Gettysburg

Now, finally, we have seen the biggest battle of the Civil War. I realize I am skipping some events of our journey, but if you would like to know more you can see some of my parent's posts (and some written by me, as well) on their blog.


First thing we did upon arrival was go to the bookstore and buy an audio tour. We have found that these offer a very helpful and educational tour of the battlefield. This case was no exception. The tour was very informative and interesting. I would highly recommend buying these to anyone looking for a short but in-depth look at the battlefield.


First we visited McPherson Ridge, the first skirmish of the three-day battle. We would eventually take a long drive throughout the entire battlefield. Here is a short summary of the story of everything we saw:


First, the Confederates under Lee attacked a division of Federal cavalry. The Union under Meade won that confrontation, but that was the only positive side to the day for the Union. After heavy fighting on both McPherson and Oak ridge, the Union forces received reinforcements and retreated to a fishhook position all along a ridge from Little Round Top to Spangler's spring. With this fishhook formation in place, Meade could send reserves to any point that required them. This strategy is still viewed as one of the most effective military strategies ever. When Longstreet tried to thrust through the Federal lines at Little Round Top and the Wheat field on the second day, he was repulsed. Also, coincidentally, those were also the bloodiest skirmishes of the battle. Lee also ordered attacks to commence on both flanks. These also failed. This made up the main events of the second day.

On the third day, Lee realized he was going to have to break the Union defenses or retreat. He tried both, and only succeeded in one. He decided that the Union center seemed to be the least defended, so he ordered a mass charge to strike the Union center covered by an artillery barrage. This is the famous Pickett's Charge. This strategy would have worked if the artillery had come through. But after the first barrage, the smoke from the guns was so thick that the gunners couldn't see what they were hitting. To save ammunition, they stopped firing. Also, the Union soldiers were expecting the charge and set up a terrible volley of gunfire. Cannons loaded with canister shot unloaded into the enemy ranks. Volley after volley poured from the Union's muskets. Then, once the confederates reached the walls, they were faced by more than twice their number in bayonets. But, once they realized that they were overcome, the Confederate forces ran back down the hill, once again peppered by the Union guns. Of 15,000 that charged up the hill, only 5,000 would make it back down. Lee watched his men slowly trickle back to the safety of the Confederate lines. Lee then made the decision to retreat.

With this, the Union was safe, and the Confederacy broken. Lee would never again try for a campaign into Union territory. Most historians consider this to be the turning point of the war.

When I saw the number of casualties inflicted during this battle (51,000 on both sides), I thought about how unstoppable these two forces could be if they were united. As it was, thousands of Americans died fighting other Americans. Not to say that the Civil War was not necessary, however. The war eventually unified all the states, not just North or South, but all of America. However, it is just a pity that so many had to die to that end.

I have to say, Gettysburg is probably the most well-preserved battlefield. Unlike some of the other battlefields we have seen, Gettysburg is the only place where I have been able to visualize where each regiment was and their role in the battle. This is probably due to the hundreds of monuments erected to each regiment and general that played a part in this battle. Here are a few of these:

Above is the Valley of Death. The name is rather self-explanatory. The name is the result of a Confederate charge up Little Round top that was intercepted by a Union regiment. The Confederates were taken completely by surprise and were decimated.
Above is a picture of Devil's Den, an odd arrangement of big rocks that were fought for almost through the entire battle. The formation served as a command post for the failed taking of Little Round top.

Above and below are monuments to the 22nd Maine, which saved the Union line under Joshua Laurence Chamberlain, who rushed to Little Round Top when he was informed of it's possible taking by the Confederates. He successfully held them back and routed them with a bayonet charge. This decisive action probably saved the Union line.
Below is a statue of the man himself, Joshua Laurence Chamberlain:








Below is a monument to the Confederate Major General Lee, where he was positioned during the famous Pickett's charge. Below is a monument to the Confederate (North Carolina) troops who participated in Pickett's charge, sculpted by none other then the same man who carved Mount Rushmore, Gutzon Borglum. And finally, here is a picture of the Eternal Peace memorial, erected in memory of the entire Civil war, in hopes that such a war may never happen again.