Battle of Gettysburg
July 1-3, 1863
March to Gettysburg
"Gettysburg Campaign." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Campaign>.
Lee's Plan
Unions Advantage
The Union cavalry, however, was very aware of where Lee and his army was. In fact, it would be the Union cavalry that would set up a smart defensive position near the small Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg, and begin the battle of Gettysburg.
General Meade: Union Commander
"George G. Meade." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/george-g-meade>.
photo: Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2015. <http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/george-meade.html>.
General Joshua Chamberlain
Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. <http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/joshua-lawrence-chamberlain.html>.
photo: "JOSHUA LAWRENCE CHAMBERLAIN, USA." JOSHUA LAWRENCE CHAMBERLAIN, USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015. <http://www.historycentral.com/Bio/UGENS/USAChamberlain.html>.
General Robert E. Lee: Confederate Commander
General Robert E. Lee is one of the most iconic and widely respected of all Civil War commanders. He repeatedly defeated larger Federal armies in Virginia but his two invasions of Northern soil were unsuccessful.
"Robert E. Lee." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History Online RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2015. <http://www.historynet.com/robert-e-lee>.
photo: "Robert E. Lee | Biography - Confederate General." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/334566/Robert-E-Lee>.
Battle begins
Day 1: July 1st, 1863
Day 2: July 2nd, 1863
Day 3: July 3rd, 1863
Longstreet had his chief of Artillery, Col Alexander, fire his guns at the union centre line which was where Lee was planning the attack in order to converge on them to try and knock out the union cannons. Meanwhile Longstreet had hidden Pickett's division in the forest which was the only division yet to engage in the fighting. As well as Pickett's division there were also Generals Pettigrue's and Trimble's divisions. Alexander's cannons were running low on ammo and they didn't have enough to support the infantry, so all forty cannons simultaneously fired off a single blast. Then the infantry set out on the mile-long walk towards the union centre which was deployed at the ready, at a stone wall just outside Gettysberg. The confederate divisions were racked. Pickett's division reached the stone wall but with over 50% casualties; they couldn't hold it.
Unions win
It was in northern territory, so the Northern troops had the morale boost. Its a lot easier to take a man's life when he is on your land then when you are on his (Although its hard in either case). They also took up defensive positions atop hills in the area, and forced the southern troops to attack up steep slopes, forcing them to run uphill directly into enemy fire. The battle could have gone either way, but "Picket's Charge," a southern attack at the flank of the Northern defensive line failed, and the south was forced to retreat. From there, the Southern army was depleted, and the Union army was able to go onto the offensive after two years of playing defense.