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This Day in History|July 3rd, 1863 - Pickett leads his infamous charge at Gettysburg
The History Channel ^ | July 3rd, 2005 | The History Channel

Posted on 07/03/2005 6:53:20 AM PDT by timpad

July 3, 1863:
 
Troops under Confederate General George Pickett begin a massive attack against the center of the Union lines at Gettysburg on the climactic third day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the largest engagement of the war. General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia encountered George Meade's Army of the Potomac in Pennsylvania and battered the Yankees for two days. The day before Pickett's charge, the Confederates had hammered each flank of the Union line but could not break through.

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.


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: dixie; gettysburg; militaryhistory
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To: MikeinIraq

Infantile.


61 posted on 07/04/2005 5:48:40 AM PDT by sauropod (Polite political action is about as useful as a miniskirt in a convent -- Claire Wolfe)
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To: Dawgreg

From what I have read, Lincoln DIDN'T want the war nor did he want to punish the South as much as most of the Republican party did at the time.

I don't know if they wanted to kick the South out more than they wanted to Punish the South. Considering how politicians are, I do think the punish crowd was probably stronger.

Lincoln's Assassination made the reconstruction much worse than it would/should have been.....


62 posted on 07/04/2005 5:49:09 AM PDT by MikefromOhio (Sleep in peace, comrades dear...)
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To: Dawgreg

I have been acquiring (and reading with great pleasure) the official records of the War of Rebellion (so it has been titled.).


63 posted on 07/04/2005 5:49:49 AM PDT by sauropod (Polite political action is about as useful as a miniskirt in a convent -- Claire Wolfe)
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To: sauropod

Thank you. That is what that n00b comment is going to generate from me EVERY TIME.

now take that "I've been here longer so I am more right" attitude and shove it somewhere.....


64 posted on 07/04/2005 5:50:07 AM PDT by MikefromOhio (Sleep in peace, comrades dear...)
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To: MikeinIraq

Last soldier died in Texas........what was it? About 1 or 2 months AFTER Appromattox Courthouse?


65 posted on 07/04/2005 5:50:16 AM PDT by Dawgreg (Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.)
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To: Dawgreg

there was a final battle between Union and Confederate Cavalry. It is unknown if they knew of the armistice or not, but they did have a battle. The CSA won it by the way.


66 posted on 07/04/2005 5:51:08 AM PDT by MikefromOhio (Sleep in peace, comrades dear...)
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To: MikeinIraq

Then don't act like a infantile jerk and hassle good FReepers like B4Ranch (who's done more good on this forum than you'll ever think of doing).

Begone before I throw you into my transmogrifying Twit Filter (tm).


67 posted on 07/04/2005 5:53:04 AM PDT by sauropod (Polite political action is about as useful as a miniskirt in a convent -- Claire Wolfe)
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To: sauropod

LOL

infantile jerk?

Thanks :)

You just made my day. Don't go away mad, just go away.


68 posted on 07/04/2005 5:57:04 AM PDT by MikefromOhio (Sleep in peace, comrades dear...)
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To: sauropod

69 posted on 07/04/2005 5:59:52 AM PDT by MikefromOhio (Sleep in peace, comrades dear...)
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To: MikeinIraq

Good grief! Reconstruction is a whole other thread. Just 11 more years of punishment for the South........punishment for what they legally and constitutionally had the right to do.......secede.


70 posted on 07/04/2005 6:10:00 AM PDT by Dawgreg (Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.)
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To: MikeinIraq

I know.........ironic isn't it?


71 posted on 07/04/2005 6:11:46 AM PDT by Dawgreg (Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.)
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To: Dawgreg

yeah...that is one area of the Constitution that is, depending on who you ask, either lacking in clarity, or perfect as written.

I think either interpretation got a lot of men killed.

The Civil War happened when people stopped talking and being rational and starting acting emotionally. Both sides did it. It is happening again but it is no where near that level (yet).....


72 posted on 07/04/2005 6:11:57 AM PDT by MikefromOhio (Sleep in peace, comrades dear...)
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To: Dawgreg

pretty much until Sheridan came East and consequently with JEB Stuart dead, the Union didn't use their Cavalry correctly.

But since the Confederates couldn't knock out the US that quickly, it is amazing (and a tribute too) the skill that the warriors the CSA had in fighting that war.


73 posted on 07/04/2005 6:14:20 AM PDT by MikefromOhio (Sleep in peace, comrades dear...)
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To: MikeinIraq
The Civil War happened when people stopped talking and being rational and starting acting emotionally. Both sides did it. It is happening again but it is no where near that level (yet).....

Spiraling contests of rhetoric and infammatory speech has a history of leading to equally ill-considered deeds. We see such speech today (most clearly from the left), and it is only a matter of time before it becomes acts. I think it is only the lack of the geographic sectionalism, despite the Red-Blue state ideal, that has prevented it so far.

Happy Independence Day Mike.

74 posted on 07/04/2005 6:18:48 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Now that taglines are cool, I refuse to have one.)
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To: MikeinIraq

Mike I stand corrected, but didn't all the states demand a secession clause in the ratification process of their particular state? I still contend the South had every right to exercise it's Constitutional right to secede, ....although emotions during this time were indeed running high.......so many let their emotions over-take their clear thinking and good judgement.




75 posted on 07/04/2005 6:33:27 AM PDT by Dawgreg (Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.)
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To: Tijeras_Slim

that and our focus has really been overseas since World War 2.

The Iron curtain, then Desert Storm and the subsequent issues in the ME have more or less distracted much of the US population....at least IMO....

and the Left is all about that type of rhetoric. Some on the far right do it, but no where NEAR what the left does. Thank you Karl Marx.....


76 posted on 07/04/2005 6:34:55 AM PDT by MikefromOhio (Sleep in peace, comrades dear...)
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To: Dawgreg

Honestly I don't know....

I am sure some of them did though....

I would have to check honestly.


77 posted on 07/04/2005 6:35:56 AM PDT by MikefromOhio (Sleep in peace, comrades dear...)
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To: MikeinIraq

I've often thought about how the South was such an under dog when entering this war. They didn't come close to the factoryies, shipyards and the like.........and to be able to hold the North off for 4 years is a testament to those men and their commanders.


78 posted on 07/04/2005 6:37:12 AM PDT by Dawgreg (Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.)
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To: Dawgreg

yep...

the Union had capable commanders, but they weren't facing Lee and they were hamstrung by politics and DC.

The same thing happened to US in Vietnam about 100 years later.....except the numbers and the battles were much more lopsided to the US that time around.....


79 posted on 07/04/2005 6:40:00 AM PDT by MikefromOhio (Sleep in peace, comrades dear...)
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To: MikeinIraq

Wouldn't it be nice if the politicians would just leave us alone? Wouldn't it be nice if they would just leave war to the military experts? Wouldn't it be nice if I had a trillion dollars?.......I'd come closer to getting my trillion that see those pompous, bloated, know-nothing politicans on Crapitol Hill let that happen.


80 posted on 07/04/2005 7:00:27 AM PDT by Dawgreg (Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.)
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