Encyclopedia, Difference between revisions of "Battle of Gettysburg" - New World

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== Aftermath ==
 
== Aftermath ==
 
[[Image:Gettysburg Campaign Retreat.png|thumb|350px|Gettysburg Campaign (July 5 – July 14).]]
 
[[Image:Gettysburg Campaign Retreat.png|thumb|350px|Gettysburg Campaign (July 5 – July 14).]]
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The armies stared at one another across the bloody fields on July 4, the same day that the [[Battle of Vicksburg|Vicksburg]] garrison surrendered to Maj. Gen. [[Ulysses S. Grant]]. Lee reformed his lines into a defensive position, hoping that Meade would attack. The cautious Union commander, however, decided against the risk, a decision for which he would later be criticized. He did order a series of small probing actions, including sending the U.S. Regulars over a mile towards the right of the Confederate lines, but they withdrew under artillery fire and Meade decided not to press an attack. A series of sharp exchanges between the opposing skirmish lines merely added more names to the casualty lists. By mid-afternoon, the firing at Gettysburg had essentially stopped and both armies began to collect their remaining wounded and bury some of the dead. A proposal by Lee for a prisoner exchange was rejected by Meade.<ref>Eicher, p. 550. Coddington, pp. 539-44. Clark, pp. 146-47. Wert, p. 300.</ref>
+
July 4, the same day that the [[Battle of Vicksburg|Vicksburg]] garrison surrendered to Maj. Gen. [[Ulysses S. Grant]],Lee reformed lines into a defensive position, hoping Meade would attack.  
 +
Meade ordered series of small probing actions, sending U.S. Regulars towards the Confederate lines, they withdrew under artillery fire Meade decided not to press attack. By mid-afternoon, firing had stopped, both armies began collecting remaining wounded and bury the dead. Proposal by Lee for prisoner exchange was rejected by Meade.<ref>Eicher, p. 550. Coddington, pp. 539-44. Clark, pp. 146-47. Wert, p. 300.</ref>
  
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On July 5, in a driving rain, the bulk of the Army of Northern Virginia left Gettysburg on the Hagerstown Road; the Battle of Gettysburg was over, and the Confederates headed back to Virginia. Meade's army followed, although the pursuit was half-spirited at best. The recently rain-swollen Potomac trapped Lee's army on the north bank of the river, but by the time the Federals caught up, the Confederates were ready to cross back to Virginia. The rear-guard action at Falling Waters on July 14 ended the Gettysburg Campaign and added some more names to the long casualty lists, including General Pettigrew, mortally wounded.<ref>Clark, pp. 147-57. Longacre, pp. 268-69.</ref>
+
July 5, in driving rain, bulk of Army of Northern Virginia left; the Battle of Gettysburg over, the Confederates headed back to Virginia. Meade's army followed. Recently rain-swollen Potomac trapped Lee's army on north bank of the river, by the time Federals caught up,Confederates crossed into Virginia. Rear-guard action at Falling Waters on July 14 ended Gettysburg Campaign added more names to the casualty lists, including General Pettigrew.<ref>Clark, pp. 147-57. Longacre, pp. 268-69.</ref>
  
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Throughout the campaign, General Lee seemed to have entertained the belief that his men were invincible; most of Lee's experiences with the army had convinced him of this, including the great victory at Chancellorsville in early May and the rout of the Federals at Gettysburg on July 1.<ref>Trudeau, p. 530.</ref> To the detrimental effects of this blind faith were added the fact that the Army of Northern Virginia had many new and inexperienced commanders. (Neither Hill nor Ewell, for instance, though capable division commanders, had commanded a corps before.) Also, Lee's habit of giving generalized orders and leaving it up to his lieutenants to work out the details contributed to his defeat. Although this method may have worked with Stonewall Jackson, it proved inadequate when dealing with corps commanders unused to Lee's loose style of command. Lastly, after July 1, the Confederates were simply not able to coordinate their attacks. Lee faced a new and very dangerous opponent in George Meade, and the Army of the Potomac stood to the task and fought well on its home territory.<ref>Tucker, pp. 389-94.</ref>
+
General Lee entertained the belief his men were invincible; Lee's experiences with the army had convinced him, including the great victory at Chancellorsville in early May, rout of Federals,
 +
July 1.<ref>Trudeau, p. 530.</ref> Effects of this blind faith and the fact the Army of Northern Virginia had many new,inexperienced commanders. Lee's habit of giving generalized orders,leaving it up to his lieutenants to work out details contributed to defeat. This method worked with Stonewall Jackson, proved inadequate when dealing with corps commanders unused to Lee's style of command.  
 +
After July 1, Confederates were not able to coordinate attacks. Lee faced a new, very dangerous opponent in George Meade, the Army of the Potomac stood to the task and fought well.<ref>Tucker, pp. 389-94.</ref>
  
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The news of the Union victory electrified the North. A headline in ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'' was "VICTORY! WATERLOO ECLIPSED!" New York diarist George Templeton Strong wrote:<ref>McPherson, p. 664.</ref>
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News of Union victory electrified the North. Headline in ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'' "VICTORY! WATERLOO ECLIPSED!" New York George Templeton Strong wrote:<ref>McPherson, p. 664.</ref>
  
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{{Quotation|The results of this victory are priceless. ... The charm of Robert E. Lee's invincibility is broken. The Army of the Potomac has at last found a general that can handle it, and has stood nobly up to its terrible work in spite of its long disheartening list of hard-fought failures. ... Copperheads are palsied and dumb for the moment at least. ... Government is strengthened four-fold at home and abroad.|George Templeton Strong|Diary, p. 330.}}
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{{Quotation|The results of this victory are priceless. ... The charm of Robert E. Lee's invincibility is broken. Army of the Potomac has at last found a general that can handle it, and has stood nobly up to its terrible work in spite of its long disheartening list of hard-fought failures. ... Copperheads are palsied and dumb for the moment at least. ... Government is strengthened four-fold at home and abroad.|George Templeton Strong|Diary, p. 330.}}
  
 
[[Image:Battle_of_Gettysburg.jpg|thumb|300px|left|"The Harvest of Death": Union dead on the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, photographed July 5 or July 6, 1863, by [[Timothy H. O'Sullivan]].]]
 
[[Image:Battle_of_Gettysburg.jpg|thumb|300px|left|"The Harvest of Death": Union dead on the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, photographed July 5 or July 6, 1863, by [[Timothy H. O'Sullivan]].]]
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The Confederates had lost politically as well as militarily. During the final hours of the battle, Confederate vice president [[Alexander Stephens]] was approaching the Union lines at [[Norfolk, Virginia]], under a flag of truce. Although his formal instructions from [[President of the Confederate States | Confederate President]] [[Jefferson Davis]] had limited his powers to negotiations on prisoner exchanges and other procedural matters, historian [[James M. McPherson]] speculates that he had informal goals of presenting peace overtures. Davis had hoped that Stephens would reach Washington from the south while Lee's victorious army was marching toward it from the north. President Lincoln, upon hearing of the Gettysburg results, refused Stephens's request to pass through the lines. Furthermore, when the news reached London, any lingering hopes of European recognition of the Confederacy were finally abandoned. [[Henry Adams]] wrote, "The disasters of the rebels are unredeemed by even any hope of success. It is now conceded that all idea of intervention is at an end."<ref>McPherson, pp. 650, 664.</ref>
+
Confederates lost politically and militarily. During final hours of battle, Confederate vice president [[Alexander Stephens]] approaching Union lines at [[Norfolk, Virginia]], under a flag of truce. Instructions from [[Confederate President]] [[Jefferson Davis]] had limited powers on prisoner exchanges and other procedural matters, historian [[James M. McPherson]] speculates he had goals of presenting peace overtures. Davis hoped that Stephens would reach Washington from the south while Lee's victorious army was marching from the north. President Lincoln, upon hearing of Gettysburg results, refused Stephens's request to pass through lines. When  news reached London, lingering hopes of European recognition of Confederacy were abandoned. [[Henry Adams]] wrote, "The disasters of the rebels are unredeemed by even any hope of success. It is now conceded that all idea of intervention is at an end."<ref>McPherson, pp. 650, 664.</ref>
  
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The armies would move on, but Gettysburg had much cleaning up to do. The two armies had suffered between 46,000 and 51,000 casualties. Union casualties were 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured or missing).<ref>Busey and Martin, p. 125.</ref> Confederate casualties are difficult to estimate exactly. Many authors cite 28,000 overall casualties, but Busey and Martin's definitive 2005 work, ''Regimental Strengths and Losses'', documents 22,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured or missing).<ref>Busey and Martin, p. 260.</ref> The casualties for both sides during the entire campaign were 57,225.<ref>Sears, p. 513.</ref> There was one documented civilian death during the battle: Ginnie Wade, 20 years old, shot by a stray bullet that passed through her kitchen in town while she was making bread.<ref>Sears, p. 391.</ref>
+
Gettysburg had much cleaning up to do. 46,000 and 51,000 casualties. Union casualties were 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured or missing).<ref>Busey and Martin, p. 125.</ref> Confederate casualties difficult to estimate. 28,000 overall, Busey and Martin's definitive 2005 work, ''Regimental Strengths and Losses'', documents 22,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured or missing).<ref>Busey and Martin, p. 260.</ref> The casualties for both sides during the entire campaign were 57,225.<ref>Sears, p. 513.</ref> One documented civilian death during the battle: Ginnie Wade, 20 years old, shot by a stray bullet that passed through her kitchen in town while she was making bread.<ref>Sears, p. 391.</ref>
  
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More than 7,000 soldiers had been killed outright; these bodies, lying in the hot summer sun, needed to be buried quickly. Over 3,000 horse carcasses<ref>Sears, p. 511.</ref> were burned in a series of piles south of town; townsfolk became violently ill from the stench. Pennsylvania and New York state militia patrolled the Gettysburg battlefield and secured as much of the remaining military property as possible, often arresting souvenir hunters and forcing them to assist in the disposal of the dead horses. The ravages of war would still be evident in Gettysburg more than four months later when, on November 19, the [[Soldiers' National Cemetery]] was dedicated. During this ceremony, President [[Abraham Lincoln]] with his [[Gettysburg Address]] would re-dedicate the nation to the war effort and to the ideal that no soldier at Gettysburg&mdash;North or South&mdash;had died in vain.
+
7,000 soldiers had been killed outright; these bodies, lying in the hot summer sun, needed to be buried quickly. Over 3,000 horse carcasses<ref>Sears, p. 511.</ref> were burned in series of piles south of town; townsfolk became violently ill from the stench. Pennsylvania and New York state militia patrolled Gettysburg battlefield secured as much of the remaining military property Ravages of war would still be evident in Gettysburg more than four months later when, on November 19, [[Soldiers' National Cemetery]] was dedicated. During this ceremony, President [[Abraham Lincoln]] with his [[Gettysburg Address]] would re-dedicate the nation to war effort and the ideal that no soldier at Gettysburg&mdash;North or South&mdash;had died in vain.
  
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Today, the [[Gettysburg National Cemetery]] and [[Gettysburg Battlefield|Gettysburg National Military Park]] are maintained by the [[U.S. National Park Service]] as two of the nation's most revered historical landmarks.
+
Today,[[Gettysburg National Cemetery]] and [[Gettysburg Battlefield|Gettysburg National Military Park]] are maintained by [[U.S. National Park Service]] as two of the nation's most revered historical landmarks.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==

Revision as of 02:31, 26 January 2007

| The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1 – July 3 1863), fought in the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign, was the bloodiest[1] battle of the American Civil War is cited as the war's turning point.[2] Union Major General George G. Meade's Army of the Potomac defeated attacks by Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, ending Lee's invasion of the North.

In May 1863, Lee led his army through the Shenandoah Valley,second invasion, hoping to reach as far as Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, or Philadelphia, to influence Northern politicians to give up their prosecution of the war. Prodded by President Abraham Lincoln, Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker in pursuit,was relieved on the eve of battle, replaced by Meade.

The armies began at Gettysburg on July 1 1863, Lee urgently concentrated his forces. The northwest of town were defended by Union cavalry division, reinforced with two corps of Union infantry. Two Confederate corps assaulted them from northwest and north, collapsing hastily developed Union lines, sending the defenders retreating through streets of town to the south.

Second day of battle, both armies assembled. Union line was laid out resembling a fishhook. Lee launched heavy assault on Union left flank, fierce fighting raged at Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Devil's Den, and the Peach Orchard. Union right, escalated into full-scale assaults on Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill.Union defenders held their lines.

Third day of battle, July 3, fighting resumed on Culp's Hill, cavalry battles raged east and south, main event, infantry assault by 12,500 Confederates against the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. Pickett's Charge,repulsed by Union rifle, artillery fire at great losses to the Confederate army. Lee led his army on a retreat back to Virginia. Between 46,000 and 51,000 Americans were casualties in the three-day battle. November, President Lincoln used the dedication ceremony for the Gettysburg National Cemetery to honor the Union dead and redefine the purpose of the war in his historic Gettysburg Address.

Gettysburg Campaign (through July 3); cavalry movements shown with dashed lines. ██ Confederate ██ Union

First day of battle

Further information: Battle of Gettysburg, First Day
Map of battle, July 1.

General Buford realized the importance of high ground, knowing if Confederates could gain control of heights, Meade's army would have a hard time. He decided to utilize three ridges west of Gettysburg. These were appropriate terrain delaying action by his small division against superior Confederate infantry forces, meant to buy time awaiting arrival of Union infantrymen who could occupy the strong defensive positions south of town, Cemetery Hill, Cemetery Ridge, and Culp's Hill.[3]

Heth's division advanced, commanded by Brig. Gens. James J. Archer and Joseph R. Davis. They proceeded easterly. Three miles west of town, 7:30 a.m. July 1, Heth's two brigades met light resistance from cavalry.They reached dismounted troopers from Col. William Gamble's cavalry brigade,raised resistance delaying tactics from behind fence posts with fire from their breechloading carbines.[4] By 10:20 a.m., Confederates had pushed Union cavalrymen east to McPherson Ridge, when vanguard of I Corps (Maj. Gen. John F. Reynolds) arrived.[5]

Davis gained temporary success against Brig. Gen. Lysander Cutler's brigade, was repulsed with heavy losses in action around an unfinished railroad. Archer's brigade assaulted through Herbs. Federal Iron Brigade under Brig. Gen. Solomon Meredith initial success, capturing several hundred men, including Archer himself.[6]

While General Reynolds was directing troop and artillery placements just east of the woods, he fell from his horse, killed instantly by a bullet striking him behind left ear. Maj. Gen. Abner Doubleday assumed command. Fighting in Chambersburg Pike area lasted until 12:30 p.m. It resumed when Heth's entire division engaged, adding the brigades of Pettigrew and Col. John M. Brockenbrough.[7]

Pettigrew's North Carolina Brigade came on line they flanked the 19th Indiana, drove the Iron Brigade back. 26th North Carolina lost heavily, leaving first day's fight with 212 men. By end of the three-day battle, they would have 152 men, highest casualty percentage for one battle of any other regiment, north or south.[8] Iron Brigade was pushed out of woods toward Seminary Ridge. Hill added Maj. Gen. William Dorsey Pender's division to assault and I Corps was driven back through the grounds of Lutheran Seminary,Gettysburg streets.[9]

Two divisions of Ewell's Second Corps, marching west toward Cashtown in accordance with Lee's order for army to concentrate in that vicinity, turned south on Carlisle and Harrisburg Roads toward Gettysburg, while Union XI Corps (Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard) raced north on Baltimore Pike and Taneytown Road. By early afternoon,Federal line ran in a semi-circle west, north, and northeast of Gettysburg.[10]

Federals did not have enough troops; Cutler, who was deployed north of Chambersburg Pike, had his right flank in the air,Division of the XI Corps was unable to deploy in time to strengthen the line, so Doubleday was forced to throw in reserve brigades to salvage his line.[11]

2:00 p.m., the Second Corps divisions of Maj. Gens. Robert E. Rodes and Jubal Early assaulted and out-flanked the Union I and XI Corps positions north and northwest of town. The brigades of Col. Edward A. O'Neal and Brig. Gen. Alfred Iverson suffered severe losses assaulting the I Corps division of Brig. Gen. John C. Robinson south of Oak Hill. Early's division profited from a blunder made by Brig. Gen. Francis C. Barlow, when he advanced his XI Corps division to Blocher's Knoll (directly north of town and now known as Barlow's Knoll); this represented a salient[12] in the corps line, susceptible to attack from multiple sides, and Early's troops overran his division, which constituted the right flank of the Union Army's position. Barlow was wounded and captured in the attack.[13]

Federal positions collapsed both north and west of town, Gen. Howard ordered a retreat to the high ground south of town, Cemetery Hill, where he had left the division of Brig. Gen. Adolph von Steinwehr as a reserve.[14]

Gen. Lee understood defensive potential to the Union if they held this high ground. He sent orders to Ewell that Cemetery Hill be taken "if practicable." Ewell chose not to attempt the assault.[15]

First day at Gettysburg, more significant than simply a prelude to bloody second and third days, ranks as the 23rd biggest battle of the war by number of troops engaged. One quarter of Meade's army (22,000 men) one third of Lee's army (27,000) were engaged.[16]

Second day of battle

Lee's Plan for July 2.
Further information: Second Day, Little Round Top, Culp's Hill, and Cemetery Hill

Plans and movement

July 1 and July 2, remaining infantry of both armies arrived, including the Union II, III, V, VI, and XII Corps. Longstreet's third division, commanded by George Pickett, had begun march from Chambersburgit would not arrive until late on July 2.[17]

Union line ran from Culp's Hill ,to Cemetery Hill just south of town, then south two miles along Cemetery Ridge, terminating just north of Little Round Top. Most of the XII Corps was on Culp's Hill, the remnants of I and XI Corps defended Cemetery Hill, II Corps covered most of the northern half of Cemetery Ridge, and III Corps was ordered to take up position to its flank. The Union line is described as a "fishhook" formation. Confederate line paralleled the Union line about a mile to the west on Seminary Ridge, ran east through town,curved southeast to a point opposite Culp's Hill. Federal army had interior lines, while Confederate line was nearly five miles in length.[18]

Lee's battle plan July 2 called for Longstreet's First Corps to position itself to attack the Union left flank, facing northeast astraddle the Emmitsburg Road, and to roll up Federal line. The attack sequence was to begin with Maj. Gens. John Bell Hood's and Lafayette McLaws's divisions, followed by Maj. Gen. Richard H. Anderson's division of Hill's Third Corps. The en echelon sequence of this attack would prevent Meade from shifting troops from center to bolster his left. Maj. Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson's and Jubal Early's Second Corps divisions were to make a "demonstration" against Culp's and Cemetery Hills, to turn the demonstration into a full-scale attack if opportunity presented itself.[19]

Lee's plan,was based on faulty intelligence, exacerbated by Stuart's continued absence from the battlefield. Instead of moving beyond the Federals' left and attacking their flank, Longstreet's left division, under McLaws, would face Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles's III Corps directly in their path. Sickles, dissatisfied with the position assigned him the southern end of Cemetery Ridge, seeing higher ground more favorable to artillery positions a half mile to the west, advanced his corps—without orders—to higher ground along the Emmitsburg Road, New line ran from Devil's Den, northwest to Sherfy farm's Peach Orchard, northeast along Emmitsburg Road to south of Codori farm. This created an untenable salient at Peach Orchard; Brig. Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys's division (in position along the Emmitsburg Road) and Maj. Gen. David B. Birney's division, were subject to attacks from two sides, spread out over longer front than their small corps could defend effectively.[20]

Longstreet's attack was to be made as early as practicable;Longstreet got permission from Lee to await arrival of one of his brigades, and, while marching to assigned position, his men came within sight of Union signal station on Little Round Top. Countermarching to avoid detection wasted time, Hood's and McLaws's divisions did not launch their attacks until 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.[21]

Attacks on Union left flank

Map of battle, July 2.

Longstreet's divisions slammed into Union III Corps, Meade had sent 20,000 reinforcements[22] the entire V Corps, Brig. Gen. John C. Caldwell's division of II Corps, XII Corps, and small portions of newly arrived VI Corps. Confederate assault deviated from Lee's plan,Hood's division moved easterly, losing alignment with the Emmitsburg Road,[23] attacking Devil's Den,Little Round Top. McLaws, coming in on Hood's left, drove multiple attacks intoIII Corps in the Wheatfield,overwhelmed them in Sherfy's Peach Orchard. McLaws's attackreached Plum Run Valley (the "Valley of Death") before being beaten back by Pennsylvania Reserves division of V Corps, moving down from Little Round Top. The III Corps was destroyed as a combat unit in this battle and Sickles's leg was amputated after it was shattered by a cannonball. Caldwell's division was destroyed piecemeal in Wheatfield. Anderson's division assault on McLaws's left, starting around 6 p.m., reached the crest of Cemetery Ridge, they could not hold the position in face of counterattacks from the II Corps.[24]

As fighting raged in the Wheatfield and Devil's Den, Col. Strong Vincent of V Corps had hold on Little Round Top, an important hill at extreme left of the Union line. His brigade of four small regiments was able to resist repeated assaults by Brig. Gen. Evander Law's brigade of Hood's division. Meade's chief engineer, Brig. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren, had realized the importance of this position, and dispatched Vincent's brigade, an artillery battery, and the 140th New York to occupy Little Round Top mere minutes before Hood's troops arrived. The defense of Little Round Top with a bayonet charge by the 20th Maine was one of the most fabled episodes in the Civil War and propelled Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain into prominence after the war.[25]

Attacks on Union right flank

7:00 p.m., Second Corps' attack by Johnson's division on Culp's Hill started late.Union XII Corps, had been sent to defend against Longstreet's attacks,the only portion of corps remaining on the hill was brigade of New Yorkers under Brig. Gen. George S. Greene. Greene's men held off the Confederate attackers,the Southerners did capture a portion of abandoned Federal works.[26]

Early's brigades attacked the Union XI Corps positions on East Cemetery Hill where Col. Andrew L. Harris 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, came under attack, losing half his men; Early failed to support his brigades, and Ewell's remaining division,Maj. Gen. Robert E. Rodes, failed to aid Early's attack by moving against Cemetery Hill. The Union army's interior lines enabled commanders to shift troops to critical areas, and with reinforcements from II Corps,Federal troops retained possession of Cemetery Hill, Early's brigades were forced to withdraw.[27]

Brig. Gen. Wade Hampton's brigade fought a minor engagement with George Armstrong Custer's Michigan cavalry near Hunterstownnortheast of Gettysburg.[28]

Third day of battle

Further information: Culp's Hill, Pickett's Charge, and Third Day cavalry battles
Map of battle, July 3.

General Lee renewed attack, Friday, July 3, using same basic plan: Longstreet would attack Federal left, Ewell attacked Culp's Hill.[29] Longstreet wasn't ready, Union XII Corps troops started dawn artillery bombardment against Confederates on Culp's Hill.Confederates attacked, second fight for Culp's Hill ended 11 a.m., after seven hours of bitter combat.[30]

Lee was forced to change plans. Longstreet would command Pickett's Virginia division, six brigades from Hill's Corps,an attack on Federal II Corps position at center of Union line on Cemetery Ridge. All artillery the Confederacy could bring to bear on Federal positions bombarded and weakened the enemy's line.[31]

File:3698.jpg
The "High Water Mark" on Cemetery Ridge. The monument to 72nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment ("Baxter's Philadelphia Fire Zouaves"), the Copse of Trees to the left.

1:00 p.m., 159 Confederate guns[32] began an artillery bombardment that was the largest of the war. To save valuable ammunition for the infantry attack, the Army of the Potomac's artillery did not return the enemy's fire. After waiting 15 minutes, 80 Federal cannon added to the din. Army of Northern Virginia, low on artillery ammunition, the cannonade did not affect the Union. 3:00 p.m, cannon fire subsided, 12,500 Southern soldiers stepped from ridgeline, advanced the three-quarters of a mile to Cemetery Ridge, what is known to history as "Pickett's Charge". Fierce flanking artillery fire from Union positions on Cemetery Hill north of Little Round Top,musket canister fire from the II Corps as Confederates approached, one half of the attackers wouldn't return to their own lines. Federal line wavered, broke temporarily at a jog in a low stone fence, "Angle", north of patch of vegetation; Copse of Trees, reinforcements rushed into the breach and Confederate attack was repulsed.[33]

July 3, Stuart was sent to guard Confederate left flank prepared to exploit any success infantry might achieve on Cemetery Hill flanking Federal right and hitting trains and lines of communications. Three miles east of Gettysburg, what is now called "East Cavalry Field" , Stuart's forces collided with Federal cavalry: Brig. Gen. David McM. Gregg's division and George A. Custer's brigade. Lengthy mounted battle,hand-to-hand sabre combat, ensued. Custer's charge, leading 1st Michigan Cavalry, blunted the attack by Wade Hampton's brigade, blocking Stuart from achieving his objectives in Federal rear. Pickett's Charge ended, Meade ordered Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick to launch cavalry attack against infantry positions of Longstreet's Corps of Big Round Top. Brig. Gen. Elon J. Farnsworth protested against futility of such a move, obeyed orders; Farnsworth, killed in the attack and his brigade suffered significant losses.[34]

Aftermath

Gettysburg Campaign (July 5 – July 14).

July 4, the same day that the Vicksburg garrison surrendered to Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant,Lee reformed lines into a defensive position, hoping Meade would attack. Meade ordered series of small probing actions, sending U.S. Regulars towards the Confederate lines, they withdrew under artillery fire Meade decided not to press attack. By mid-afternoon, firing had stopped, both armies began collecting remaining wounded and bury the dead. Proposal by Lee for prisoner exchange was rejected by Meade.[35]

July 5, in driving rain, bulk of Army of Northern Virginia left; the Battle of Gettysburg over, the Confederates headed back to Virginia. Meade's army followed. Recently rain-swollen Potomac trapped Lee's army on north bank of the river, by the time Federals caught up,Confederates crossed into Virginia. Rear-guard action at Falling Waters on July 14 ended Gettysburg Campaign added more names to the casualty lists, including General Pettigrew.[36]

General Lee entertained the belief his men were invincible; Lee's experiences with the army had convinced him, including the great victory at Chancellorsville in early May, rout of Federals, July 1.[37] Effects of this blind faith and the fact the Army of Northern Virginia had many new,inexperienced commanders. Lee's habit of giving generalized orders,leaving it up to his lieutenants to work out details contributed to defeat. This method worked with Stonewall Jackson, proved inadequate when dealing with corps commanders unused to Lee's style of command. After July 1, Confederates were not able to coordinate attacks. Lee faced a new, very dangerous opponent in George Meade, the Army of the Potomac stood to the task and fought well.[38]

News of Union victory electrified the North. Headline in The Philadelphia Inquirer "VICTORY! WATERLOO ECLIPSED!" New York George Templeton Strong wrote:[39]

The results of this victory are priceless. ... The charm of Robert E. Lee's invincibility is broken. Army of the Potomac has at last found a general that can handle it, and has stood nobly up to its terrible work in spite of its long disheartening list of hard-fought failures. ... Copperheads are palsied and dumb for the moment at least. ... Government is strengthened four-fold at home and abroad.

George Templeton Strong, Diary, p. 330.

"The Harvest of Death": Union dead on the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, photographed July 5 or July 6, 1863, by Timothy H. O'Sullivan.

Confederates lost politically and militarily. During final hours of battle, Confederate vice president Alexander Stephens approaching Union lines at Norfolk, Virginia, under a flag of truce. Instructions from Confederate President Jefferson Davis had limited powers on prisoner exchanges and other procedural matters, historian James M. McPherson speculates he had goals of presenting peace overtures. Davis hoped that Stephens would reach Washington from the south while Lee's victorious army was marching from the north. President Lincoln, upon hearing of Gettysburg results, refused Stephens's request to pass through lines. When news reached London, lingering hopes of European recognition of Confederacy were abandoned. Henry Adams wrote, "The disasters of the rebels are unredeemed by even any hope of success. It is now conceded that all idea of intervention is at an end."[40]

Gettysburg had much cleaning up to do. 46,000 and 51,000 casualties. Union casualties were 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured or missing).[41] Confederate casualties difficult to estimate. 28,000 overall, Busey and Martin's definitive 2005 work, Regimental Strengths and Losses, documents 22,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured or missing).[42] The casualties for both sides during the entire campaign were 57,225.[43] One documented civilian death during the battle: Ginnie Wade, 20 years old, shot by a stray bullet that passed through her kitchen in town while she was making bread.[44]

7,000 soldiers had been killed outright; these bodies, lying in the hot summer sun, needed to be buried quickly. Over 3,000 horse carcasses[45] were burned in series of piles south of town; townsfolk became violently ill from the stench. Pennsylvania and New York state militia patrolled Gettysburg battlefield secured as much of the remaining military property Ravages of war would still be evident in Gettysburg more than four months later when, on November 19, Soldiers' National Cemetery was dedicated. During this ceremony, President Abraham Lincoln with his Gettysburg Address would re-dedicate the nation to war effort and the ideal that no soldier at Gettysburg—North or South—had died in vain.

Today,Gettysburg National Cemetery and Gettysburg National Military Park are maintained by U.S. National Park Service as two of the nation's most revered historical landmarks.

See also

Template:Gettysburg Menu

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Busey, John W., and Martin, David G., Regimental Strengths and Losses at Gettysburg, 4th Ed., Longstreet House, 2005, ISBN 0-944413-67-6.
  • Clark, Champ, and the Editors of Time-Life Books, Gettysburg: The Confederate High Tide, Time-Life Books, 1985, ISBN 0-8094-4758-4.
  • Coddington, Edwin B., The Gettysburg Campaign; a study in command, Scribner's, 1968, ISBN 0-684-84569-5.
  • Eicher, David J., The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War, Simon & Schuster, 2001, ISBN 0-684-84944-5.
  • Esposito, Vincent J., West Point Atlas of American Wars, Frederick A. Praeger, 1959.
  • Foote, Shelby, The Civil War, A Narrative: Fredericksburg to Meridian, Random House, 1958, ISBN 0-394-49517-9.
  • Harman, Troy D., Lee's Real Plan at Gettysburg, Stackpole Books, 2003, ISBN 0-8117-0054-2.
  • Longacre, Edward G., The Cavalry at Gettysburg, University of Nebraska Press, 1986, ISBN 0-8032-7941-8.
  • Martin, David G., Gettysburg July 1, rev. ed., Combined Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-938289-81-0.
  • McPherson, James M., Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (Oxford History of the United States), Oxford University Press, 1988, ISBN 0-195-03863-0.
  • Nye, Wilbur S., Here Come the Rebels!, Louisiana State University Press, 1965 (reprinted by Morningside House, 1984), ISBN 0-89029-080-7.
  • Pfanz, Harry W., Gettysburg – The First Day, University of North Carolina Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8078-2624-3.
  • Pfanz, Harry W., Gettysburg – The Second Day, University of North Carolina Press, 1987, ISBN 0-8078-1749-X.
  • Pfanz, Harry W., Gettysburg: Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill, University of North Carolina Press, 1993, ISBN 0-8078-2118-7.
  • Rawley, James A., Turning Points of the Civil War, University of Nebraska Press, 1966, ISBN 0-8032-8935-9.
  • Sauers, Richard A., "Battle of Gettysburg", Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History, Heidler, David S., and Heidler, Jeanne T., eds., W. W. Norton & Company, 2000, ISBN 0-393-04758-X.
  • Sears, Stephen W., Gettysburg, Houghton Mifflin, 2003, ISBN 0-395-86761-4.
  • Symonds, Craig L., American Heritage History of the Battle of Gettysburg, HarperCollins, 2001, ISBN 0-06-019474-X.
  • Tagg, Larry, The Generals of Gettysburg, Savas Publishing, 1998, ISBN 1-882810-30-9.
  • Trudeau, Noah Andre, Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage, HarperCollins, 2002, ISBN 0-06-019363-8.
  • Tucker, Glenn, High Tide at Gettysburg, Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1958 (reprinted by Morningside House, 1983), ISBN 0-89029-015-4.
  • Wert, Jeffry D., Gettysburg: Day Three, Simon & Schuster, 2001, ISBN 0-684-85914-9.

Notes

  1. ↑ Gettysburg was the battle with the largest number of casualties. Antietam, the culmination of Lee's first invasion of the North, had the largest number of casualties in one day. Antietam had about 23,000 casualties in fighting .Second day of Gettysburg had 20,000 casualties in fighting that lasted a few hours, from 4 p.m. until shortly after dark. The casualty rate at the peak of fighting the second day in Wheatfield, Little Round Top, and Devil's Den estimated to be faster than one casualty per second.
  2. ↑ Rawley, p. 147. Sauers, p. 827. McPherson, p. 665; McPherson cites the combination of Gettysburg and Vicksburg as the turning point.
  3. ↑ Sears, p. 155.
  4. ↑ Martin, pp. 80-81. Troopers carried single-shot, breechloading carbines, they were able to fire two or three times faster than muzzle-loaded carbine or rifle.
  5. ↑ Symonds, p. 71. Coddington, p. 266. Eicher, pp. 510-11.
  6. ↑ Tucker, pp. 112-17.
  7. ↑ Tucker, p. 184. Symonds, p. 74. Pfanz, First Day, pp. 269-75.
  8. ↑ Busey and Martin, pp. 298, 501.
  9. ↑ Pfanz, First Day, pp. 275-93.
  10. ↑ Clark, p. 53.
  11. ↑ Pfanz, First Day, p. 158.
  12. ↑ Pfanz, First Day, p. 230.
  13. ↑ Pfanz, First Day, p. 156-238.
  14. ↑ Pfanz, First Day, p. 294.
  15. ↑ Pfanz, First Day, p. 344. Eicher, p. 517. Sears, p. 228. Trudeau, p. 253. Both Sears and Trudeau record "if possible."
  16. ↑ Martin, p. 9, citing Thomas L. Livermore's Numbers & Losses in the Civil War in America (Houghton Mifflin, 1900).
  17. ↑ Coddington, p. 333. Tucker, p. 327.
  18. ↑ Clark, p. 74. Eicher, p 521.
  19. ↑ Sears, p. 255. Clark, p. 69.
  20. ↑ Pfanz, Second Day, pp. 93-97. Eicher, pp. 523-24.
  21. ↑ Pfanz, Second Day, pp. 119-23.
  22. ↑ Harman, p. 59.
  23. ↑ Harman, p. 57.
  24. ↑ Sears, pp. 833-35. Eicher, pp. 530-35.
  25. ↑ Eicher, pp. 527-30. Clark, pp. 81-85.
  26. ↑ Eicher, pp. 537-38. Sauers, p. 835. Pfanz, Culp's Hill, pp. 205-34. Clark, pp. 115-16.
  27. ↑ Pfanz, Culp's Hill, pp. 235-83. Clark, pp. 116-18. Eicher, pp. 538-39.
  28. ↑ Sears, p. 257. Longacre, pp. 198-99.
  29. ↑ Harman, p. 63.
  30. ↑ Pfanz, Culp's Hill, pp. 284-352. Eicher, pp. 540-41. Coddington, pp. 465-75.
  31. ↑ Eicher, p. 542. Coddington, pp. 485-86.
  32. ↑ Eicher, p. 543.
  33. ↑ McPherson, pp. 661-63. Clark, pp. 133-44. Symonds, pp. 214-41. Eicher, pp. 543-49.
  34. ↑ Eicher, pp. 549-50. Longacre, pp. 226-31, 240-44. Sauers, p. 836. Wert, pp. 272-80.
  35. ↑ Eicher, p. 550. Coddington, pp. 539-44. Clark, pp. 146-47. Wert, p. 300.
  36. ↑ Clark, pp. 147-57. Longacre, pp. 268-69.
  37. ↑ Trudeau, p. 530.
  38. ↑ Tucker, pp. 389-94.
  39. ↑ McPherson, p. 664.
  40. ↑ McPherson, pp. 650, 664.
  41. ↑ Busey and Martin, p. 125.
  42. ↑ Busey and Martin, p. 260.
  43. ↑ Sears, p. 513.
  44. ↑ Sears, p. 391.
  45. ↑ Sears, p. 511.

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