, an infantry brigade of Confederate soldiers searching for shoes
headed toward
Gettysburg (population about 2,400). The Confederate commander looked through his field
glasses and spotted a
long column of Federal cavalry heading toward the town. He withdrew his brigade and informed
his superior, Hen.
Henry Heth, who in turn told his superior, A.P. Hill, he would go back the following morning
and get those shoes .
This kinda of tells you how much of an advantage the North had over the South. Desperate
bare-footed men risked
their lives for shoes.
Wednesday, July 1, two divisions of Confederates headed back to Gettysburg. They ran into
Federal cavalry west of
the town at Willoughby Run (I have Willoughby Run on my model here) and the skirmish began.
Events quickly
escalated. Lee rushed 25,000 men to the scene while the Union had less than 20,000.
After much fierce fighting and heavy casualties on both sides, the Federals were pushed back
through the town of
Gettysburg and regrouped south of the town along the high ground near the cemetery (which is
here on my map).
Lee ordered Confederate General R.S. Ewell to seize the high ground from the battle tired
Federals . Gen. Ewell
hesitated to attack thereby giving the Union troops a chance to dig in along Cemetery Ridge and
bring in
reinforcements with artillery. By the time Lee realized Ewell had not attacked, it was too late to
attempt the attack.
Meade arrived at the area and thought it was an ideal place to do battle with the Rebel army. He
expected a massive
number of Union soldiers totaling up to 100,000to arrive and strengthen his defensive position.
Confederate General James Lonstreet saw the Union position as nearly impenetrable and told Lee
it should be left
alone. He argued that the Confederate Army should instead move east between the Union Army
and Washington and
build a defensive position thus forcing the Federals to attack them instead. But Lee believed his
army was invincible
and he also didn t have his cavalry which served as his eyes and ears. With his cavalry he could
track the Unions
troop movements. Cavalry leader Jev Stuart had gone off with his troops to harass the Federals
leaving Lee with a
disadvantage.
Lee decided to attack the Union Army s defensive position at the southern end of Cemetery Ridge
which he thought
was less defended.
Around 10 a.m. the next morning, Thursday, July 2, Gen. Lonstreet was ordered by Lee to attack.
but Lonstreet was
quite slow in getting his troops into position and didn t even attack them until 4 p.m. that
afternoon. This gave the
Union Army more time to strengthen their position.
When Longstreet attacked, some of the most bitter fighting of the Civil War erupted at places
now part of American
military folklore such as Little Round Top, Devil s Den, the Wheat Field and the Peach Orchard
(which can all be
seen on my model). Longstreet took the Peach Orchard but was driven back at Little Round Top.
About 6:30 p.m. Gen. Ewell attacked the Union Line from the north and east at Cemetery Hill
and Culp s Hill (which
can be seen on my model also). The attack lasted into darkness but was finally decided
unsuccessful at Cemetery
Hill, although Rebels seized some trenches on Culp s Hill.
By about 10:30 p.m., the day s fighting came to and end. The Federals had
during the Rebel
onslaught but still held the strong defensive position along Cemetery Ridge. Both sides
regrouped and counted their
causalities.
Generals from each side gathered in war councils to plan for the coming day. Union commander
Meade decided his
army would remain in place and wait for Lee to attack. On the Confederate side, Longstreet once
again tried to talk
Lee out of attacking such a strong position. But lee thought the beaten up Union soldiers were
nearly done and fall
under one last push.
As dawn broke on Friday, July 3, about 4:30 a.m., Lee s timetable was undermined as Union
cannons pounded the
Rebels on Culp s Hill to drive them from the trenches. The Rebels did not withdraw, but instead
attacked the
Federals around 8 a.m. Thus began a vicious three hour struggle with the Rebels constantly
charging up the hill only
to be repelled back. The Federals finally counter attacked and drove the Rebels off the hill and
east across the Rock
Creek. Around 11 a.m. the fighting on Culp s Hill stopped. Then an eerie quiet settled over the
battlefield.
And again, Lee encountered arguments about his battle plan from Longstreet. Lee estimated
about 15,000 men
would participate in the Rebel charge on Cemetery Ridge. Longstreet responded, It is my
opinion that no 15,000
men ever arrayed for battle can take that position. . But of course Lee did it his way.
Throughout the morning and into the afternoon there was a 90 degree temperature and high
humidity. Through this
the Rebels moved into position in the woods opposite Cemetery Ridge for the coming charge.
Interestingly, some
Union troops were moved away from Cemetery Ridge on Mead s orders because he thought Lee
would attack again
in the south. Several hours before, Mead had correctly predicted Lee would attack the center, but
now thought
otherwise. He left only 5,750 infantry men stretched out along the half-mile front to initially face
a 13,000 man Rebel
charge.
Lee sent Jeb Stuart s recently returned cavalry to go behind the Union position in order to divert
Federal forces from
the main battle area. Around noon, Union and Confederate cavalry troops battled three miles east
of Gettysburg but
Stuart was eventually repulsed by cannon fire led in part by Gen. George Custer and the Union
Cavalry. The
diversion attempt failed.
Back at the main battle site, just after 1 p.m. about 170 Confederate cannons opened fire on the
Union position on
Cemetery Ridge to pave the way for the Rebel Charge. This was the heaviest artillery barrage of
the war. The
Federals returned heavy cannon fire and soon the battlefield was covered in smoke and dust.
Around 2:30 p.m. the
Federals slowed their rate of fire, then stopped firing, to conserve ammunition and to fool he
Rebels into thinking the
cannons were knocked out-and thats exactly what the Rebels thought too.
But as the Rebels got within range, Federal cannons opened fire using grapeshot which is a shell
containing iron balls
that flew apart when fired, and they also used deadly waves of rifle fire. Soon the Rebel army was
torn apart but they
still moved forward.
Pickett s charge was almost more after the once majestic army of 13,000 had its numbers of
troops dwindle.. The
Rebels still move forward, shooting then charging with bayonets. The battle lasted for about and
hour mostly of
hand-to-hand combat. Finally what was left of Pickett s charge (5,500) retreated .
Lee admitted this was his mistake and the tide of war now turned in the North s favor. The Union
lost about 23,000, and the Confederates lost about 28,000.
That night and into the next day, Saturday, July4, Confederate wounded were loaded on wagons
that began the trop
back toward the South. Lee was forced to take his army and retreat back to Virginia. Union
commander Meade, out
of fatigue and caution , did not immediately pursue Lee, infuriating President Lincoln who wrote a
bitter letter to
Meade (pass out). Lincoln said he missed a golden opportunity to end the war right there.