Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg was a major fight during the American Civil War. It happened from July 1 to July 3, 1863, near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle was between the Union army, led by Major General George Meade, and the Confederate army, led by General Robert E. Lee. It was one of the biggest and most important battles of the war.

This battle was very hard-fought and had many casualties, with over 50,000 soldiers from both sides hurt or lost. The Union army won, which helped change the course of the war. After the battle, President Abraham Lincoln gave a famous speech called the Gettysburg Address to honor those who fought and died. The battle stopped General Lee’s attempt to move further into the North and gave the Union a big advantage in the war.

Background

Military situation

Main articles: Gettysburg campaign and Gettysburg Battlefield

Further information: Battle of Chancellorsville, Eastern theater of the American Civil War, and American Civil War

After the Army of Northern Virginia won against the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Chancellorsville, General Robert E. Lee planned to invade the North again. This move aimed to disrupt Union plans and give war-torn Virginia a break. Lee's army of 72,000 could also threaten major cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington.

Lee's army moved north from Fredericksburg, Virginia in early June. The Union army, led by Major General Joseph Hooker, followed. On June 9, cavalry battles happened at Brandy Station. By mid-June, Lee's army prepared to cross the Potomac River. On June 26, soldiers occupied Gettysburg, but did not gather much supplies. Lee later replaced Hooker with Major General George Gordon Meade. On June 30, Confederate troops noticed Union cavalry arriving in Gettysburg, leading to early morning actions on July 1.

Opposing forces

Union

Further information: Gettysburg Union order of battle

The Army of the Potomac, led by General Meade, had more than 100,000 soldiers. It was organized into several groups, or corps, each led by a different commander. These included the I Corps under Major General John F. Reynolds, the II Corps under Major General Winfield Scott Hancock, and others such as the III, V, VI, XI, XII Corps, and the Cavalry Corps.

Confederate

Further information: Gettysburg Confederate order of battle

General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, with about 75,000 soldiers, was divided into three infantry groups after the death of General Jackson. The First Corps was led by Lieutenant General James Longstreet, the Second Corps by Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell, and the Third Corps by Lieutenant General A. P. Hill. The Cavalry division was commanded by Major General J. E. B. Stuart.

First day of battle

The first day of the Battle of Gettysburg took place on July 1, 1863. Union forces, led by Major General John F. Reynolds, set up defenses on three ridges west of Gettysburg: Herr Ridge, McPherson Ridge, and Seminary Ridge. They were waiting for more Union troops to arrive from the south.

Confederate troops under General A.P. Hill moved toward these ridges. Fighting began around 7:30 a.m. when Confederate soldiers met Union cavalry. The Union soldiers held their ground, but by midday, more Confederate troops arrived. General Reynolds was killed during the fighting, and command passed to Major General Abner Doubleday.

As the day went on, the Confederates pushed the Union soldiers back toward the town of Gettysburg. The Union XI Corps, led by Major General Oliver O. Howard, also moved to defend the town. By the end of the day, Union forces retreated to higher ground south of the town at Cemetery Hill. Major General Winfield S. Hancock arrived and decided to make Gettysburg the main battlefield. The first day was a big battle, with many soldiers from both sides fighting.

Second day of battle

Further information: Little Round Top; Cemetery Hill § Battle_of_Gettysburg,_Second_Day; and Culp's Hill § Second_day

Plans and movement to battle

On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, more soldiers from both sides arrived on the battlefield. The Union soldiers set up their lines in a shape often called a “fishhook.” The Confederate soldiers set up their lines about a mile west of the Union lines.

General Lee, who led the Confederate soldiers, planned to attack the Union positions. He wanted one part of his army to attack the Union’s left side and another part to attack the Union’s right side. However, his plans were based on incomplete information, and some of his soldiers were late to arrive.

Attacks on the Union left flank

One Confederate general, Lafayette McLaws, found Union soldiers led by Daniel Sickles in an unexpected position. Sickles had moved his soldiers forward without orders, creating a weak spot in the Union line. This led to heavy fighting, especially in areas called the Wheatfield and Devil’s Den. Many soldiers were hurt or unable to fight, and one general, Sickles, had to have his leg removed after being hurt by a cannonball.

Attacks on the Union right flank

Another Confederate general, Ewell, planned to attack the Union’s right side, but his soldiers were far away and faced difficulties moving into position. The Union soldiers defending Culp’s Hill and East Cemetery Hill managed to hold their positions despite the attacks.

Third day of battle

Lee's plan

On July 3, General Lee wanted to attack again, planning for General Longstreet to hit the Union left while General Ewell attacked Culp's Hill. But before Longstreet was ready, Union troops began firing at Confederate positions on Culp's Hill. After a long fight, the Union line held strong.

Lee had to change his plan. He decided that Longstreet would lead an attack with Pickett's division and six other brigades toward the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. Before the attack, Confederate artillery would try to weaken the Union defenses.

Largest artillery bombardment of the war

Around 1 p.m., about 150 to 170 Confederate guns began a big bombardment, one of the largest of the war. The Union artillery waited and then answered after about 15 minutes. The Confederate artillery ran low on ammunition and did not hurt the Union line much.

Pickett's Charge

Main article: Pickett's Charge

Around 3 p.m., between 10,500 and 12,500 Confederate soldiers began moving toward Cemetery Ridge, a distance of three-quarters of a mile. This attack is known as Pickett's Charge.

As they came close, Union artillery and infantry fired heavily. Though the Union line shook for a moment, reinforcements came and stopped the Confederate attack. The farthest point reached by the Confederates is called the "high-water mark of the Confederacy." Many Confederate soldiers did not make it back, and Pickett's division lost about two-thirds of its men.

Cavalry battles

There were two important cavalry fights on July 3. The first happened near the end of the Confederate artillery fire and stopped Confederate cavalry from flanking the Union troops. The second was an unsuccessful attack by Union cavalry on Confederate infantry, led by General Kilpatrick. One Union officer, General Farnsworth, was killed in this fight.

Northeast of Gettysburg

Stuart's cavalry, along with Jenkins' brigade, was sent to protect the Confederate left flank and to try to flank the Union right if Pickett's Charge succeeded. They fought Union cavalry led by General Gregg and Custer near East Cavalry Field. The fight ended with both sides staying in place, but Gregg and Custer stopped Stuart from getting behind the Union infantry.

Southwest of Gettysburg

After hearing about the Union's success against Pickett's Charge, General Kilpatrick led a cavalry attack against Confederate infantry near Big Round Top. The terrain was difficult, and Longstreet's troops were well-protected. General Farnsworth led one of the attacks and was killed, with his brigade suffering heavy losses.

Aftermath

The two armies had many soldiers hurt during the Battle of Gettysburg. The Union lost around 23,000 soldiers, while the Confederate losses are harder to know, but estimates suggest about 28,000. Many important Confederate leaders were hurt or captured during the fight.

After the battle, the Confederate army left Gettysburg and headed back to Virginia. The Union army followed but did not catch up to them before they crossed the river. The news of the Union win made many in the North very happy, though some felt the war would still go on since the Confederate army had escaped.

More than four months later, a special ceremony was held in Gettysburg to honor those who had died. President Abraham Lincoln gave a famous speech called the Gettysburg Address, which helped change how people thought about the war.

Historical assessment

Further information: Lost Cause of the Confederacy

Decisive victory controversies

People have debated what the result of the Battle of Gettysburg really means. Even though it didn’t seem very important at the time, many later thought it was a big moment in the Civil War. Some say it was a major win for the Union because after this battle, the Confederate army stopped trying to attack and could only react to the Union’s moves.

Many believe Gettysburg was a big win for the Union, but some historians say it wasn’t the final deciding moment of the war. The war continued for two more years after this battle. Some say the Confederate army was still strong after Gettysburg, while others point out that both sides suffered huge losses in earlier battles, which weakened the Confederates. Overall, Gettysburg was a very important and big battle, but not the absolute turning point that ends the war.

Lee vs. Meade

Before Gettysburg, Robert E. Lee was known as a very successful general. He had won many battles, but at Gettysburg, he faced George G. Meade and the Union Army, who fought well on their own ground. Meade’s army used strong defensive positions and quick moves to defend against Lee’s attacks.

Some say Lee made mistakes, like being too confident in his troops or not managing his generals well. Others say Meade was a good leader who made smart decisions during the battle. Both generals faced criticism after the battle, but Meade’s army held their ground and stopped Lee’s attacks.

Battlefield preservation

Gettysburg National Cemetery and Gettysburg National Military Park are cared for by the U.S. National Park Service as important places to remember history. Even though Gettysburg is a famous battlefield from the Civil War, some parts of it are at risk of being built on for homes or businesses.

There have been some wins for protecting the battlefield. Plans to build a casino near Gettysburg were stopped in 2006 and again in 2011 thanks to people speaking up. The American Battlefield Trust has helped save land too, buying and protecting over 1,242 acres (5.03 km²) of the battlefield since 1997. In 2015, they bought a special four-acre piece of land for $6 million, where a famous general stayed during the battle, and cleaned up the area so people can visit and learn about the past.

In popular culture

At the 50th anniversary Gettysburg reunion (1913), many veterans gathered to remember the battle. They included thousands from the Union and a smaller number from the Confederacy. Some took part in a symbolic re-enactment to show unity and healing.

At the 75th anniversary Gettysburg reunion (1938), more veterans returned to honor the memory of the battle.

The battle has been shown in films and books. One children's story, Window of Time (1991), features a boy who travels back in time to the battle. The 1993 film Gettysburg told the story through the eyes of important leaders on the battlefield.

See also: Commemoration of the American Civil War on postage stamps