What Do I Really Need to Know About Gettysburg

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What Do I Really Need to Know About Gettysburg?

• Prepared for classroom use by
• Greg Grey as part of GRECC TAH2

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Consider the following during the PowerPoint
lesson on Gettysburg.

• Gettysburg is considered a turning point in the
  American Civil War.
• What role did location and geography play in the
  importance of Gettysburg?
• What important individual decisions or actions
  were made relating to Gettysburg?
• What were some short-term and long-term changes
  to American life that resulted from Gettysburg?

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What is Gettysburg?

• Gettysburg was the largest battle of the American
  Civil War in terms of the number of troops
  engaged.
• Gettysburg is often considered the turning point
  of the war, especially the turning point for the
  war in the East.

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Where was the Battle of Gettysburg fought?

• The battle was fought in the small town of
  Gettysburg and the farms, forest, and rolling
  hills surrounding it.

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Where was the Battle of Gettysburg fought?

• The battle was fought in the small town of
  Gettysburg and the farms, forest, and rolling
  hills surrounding it.

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Where was the Battle of Gettysburg fought?

• Gettysburg is a small crossroads town about 6
  miles from the Maryland border and about 75 miles
  from Washington, D.C.

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When did the Battle of Gettysburg occur?

• The battle took place on July 1, 2, and 3, 1863.
• Gettysburg occurred at about the mid-point of the
  Civil War.

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Who was there?

• The Union Army of the Potomac was commanded by
  General George G. Meade.
• The Unions total force at Gettysburg reached an
  estimated 112,700 troops of which 95,800 were
  engaged in battle.
• President Lincoln had decided to place Meade in
  command barely 48 hours before the battle began.

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Who was there?

• Robert E. Lee commanded the Confederate Army of
  Northern Virginia.
• The Confederate force at Gettysburg reached an
  estimated 75,000 soldiers. An estimated 69,700
  of them saw action during the battle.

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Why did the armies fight at Gettysburg?

• Gettysburg was fought for many of the same
  reasons as Antietam.
• Gettysburg was the major battle of General Lees
  second invasion into Union territory.
• The Confederates still hoped a victory in
  Northern territory would result in European
  recognition of their cause.
• The Union army was looking to protect eastern
  cities and destroy Lees army.

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Why did the armies fight at Gettysburg?

• The Confederates hoped to strike fear into the
  Northern citizenry by winning a victory near
  Philadelphia.
• The Confederates believed a victory on Northern
  soil would encourage the Northern peace party and
  result in negotiated recognition of their nation.
  

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• The study of the Battle of Gettysburg has
  yielded millions of pages of print. There are
  some facts that are essential to the
  understanding of Gettysburg. Our study is going
  to be focused on the actions and decisions that
  affected the outcome of Gettysburg. We will
  examine pre-battle, day one, day two, day three,
  and post-battle events and details.

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How did individual actions and decisions
determine the battles outcome?

• Pre-Battle Information
• General Lee followed up the victory at
  Chancellorsville by leading his Army of Northern
  Virginia across the Potomac River into Union
  territory.

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How did individual actions and decisions
determine the battles outcome?

• Pre-Battle Information
• Lee decided to undertake the invasion just after
  reorganizing his army and only weeks after the
  death of his most reliable corps commander,
  Stonewall Jackson.

What problems might this decision cause?
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How did individual actions and decisions
determine the battles outcome?Pre-Battle
Information

• As the Union Army pursued Lees forces,
  President Lincoln replaced General Joseph Hooker,
  as commander of Army of Potomac, with General
  George G. Meade. Meade is in command less than
  48 hours before the Battle of Gettysburg began.

MEADE
Was Lincolns decision a major factor in the
battles outcome?
HOOKER
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• Pre-Battle Information
• During the march north, Confederate forces
  separated into several different groups that were
  spread out 5 to 30 miles to the north and west of
  Gettysburg. Several corps of Union troops were
  advancing from the southeast.

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How did individual actions and decisions
determine the battles outcome?

• Pre-Battle Information
• On the evening of June 30, 1863, Union cavalry
  troops under the command of Union General John
  Buford observed Confederate forces west of
  Gettysburg. Buford quickly saw the importance of
  Gettysburg as a crossroads town and decided the
  town was worth a fight. He informed his
  immediate commander General Reynolds of his
  decision and asked for reinforcements.

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How important was Bufords decision of June 30th?
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How did individual actions and decisions
determine the battles outcome?

• Day 1
• On July 1, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg started
  about 530 a.m.
• Bufords cavalry (troops on horse back)
  dismounted and fought as infantry. They
  determined to hold the Confederates as long as
  possible. The fighting started along McPherson
  Ridge and Chambersburg Pike west of town.

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General Reynolds arrived at Gettysburg about 900
a.m. After talking with Buford, he notified
General Meade of his intention to hold the town
and began organizing Union troops for battle.
Day 1
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General John Reynolds was shot about 1000 a.m.
His death caused some disarray among the Union
forces. Day 1 (July 1, 1863)
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• Day 1
• Fierce fighting continued to the west and north
  of town.

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Day 1 Late in the afternoon Union troops were
overwhelmed by the Confederates. The Union
forces retreated through the streets of
Gettysburg with the Confederates in pursuit.
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Day 1 After retreating through Gettysburg, the
Union took up positions southeast of town along
Cemetery Ridge, the best natural defensive
position on the battlefield.
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• What effect did Lees decision have on the
  outcome of the battle?

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Day one left scenes of death and devastation.
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Day 2 (July 2, 1863) General Meade arrived late
in the night. Meade along with General Winfield
Scott Hancock reviewed and organized the Union
troops along Cemetery Ridge.
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Day 2 Beginning at about 530 a.m. General Lee
and his commanders planned an attack on the Union
left flank situated near the high ground at the
base of the Little Round Top.
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Day 2 Troops under the command of General James
Longstreet were to lead the Confederate attack.
Due to a series of delays the attack does not
begin until about 300 p.m.

• Longstreets attack was delayed due to waiting
  for additional troops and because of a long march
  to conceal his men from the Union troops.

What were some possible outcomes of Longstreets
delay?
General James Longstreet
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Day 2 Fierce fighting with heavy casualties
occurred at the southern end of the battlefield
places such as the Peach Orchard
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Day 2 the Wheat Field
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Day 2 Devils Den
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Devils Den
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Day 2 Little Round Top

• The Confederates followed up on their earlier
  attacks with an assault on the Little Round Top.
  Confederates planned to place cannons on the
  Little Round Top and use them to attack the Union
  line.

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Day 2 Little Round Top

• The Union left and possibly the entire Union
  line was saved by a bayonet charge ordered by
  Colonel Joshua Chamberlain of the 20th Maine.

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The Bayonet Charge That Saved the Union
This is the site of the 20th Maines charge.
How important were the actions of Joshua
Chamberlain and the 20th Maine in the outcome of
day two at Gettysburg.
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Modern view from Little Round Top toward Devils
Den and the Wheat Field
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Day 2 (July 2, 1863) In summary

• After a day of horrible fighting and heavy
  casualties, both sides end the day in essentially
  the same positions as which they started.

What actions or decisions on day two of fighting
(July 2, 1863) do you think had the greatest
effects on the outcome of the battle?
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Day 2 The Union Council of War

• After the days fighting concluded Union
  generals met with General Meade to discuss plans.
  After much discussion the generals voted to
  stay and fight it out.

Leister Farm Meades Headquarters
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Day 3 July 3, 1863

• During an early morning ride General Lee told
  General Longstreet of his plan to attack the
  Union center. Longstreet opposed the plan
  because he believed the Union position was too
  strong. Lee proceeded with the plan.

The days battle began when Union artillery began
shelling General Ewells forces on Culps Hill at
about 430 a.m.
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Day 3 The Confederate attack would be known as
Picketts Charge. Not only Picketts division
but Andersons, Pettigrews, and Trimbles
divisions took part in the assault.

• The photo shows the Union line looking toward
  the Confederate lines about one mile away.

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Slightly after 100 p.m. nearly 170 Confederate
cannons began firing on the center of the Union
line. The Union cannons replied and the artillery
battle lasted for nearly two hours.
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Day 3 Picketts Charge

• Just after 300 p.m., General Pickett ordered his
  men to Charge the enemy and remember Old
  Virginia.
• The Confederate attack was concentrated along a
  line from the Bryan Farm to a stone and split
  rail fence that will become known as Bloody
  Angle and from there to a small grove or copse
  of trees.

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Picketts Charge As the Confederates marched
toward the Union line, they were met by an
assortment of artillery shells.
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Picketts Charge The Union troops waited. Some
were crouched low behind an 18 inch tall stone
wall. Others were near or behind trees for
cover. Most laid flat of their bellies waiting
for the order to fire.
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• The Confederates marched about one mile in open
  view of Union artillery and troops.
• Union artillery had bunched the Confederates to
  the center as they reached the Emmitsburg Road.
• As the Confederates stopped to climb or tear down
  the fence along the road, they were mowed down by
  Union canister, musket, and rifle fire.

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• General Lewis Armistead rallied Confederate
  troops by placing his hat on his sword and
  telling the troops to follow him.
• The Confederates briefly broke the Union line
  near the Copse of Trees (called the High Water
  Mark of the Confederacy), but Union
  reinforcements filled the line and forced the few
  remaining Confederate troops to retreat.

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• Picketts Charge and the following retreat lasted
  less than one hour.
• Of the 11,000 men who walked for 16.5 minutes
  across the field, nearly 6,500 of the
  Confederates were killed, wounded, or captured.
• The Battle of Gettysburg was over.

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What were some of the immediate outcomes and
changes that occurred as a result of the Battle
of Gettysburg?

• Gettysburg became the largest Civil War battle
  and it resulted in 51,000 casualties. The number
  of casualties shocked and horrified the nation.
• The many officers killed on both sides left
  terrible gaps in the command structure.
• The Union victory ended the Confederates hopes
  for European recognition and cooled the northern
  peace movement.

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What were some of the immediate outcomes and
changes that occurred as a result of the Battle
of Gettysburg?

• Lees army once again was able to slip across the
  Potomac River into the safety of Virginia.
• Both armies would not be engaged in another major
  battle for months.
• The people of Gettysburg were left with the
  gigantic task of burying the dead and cleaning up
  after the terrible battle.

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What were some of the long term outcomes and
changes that occurred as a result of the Battle
of Gettysburg?

• The loss of one-third of the Confederate Army of
  Northern Virginia ended its ability to mass
  invasions into Northern territory.
• The South could not recover the terrible loss of
  life and resources resulting from Gettysburg.
• The South would now be forced to fight a more
  defensive war than ever that would last for
  another 21 months.

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What were some of the long term outcomes and
changes that occurred as a result of the Battle
of Gettysburg?

• The lull in activity in the East most likely
  resulted in the promotion of General
• U. S. Grant as General-in-Chief of the Union
  Army. Grants style of leadership and
  determination contributed greatly to the Union
  victory in the war.

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What were some of the long term outcomes and
changes that occurred as a result of the Battle
of Gettysburg?

• In November of 1863, President Lincoln traveled
  to Gettysburg to speak at the dedication ceremony
  of the Gettysburg National Cemetery.

Lincoln stayed at the Wills House in Gettysburg.
Cemetery Gate House
Gettysburg Depot
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What were some of the long term outcomes and
changes that occurred as a result of the Battle
of Gettysburg?

• Lincolns Gettysburg Address would provide the
  perspective that many in North were looking for
  to continue fighting until a complete Union
  victory was achieved.

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What were some of the long term outcomes and
changes that occurred as a result of the Battle
of Gettysburg?

• The Union victory at Gettysburg and Lincolns
  Address helped Lincoln secure re-election in
  1864.
• Lincolns re-election resulted in the 13th
  Amendment and other Civil Rights legislation.

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What were some of the long term outcomes and
changes that occurred as a result of the Battle
of Gettysburg?

• The victory at Gettysburg changed the course of
  the war, paved the way for Union victory, helped
  the United States to become a modern industrial
  giant, and world power.

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In Conclusion