Posted on 07/03/2005 6:53:20 AM PDT by timpad
Now, on July 3, Lee decided to attack the Union center, stationed on Cemetery Ridge, after making another unsuccessful attempt on the Union right flank at Culp's Hill in the morning. The majority of the force consisted of Pickett's division, but there were other units represented among the 15,000 attackers.
After a long Confederate artillery bombardment, the Rebel force moved through the open field and up the slight rise of Cemetery Ridge. But by the time they reached the Union line, the attack had been broken into many small units, and they were unable to penetrate the Yankee center.
The failed attack effectively ended the battle of Gettysburg. On July 4, Lee began to withdraw his forces to Virginia. The casualties for both armies were staggering. Lee lost 28,000 of his 75,000 soldiers, and Union losses stood at over 22,000. It was the last time Lee threatened Northern territory.
In the reenactment of Gettysburg 50 years later, by the original participants, when it came to reenacting Picket's Charge they had some 70 year old geezers on crutches and wooden legs lurching across the cornfield. The guys on the hill could only watch so long and then they ran down the hill to meet them.
Ummm....Is it possible that you meant Culps Hill, or Cemetery Hill. To the best of my recollection Ewell' s second corps wasn't anywhere near Little Round Top.
No they could have easily gotten up to Little Round Top. They were coming down from the north (Harrisburg) and would have gotten to the Round Tops right when they reached Cemetery Hill. Then the Union would have been forced to withdraw and make the fight south of Gettysburg, towards South Mountain, Waynesboro, Hagerstown or Frederick.
If Heth had been able to push Buford quicker, then the same could have happened, but they were bottled up on the road coming from Chambersburg and had some issues there too.
Unless you made that statement "toungue in cheek", then I suggest you find another thread more to your liking. If you weren't serious, then I apologize.
We thoroughly enjoyed that movie, Mike. We've watched so many documentaries and War of Northern Aggression movies lately, but Daniel's portrayal of Chamberlain is etched in my memory forever. Being totally pro-Southern, Chamberlain, in all I have read and seen has certainly won my respect.
AMEN! Hub commented that Sheen's portrayal made Gen. Lee look buffoonish at times. I have to agree. (Hmmm, maybe I was going into the movie with a bias against Sheen.......recon'?) *~*
well I couldnt tell that you weren't totally pro southern or anything with your War of Northern Aggression blast in the first sentence :-P
well my dad's side of the family comes from Eastern Tennessee and the accents are somewhat simliar, but not the same.
Sheen made Lee sound like a bumpkin or something. General Lee most certainly DID NOT sound like a bumpkin in real life.
Except that the movie was so damn PC. Same for "Gods and Generals."
Ignore the Thread Nanny.
I have said the books were better....
ignore yourself...
HeeHee........if you saw the CD's Hub and I have been watching for the last tow days, you'd say the "War of Northern Agression" too. It wasn't a Civil War in the true sense of the word. You and several other freepers have really impressed me with your knowledge of the W of NA. Perhaps I might get some opinions from ya'll in the future. *~*
Whatever, n00b.
A bumpkin he was not..........indeed you are right, Mike. The man's character and expertise couldn't be duplicated. General Lee was a true hero. Breaks my heart he wasn't the victor.
yeah...
As one part of my family comes from Michigan and the other part comes from Tennessee, I just see it as the American Civil War personally.
But I can clearly see how the South would see it was an aggressive war, but they DID fire first, and, ironically enough, last for that matter in Texas :)
LOL
righto....
Both the North and the South had men like that.
Unfortunately quite a few of them died.
Mike, had you heard that before the war, the Radical Republicans were going to kick the South out of the union as soon as Lincoln was elected? If this is true and I have no reason to doubt, (it's in the Congressional record), the South's days were numbered anyway. I HATE that they acted too soon and gave Lincoln what he wanted.
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