Posted on 07/02/2007 4:21:52 AM PDT by mainepatsfan
1863 : The second day of battle at Gettysburg
General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia attacks General George G. Meade's Army of the Potomac at both Culp's Hill and Little Round Top, but fails to move the Yankees from their positions.
On the north end of the line, or the Union's right flank, Confederates from General Richard Ewell's corps struggled up Culp's Hill, which was steep and heavily wooded, before being turned back by heavy Union fire. But the most significant action was on the south end of the Union line. General James Longstreet's corps launched an attack against the Yankees, but only after a delay that allowed additional Union troops to arrive and position themselves along Cemetery Ridge. Many people later blamed Longstreet for the Confederates' eventual defeat. Still, the Confederates had a chance to destroy the Union left flank when General Daniel Sickles moved his corps, against Meade's orders, from their position on the ridge to open ground around the Peach Orchard. This move separated Sickles' force from the rest of the Union army, and Longstreet attacked. Although the Confederates were able to take the Peach Orchard, they were repulsed by Yankee opposition at Little Round Top. Some of the fiercest fighting took place on this day, and both armies suffered heavy casualties.
Lee's army regrouped that evening and planned for one last assault against the Union center on July 3. That attack, Pickett's charge, would represent the high tide of Confederate fortunes.
That question has baffled historians for over a century.
Wow. Great pic!
Ive been on a couple with my daughter when she was a teen. She enjoyed them. Not really spooky, but it was fun to walk around Gettysburg at night and listen to the stories.
My favorite was the walking tour of Seminary Ridge after sunset. It was fun walking the Lutheran Seminary grounds and listening to stories like I said, not very scary. Its definitely PG, if you have children or grandchildern over 8, theyd love it.
Hood’s boys put up one heck of a fight
How long do they take?
Yes, indeed. You don't really get the sense of how foolish it was unless you stand there and look at the expanse that the confederates had to cross against fortified union positions. It is a LONG walk.
I have a theory as to why, but it’s heresy in the South to say it out loud.
Pride?
Talk about some tough terrain to advance through.
I thought it was heresy just to suggest it was a bad decision.
Actually pretty simple; Lee's overconfidence in his men and underestimating his enemy.
I think Lee knew the South would eventually lose and I think he wanted to bring the war to a quick conclusion.
“We are awash in a sea of blood and I want it to end”
It’s the only thing that makes sense. I don’t think Lee planned on the high number of deaths, but he had to have known that charging the center of the federal line was doomed to fail.
I disagree. Lee was a tactical genius. He did not over estimate his enemies and he knew exactly what he was up against.
Well, I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on that one. I can’t fathom Robert E. Lee losing on purpose.
I’ll stick with my supposition: He was prideful enough to think he couldn’t lose.
Not that he didn’t have some history to back it up.
But, as the scripture says, “Pride goes before destruction.”
Very true. It may have been that he knew it was long odds, but he felt like he had no choice. Also remember that the loss of Jackson hit Lee very hard.
Maybe 2 hours?? My memory is getting bad, LOL.
You start at sunset, so obviously when you finish varies. IIRC we were back to the motel by 10:00 10:30.
Well you have to consider that Lee was a military genius. He was also an extremely religious and humble man, like Thomas Jackson so I’m not sure it was pride. I guess we’ll never know until we get up there and ask him lol.
I agree with you there.
He did not over estimate his enemies and he knew exactly what he was up against.
Not on the afternoon of July 3, 1863.
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