Gettysburg
In early June of 1863, General Robert E. Lee and his troops cut across northern Maryland into the southern part of Pennsylvania. His forces had gathered west of a small town called Gettysburg. Lee was unaware that Union soldiers were encamped closer to town, and since Lee's cavalry chief "Jeb" Stuart was not performing his duties and starting his own raiding party, he suffered from lack of enemy information for three days. Another Confederate raiding party went to Gettysburg for boots and other supplies. There, Lee ran into Union General George G. Meade's cavalry, triggering the battle of Gettysburg.
July 1,1863, the first day of the battle between the Confederate raiding party and the Union forces. The larger Confederate forces began to push the Union troops back through Gettysburg. The Union soldiers regrouped along the high ground of Cemetery Ridge and Culp's Hill. General Lee wanted to prevent the Union forces from entrenching themselves, therefore he ordered General Ewell to attack immediately yet, Ewell hesitated and thereby gave the Federals plenty of time to establish an excellent defensive position. Confederate General James Longstreet thought that the Union position was nearly impossible to overrun, so instead of attacking, he felt that the Confederate Army should move east to wait for the Union forces to attack them.
On July 2, 1863, Lee ordered an attack on the left side of the Union line. Lee knew that he could win the battle if his troops captured Little Round Top from the Union force. Having that hill would make it easier for Lee's troops to fire down on the line of Union forces. Union forces and Confederate troops fought viciously for control of Little Round Top. The fighting was particularly fierce on the south side of the hill, where the 20th Maine led by Colonel Joshua Chamberlain battled the 15th Alabama led by Colonel William Oates. When describing the battle later on, Oates said, "The blood stood in puddles in some places in the rocks." Eventually the Union was able to force the Confederates to pull back from Little Round Top. Then the Confederates attacked Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill, lasting until night fall. The assault on Cemetery Hill was unsuccessful, yet the Confederates were able to take a few trenches from Culp's Hill.
The most important day of the battle of Gettysburg is the third and final day. On the last day of the battle, Longstreet once again tried to persuade Lee into not attacking, yet Lee thought that the Union forces were severely battered and ready to break. Because of this, he planned to attack the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. Lee felt that it would be unexpected. Indeed, General Meade left only 5,750 troops to defend the center. For over an hour, the Confederates shelled Cemetery Ridge with cannon fire. For a while, the Union cannons fired back,yet later they began to slack off. The Confederates had assumed that they had seriously damaged the Union artillery, yet in reality, the Confederates barrage did very little damage. The task of charging the Union center fell to three divisions of Confederate soldiers. General George Pickett commanded the largest unit. In the late afternoon, nearly 15,000 men took part in Pickett's Charge. For one mile, the Confederates marched slowly up toward Cemetery Ridge, yet the were showered with cannon and rifle fire, suffering severe losses.
July 1,1863, the first day of the battle between the Confederate raiding party and the Union forces. The larger Confederate forces began to push the Union troops back through Gettysburg. The Union soldiers regrouped along the high ground of Cemetery Ridge and Culp's Hill. General Lee wanted to prevent the Union forces from entrenching themselves, therefore he ordered General Ewell to attack immediately yet, Ewell hesitated and thereby gave the Federals plenty of time to establish an excellent defensive position. Confederate General James Longstreet thought that the Union position was nearly impossible to overrun, so instead of attacking, he felt that the Confederate Army should move east to wait for the Union forces to attack them.
On July 2, 1863, Lee ordered an attack on the left side of the Union line. Lee knew that he could win the battle if his troops captured Little Round Top from the Union force. Having that hill would make it easier for Lee's troops to fire down on the line of Union forces. Union forces and Confederate troops fought viciously for control of Little Round Top. The fighting was particularly fierce on the south side of the hill, where the 20th Maine led by Colonel Joshua Chamberlain battled the 15th Alabama led by Colonel William Oates. When describing the battle later on, Oates said, "The blood stood in puddles in some places in the rocks." Eventually the Union was able to force the Confederates to pull back from Little Round Top. Then the Confederates attacked Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill, lasting until night fall. The assault on Cemetery Hill was unsuccessful, yet the Confederates were able to take a few trenches from Culp's Hill.
The most important day of the battle of Gettysburg is the third and final day. On the last day of the battle, Longstreet once again tried to persuade Lee into not attacking, yet Lee thought that the Union forces were severely battered and ready to break. Because of this, he planned to attack the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. Lee felt that it would be unexpected. Indeed, General Meade left only 5,750 troops to defend the center. For over an hour, the Confederates shelled Cemetery Ridge with cannon fire. For a while, the Union cannons fired back,yet later they began to slack off. The Confederates had assumed that they had seriously damaged the Union artillery, yet in reality, the Confederates barrage did very little damage. The task of charging the Union center fell to three divisions of Confederate soldiers. General George Pickett commanded the largest unit. In the late afternoon, nearly 15,000 men took part in Pickett's Charge. For one mile, the Confederates marched slowly up toward Cemetery Ridge, yet the were showered with cannon and rifle fire, suffering severe losses.
Websites to learn more about the Battle of Gettysburg
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg.html
http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-gettysburg
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg.html
http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-gettysburg