The Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the most pivotal battles in the Civil War. It lasted three days on the plains of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania from July 1- July 3, 1863. The Confederates and the Union clashed endlessly and suffered about 7,500 deaths from both sides.
June 30, 1863:
Confederate soldiers headed towards the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania looking for shoes. A soldier saw Union troops walking into the town and stopped the Confederate army from entering. Southern General Henry Heath ststaed that he would go back and get the shoes in the morning.
Confederate soldiers headed towards the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania looking for shoes. A soldier saw Union troops walking into the town and stopped the Confederate army from entering. Southern General Henry Heath ststaed that he would go back and get the shoes in the morning.
July 1, 1863:
Two Confederate divisions went into Gettysburg the next day, presumably to find shoes. They ran into the Union's cavalry at Willoughby Run and began to shoot at each other. Confederate General Robert E. Lee quickly brought 25,000 men to the site to aid the fighting soldiers. The Union only had 20,000 soldiers at the time, which allowed for the Confederates to retreat even though now the north knew of their presence. The Union forces regrouped on the other side of Gettysburg, while Lee ordered Confederate General R.S. Ewell to take his men and attack the North so they could have the higher terrain when the inevitable battle arrived. Ewell hesitated too long to attack and lost his chance, so the Union called in reinforcements. The Northern commander, General George Meade was expecting 100,000 men to arrive and strengthen his army. Another Confederate general, James Longstreet knew the Union was too strong and tried to convince Lee to move to the East and force the Union to attack them. Lee ignored him, even though he didn't have his cavalry with him. The South's cavalry leader Jeb Stuart had left to tease the Union but Lee still decided to attack the North at the bottom of Cemetery Hill, where he thought it would be less guarded.
Two Confederate divisions went into Gettysburg the next day, presumably to find shoes. They ran into the Union's cavalry at Willoughby Run and began to shoot at each other. Confederate General Robert E. Lee quickly brought 25,000 men to the site to aid the fighting soldiers. The Union only had 20,000 soldiers at the time, which allowed for the Confederates to retreat even though now the north knew of their presence. The Union forces regrouped on the other side of Gettysburg, while Lee ordered Confederate General R.S. Ewell to take his men and attack the North so they could have the higher terrain when the inevitable battle arrived. Ewell hesitated too long to attack and lost his chance, so the Union called in reinforcements. The Northern commander, General George Meade was expecting 100,000 men to arrive and strengthen his army. Another Confederate general, James Longstreet knew the Union was too strong and tried to convince Lee to move to the East and force the Union to attack them. Lee ignored him, even though he didn't have his cavalry with him. The South's cavalry leader Jeb Stuart had left to tease the Union but Lee still decided to attack the North at the bottom of Cemetery Hill, where he thought it would be less guarded.
July 2, 1863:
Lee ordered General Longstreet to attack the Union soldiers at 10 am, but it took too long to rally the troops in time so the attack was pushed back to 4 pm. The delay gave the North more time to organize its forces. At 6:30 pm Ewell attacked the Union from Culp's Hill. His attack lasted until about 10:30 pm, then both sides withdrew for their leaders to convene. Meade decided to wait for Lee to attack him, and Lee still thought the South had the upper hand, despite the setbacks of the last two days. He thought that if he launched an attack to the center of the Union's defense lines, it would be a surprise and the area wouldn't be well guarded. Lee decided to use General George Pickett's troops to assault the middle of the Northerners and Ewell was to resume his attack on Culp's Hill again.
Lee ordered General Longstreet to attack the Union soldiers at 10 am, but it took too long to rally the troops in time so the attack was pushed back to 4 pm. The delay gave the North more time to organize its forces. At 6:30 pm Ewell attacked the Union from Culp's Hill. His attack lasted until about 10:30 pm, then both sides withdrew for their leaders to convene. Meade decided to wait for Lee to attack him, and Lee still thought the South had the upper hand, despite the setbacks of the last two days. He thought that if he launched an attack to the center of the Union's defense lines, it would be a surprise and the area wouldn't be well guarded. Lee decided to use General George Pickett's troops to assault the middle of the Northerners and Ewell was to resume his attack on Culp's Hill again.
July 3, 1863:
Lee sent Jeb Stuart's cavalry behind the Union soldiers as a distraction. The plan failed because a 23-year-old George Custer pushed them back. Around 1 pm the South fired 170 cannons at the North's defense line to punch an opening through it. The Union returned fire but stopped retaliating at 2:30 pm to same ammunition. General Longstreet gave the order for the Confederates to charge. The 12,000 Southern soldiers spread into a line more than a mile long and advanced to the Northern lines. The Union fired at them with their cannons and forced them to retreat. Lee rode out to meet the returning soldiers saying "It's all my fault", and "On my shoulders rests the blame".
Lee sent Jeb Stuart's cavalry behind the Union soldiers as a distraction. The plan failed because a 23-year-old George Custer pushed them back. Around 1 pm the South fired 170 cannons at the North's defense line to punch an opening through it. The Union returned fire but stopped retaliating at 2:30 pm to same ammunition. General Longstreet gave the order for the Confederates to charge. The 12,000 Southern soldiers spread into a line more than a mile long and advanced to the Northern lines. The Union fired at them with their cannons and forced them to retreat. Lee rode out to meet the returning soldiers saying "It's all my fault", and "On my shoulders rests the blame".
July 4, 1863:
The bodies of most of the dead Confederate soldiers were piled on wagons and taken back to the South. Lee had to leave most of the bodies so the army could retreat quickly. The Union had suffered heavy casualties, too, and George Meade was too tired to pursue the retreating Confederates. President Abraham Lincoln wrote him an angry letter in response to his lack of pursuit, stating that he had "missed a golden opportunity to end the war".
The bodies of most of the dead Confederate soldiers were piled on wagons and taken back to the South. Lee had to leave most of the bodies so the army could retreat quickly. The Union had suffered heavy casualties, too, and George Meade was too tired to pursue the retreating Confederates. President Abraham Lincoln wrote him an angry letter in response to his lack of pursuit, stating that he had "missed a golden opportunity to end the war".
The Battle of Gettysburg turned the tide of the Civil War permanently in favor of the North, and destroyed all hope of victory for the South. America fought with itself during the Civil War foolishly, and the war was w aste of lives, ammunition, and money.