The Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg took place from July 1-3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The extensive turning point of the war incorporated General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia from the South in addition to the Union army led by the generalship of John Buford. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate army advanced further into Northern territory after a recent victory at Chancellorsville. In hopes to gain the advantage over the Union, Lee and his men entered Gettysburg where General George Meade had been awaiting with General Buford and other Union troops. The Confederate General A.P. Hill attacked Buford’s army first, pushing them further back into Gettysburg. Buford fought off the Confederates long enough until Union reinforcements had arrived to assist.
Rebel Sharpshooter, (taken by Alexander Gardner -Library of Congress. )
The casualties on both sides totaled approximately 50,000 by the end of the battle. Despite this, the fight continued on with heavy artillery fire from both sides. General George Pickett and his army of 15,000 had arrived to assist the Confederacy. Lee used Pickett and his men to head towards the center of the Federal Line and attack while using other soldiers to attack Meade from behind. Known now as “Pickett’s Charge,” went down as an ill-fated attempt by the Confederacy. 54 percent of Pickett’s men were killed or wounded, forcing them to retreat. The Confederate army lay in shambles by the evening of the third day. Accepting defeat, Lee retreated blaming himself for the insurmountable losses among his men.
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Image of the Fallen in Gettysburg, (taken by Alexander Gardner, Library of Congress)
After gaining the extra soldiers, it appeared that the Union had the upper hand. However, they gained more casualties on the first day of the battle. The second day the Union troops had formed a “fish-hook” formation closing themselves off from the Confederate troops. The effectiveness of the formation allowed for the Union to gain a better advantage in regards to shifting Federal troops between sectors of the battlefield. The Confederate army began to lose momentum, resulting in disjointed attacks on the Union. By the afternoon of July 2, further reinforcements had arrived for the Union making the difference in numbers between the Northern and Southern armies even greater. By the third day, the energy and strength of both armies had depleted a significant amount.
Unknown soldier killed in Gettysburg, (taken by Alexander Gardner)
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