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Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863. 3 events prior to invasion:. Southern command adjustments. Longstreet. A.P. Hill. Ewell. Northern command problems:. McDowell. McClellan. Pope. Burnside. Hooker. Meade. Battle of Brandy Station. J.E.B. Stuart. Role of Cavalry:.
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3 events prior to invasion: • Southern command adjustments Longstreet A.P. Hill Ewell
Northern command problems: McDowell McClellan Pope
Burnside Hooker Meade
Battle of Brandy Station J.E.B. Stuart
Role of Cavalry: • Act as a screen- keep opposing cavalry away from infantry movements • Gather intelligence- troop strength/disposition; info on geography • Heavy fighting usually done by infantry
Lee’s Reasons to invade: • Take fight into northern areas- let them feel “real” sting of war • Respite for farmers in N. Va.- Live off the fat of Md. and Pa. farms • Foster support for the anti-war factions in the North • Gain international recognition- especially from England/France
Geography: South Mountain
Hills around Gettysburg Culp’s Hill Wesley Culp
Little Round Top Big Round Top
Ridges around Gettysburg: • Cemetery • Seminary
Why Gettysburg? • Shoes • Accidental
John Buford, USA Henry Heth, CSA
Robert E. Lee, CSA John Reynolds, USA
Begins with Heth clashes with Buford outside (west) of Gettysburg • Lee does not want a full engagement but was not close enough to Gettysburg to prevent it from happening • Race to get the troops on the field • Morning goes to union, BUT Reynolds is killed • Ewell comes back from the north- pounds Union forces • Union retreats to Cemetery Hill and Ridge • Belatedly occupies Culp’s Hill
Ewell rejects Lee’s “suggestion” to take Culp’s Hill • Meade decides to stay and fight and not retreat to Big Pipe Creek
July 2nd • Morning lull • Lee and Longstreet at odds on strategy • Longstreet waits for core to come up, didn’t have all his divisions
Afternoon, July 2ndroughly 3 or 4 o’clock • Ewell to demonstrate in force at Culp’s Hill- does little other than bombard • Trip hammer blows to hit the Union left McLaws Hood Wilcox Barksdale
Fight for Little Round Top William C. Oates 15th Alabama Joshua Chamberlain 20th Maine Gouverneur Warren, USA
Fight for: Devils Den, Peach Orchard and Wheatfield • Sickles’ dumb move • Union eventually pushed back to Cemetery Ridge
Devil’s Den Peach Orchard The Wheatfield
Ewell belatedly attacks Culp’s Hill at dusk • Fighting dies down at around 10pm Ewell
July 3rd • Battle for Culp’s Hill restarts at first light • Confederates pushed off after 3hr battle • 1pm- Cavalry battle 3miles from battlefield, Stuart prevented from getting behind Union lines by David Gregg • 90 minute Confederate bombardment of Union positions
George Pickett Cemetery Ridge, copse of trees
Lewis Armistead, CSA James Kemper, CSA Richard Garnett, CSA E. Porter Alexander, CSA Winfield Scott Hancock, USA
Pickett’s charge immediately following bombardment • Approximately 12,000 men charge center of the Union Lines- Angle and Copse of Trees • Few penetrate, roughly 100, and are quickly overwhelmed • The rest thrown back with major casualties