That will make my next visit a little more personal.
Posted on 07/01/2009 6:12:42 AM PDT by mainepatsfan
July 1, 1863 The Battle of Gettysburg begins
The largest military conflict in North American history begins this day when Union and Confederate forces collide at Gettysburg. The epic battle lasted three days and resulted in a retreat to Virginia by Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.
Two months prior to Gettysburg, Lee had dealt a stunning defeat to the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville. He then made plans for a Northern invasion in order to relieve pressure on war-weary Virginia and to seize the initiative from the Yankees. His army, numbering about 80,000, began moving on June 3. The Army of the Potomac, commanded by Joseph Hooker and numbering just under 100,000, began moving shortly thereafter, staying between Lee and Washington, D.C. But on June 28, frustrated by the Lincoln administration's restrictions on his autonomy as commander, Hooker resigned and was replaced by George G. Meade.
Meade took command of the Army of the Potomac as Lee's army moved into Pennsylvania. On the morning of July 1, advance units of the forces came into contact with one another just outside of Gettysburg. The sound of battle attracted other units, and by noon the conflict was raging. During the first hours of battle, Union General John Reynolds was killed, and the Yankees found that they were outnumbered. The battle lines ran around the northwestern rim of Gettysburg. The Confederates applied pressure all along the Union front, and they slowly drove the Yankees through the town.
(Excerpt) Read more at history.com ...
Thanks for the post! Gonna read it while doing this root canal on Ms Finkle....
If I can get my DVD player to work properly, I want to watch Civil War this weekend... or at least Gettysburg.
If I can get my DVD player to work properly, I want to watch Civil War this weekend... or at least Gettysburg.
I think this was the battle where the townsfolk nearby brought their picnics to watch the battle - until they were IN the battle and skedaddled outta there.
The ultimate what-if question is whether the outcome of the battle would have been different had Stonewall Jackson not been mortally wounded at Chancellorsville?
IIRC, it was Ewell’s Corps that did not move against Cemetery Hill as quickly as they could and should have, thus allowing the Union troops to occupy it and solidify their position.
It was always my impression that Lee wanted a battle at a time and place of his choosing and the inability of the ANV to control the high ground forced him into improvising an offensive plan.
"Straight as the needle to the poll he went to the effectuation of my purpose" RE Lee on hearing of Jackson's death.
But Jackson was not there on the evening of the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg and so Culp's Hill was not taken and the entire course of the war probably went a different way.
I think that you are referring to First Bull Run (1861). Most of the people around Gettysburg (1863) were either hiding their livestock or hunkered down in their cellars to avoid arty. The novelty of War had kinda worn off over the course of 2 years of combat.
I think that you are referring to First Bull Run (1861). Most of the people around Gettysburg (1863) were either hiding their livestock or hunkered down in their cellars to avoid arty. The novelty of War had kinda worn off over the course of 2 years of combat.
I think that IF the CSA had taken Culps Hill on the first day, the entire Union position would have been invalidated. The AoP would have withdrawn into northern Maryland in all likelihood. Question is: would Lee have pursued? Or would he have ‘summered’ in PA around Harrisburg as he originally intended?
In my opinion he would had to have pursued. The Union Cavalry force after Brandy Station was too dangerous to his extended lines of supply. Lee would have had to force a battle wherever the AoP took up defensive positions.
I think a bit different, that he could have summered around Harrisburg, very rich farm country, allowed Virginia farmers to get their crops grown and harvested and relieved the pressure. Then in late summer, he could have decided, if the war was even still on, what next? Philadelphia, a move that would sever DC from the rest of the nation would have been a good choice, because the Feds likely would have been dug in good in front of DC by then. In any case, the war would have likely ended by the fall and history would be radically different for all of us.
the old brain... Manassas is exactly it!
Maybe we should put the NEW Congress critters on the front line for the new civil war...
It would have been an interesting Campaign of Maneuver instead of the set-piece, 3-day slugfest it became. Lee would have really missed Jackson in that scenario. Lee’s Lieutenants weren’t as good as they had been and needed greater supervision. On the other hand, the AoP Corps commanders had gained a lot of valuable OJT and were getting pretty competent.
No, that was first Manassass, though it happened at other battles as well.
I believe the South captured one of the congresscritters, threatened him, cuffed him about a bit, but eventually released him.
I think he would have pursued. Unlike Hannibal (and McClellan), Lee knew what to do with a victory.
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