The Battle of Gettysburg (3rd Day)

pekin.net ^ | Jon Meinen, Renee Bussone, and Rachel Smith

[mware]

The final day of battle.

Perhaps Lee's greatest military blunder.

[mware]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iT0Hmu5bXY&feature=related

[mware]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiDumCX_Pr8&feature=related

[ClearCase_guy]

Both sides clamed

I should think so!

[mware]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZWAmsdGBiE

[tcrlaf]

Stewart’s cavalry arriving in the rear, just as Pickett reached the ridge...

If not for Custer’s headlong charge into a much larger force, it would be a very different world, today...

[carton253]

bump

[mware]

Post #5 is from Gettysburg.

It features "We are all Virginians"

It also show a cameo appearance by Ken Burns.

[massgopguy]

“Give’em Cold Steel boys”.

[mware]

THAT'S THE STYLE, LO, THAT'S THE STYLE.

[mware]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUVpnM49v5A&feature=related

Segment from Ken Burns, The Civil War

The Civil War /Pickett's Charge/Gettysburg part 2

[Redleg Duke]

General Lee was a fine soldier and a good and decent man, but he was afflicted with “Victory Disease”. He couldn’t accept anything other than his army would carry the day. And, he didn’t listen to Longstreet and flank the Union lines past Big Round Top, because he believed that his troops could punch through the Union lines.

[MplsSteve]

I think that striking at the center of the Union line was the only viable option left for Lee. He had struck on both flanks and came up with nothing.

But at the same time, it was not much of an option. He had to send his troops across an large open field where they’d be subject to artillery fire and then when closer, rifle fire.

The next question to ask is “What if Lee had made a clean and solid break in the Union line?” He didn’t have the troops to exploit that opening. Maybe he was counting (or hoping) that the Union army would not be able to mount a counter-attack due to the confusion.

Maybe Lee launched the attack because it would have been unfeasible for him to disengage and head back to Virginia. Maybe he trusted his troops too much. After all, they had rarely failed him in combat.

Who knows? But it’s all very interesting to consider the possibilities.

[mware]

I recall the segment on the Civil War, I believe a link is at post #11, where Shelby Foote mentioned that there wasn't a soldier on the Southern side that didn't know that the charge was a mistake.

But they attacked anyway.

Kind of reminds me of the charges at Fredickburg by Union forces. I believe Joshua Chamberlain was in that battle too.

[mware]

Sorry about that. I missed the last word, "victory"

..and yes, they spelled claimed wrong.

[NavyCanDo]

Take away the horrible acting by the main characters and some poorly written script the film “Gettysburg” was stunning to watch.

[gate2wire]

Yes, Chamberlain was at Fredericksburg.

[mware]

Some of the beards were out there, but I think they got Chamberlain spot on. Jeff Daniels did a good job in portraying him. He did a good job in portraying George Washington in another movie.

[Michael.SF.]

Maybe Lee .... Maybe

Lee was smart enough to knew that winning was a long shot against the North (who had more of everything) and that in order to succeed he had to take some long shots. This was a long shot, one that missed.

Recall also that the plan included a long cannonade of the Union line which was supposed to wreak havoc on the part of the line that Pickett was headed for.

The cannonade over shot the target and the plan fell apart.

[NavyCanDo]

My best friend who is spending his vacation 2000 miles away in Gettysburg called me yesterday, him standing in front of the monument to the NC soldiers, knowing I had some distant cousins in the 11th NC Inf. Rubbing it in that he is there and I'm not. Damn Yankee. He at least better bring me back a minnie ball. And one that he dug up himself, not some souvenir shop made-in-china copy.