Posted on 07/01/2007 5:23:20 AM PDT by mainepatsfan
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.
By evening, the Federal troops rallied on high ground on the southeastern edge of Gettysburg. As more troops arrived, Meade's army formed a three-mile long, fishhook-shaped line running from Culp's Hill on the right flank, along Cemetery Hill and Cemetery Ridge, to the base of Little Round Top.
(Excerpt) Read more at history.com ...
I have been to Gettysburg myself several times.
Can’t EVER get enough of it even though I’m more of a Colonial War and Revolutionary War buff.
There ARE ghosts there. There is something very sacred about that place.
Wish I could retire near there.
The point is, the Union was only one error away from annihilating the Rebs at SEVERAL points. And, moreoever, the Confed generals ALWAYS took higher losses percentage wise-—something that simply isn’t supposed to happen to an army “playing defense.” (again, I exclude Vicksburg-—a 100% surrender-—and Fredericksburg as the only exceptions).
That should be some sort of felony. I am only half kidding.
Yes, interesting that even Hitler recognized that the minute he began to openly admit they were in a total war it would cause as many problems with morale, etc., as it would solve with mobilization. So he tried to “hide” it by not mobilizing the German economy until way too late.
Everything’s easy in hindsight. Ewell didn’t have a clue that there weren’t another two Yankee divisions up by then. Again, this presupposes the other “what if,” that Reynolds isn’t killed early on July 1, in which case, under his leadership, it’s entirely possible there wouldn’t be many Rebels to take the hill in the first place.
Interesting photo! Is the “26th” a designation of the regiment?
Also, as another poster pointed out, that ground would seem to be the worst possible for any kind of infantry advance.
No doubt you are right. Interestingly, as I understand it Cortez had no trouble at all finding allies in his fight. Surrounding Indians absolutely hated the Aztecs because of their habit of kidnapping Indians to feed their demonic rites of torture.
I have been watching Ken Burn's brilliant Civil War documentary, and one of the things mentioned by an old historian is that the North fought the war "with one hand tied behind its back." Some units, he said, hardly saw combat.
But Lee did not play "defense" except at Fredericksburg and Antietam and after the losses in the Wilderness, he had no choice but to play defense. All other times, he was on the offense. Johnston played defense.
Are you sure Ewell didn't know who he was fighting? I think they knew the XI Corps and I Corps were the only ones up... Just as Reynolds knew it was Hill he was fighting.
Of course, it is a fascinating what if to play out to see what would happen if Reynolds had not died. But really, all he had on hand was the XI and I Corps. The XII and III wouldn't arrive until 7:00 pm.
I think Lee lost his mind at Gettysburg. Pickets charge was the ultimate foolishness. While it wouldn’t make any difference in the final outcome of the war Lee, should moved right and fallen back to DC and bleed them white. Perfectly clear in hindsight. I am always impressed with the courage of the soldiers of both sides. Given the tactics and medicine of the time, those folks had some grit. I wonder if I could have been as courageous.
Tell me why you think Pickett’s charge was the ultimate foolishness.
Yes he did. The only things that rendered his defensive tactics obsolete were tanks and airplanes. Lee’s heart trouble was affecting him more and more and the loss of Jackson and independent thinkers like him still didn’t sink in.
Maybe if Lee gave orders, instead of “suggestions”, Ewell would have done more.
Lee went north on a major operation, after re-organizing his Army from two Infantry Corps to three, and after appointing two rookie Corps commanders. Hill was sick for most of the three days, and contributed “zero”. Ewell did the best he could, but coordinating attacks on a nine mile exterior line was hard in those days. Lee’s only seasoned Corps commander’s [Longstreet] Corps was the last one out of the Valley, and wasn’t fully on the field until the night of the 2d [Pickett’s division]. The bulk of the troops from Pickett’s charge came from Hill’s Corps
He used tactical defense and strategic offense at Second Manassas. Interestingly, in most of his battles, Lee lost a higher percentage of his army [not the absolute numbers] than his opponent. Bobby Lee was a major cause of his inability to undertake even large tactical operations after the Wilderness. The South had run out of men to replace the ones he’d burned up.
Crossing over a mile of open ground [slight rise] under the guns of the enemy.Attacking a superior enemy operating on a five mile interior line from a nine mile exterior line. No reserves in place, or contemplated for a followup if the attack was successful. No clear plan as to what was to happen if Pickett broke through. Did I leave anything out?
Well, I think you and I differ on Lee’s ability...
I’m sure you have all your bases covered. I was just asking. Thanks for the information.
Lost a division and good leaders that could not be replaced for no gain. Due to the terrain and principles involved it was very unlikely to be successful in the first place.
Short and sweet, IMHO Pickett's charge was essentially the reverse of the Union situation at Fredricksburg. Long uphill march against an experienced enemy, able to take cover behind a stone wall while your troops are exposed to fire almost continuously. The Union had good interior lines and let’s assume the rebs had taken the position. How would we have held it? How could we have exploited it. The Union could have counter attacked and destroyed the ruminants of Pickett's division easily. This was done because the Confederate leadership truly believed their soldier's were better fighters than Union soldiers. Foolishness. Would you have sent your division up that hill?
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