Battle of Gettysburg - 1186 Words

The Battle of Gettysburg was fought by the largest number of soldiers, totaling 172,000 young men (â€Å"American Civil War†). During the Civil War, our nation was divided by the North (Union Army) and the South (Confederate Army) for opposing viewpoints on slavery and states’ rights. The Battle of Gettysburg was fought over three long, arduous days. The soldiers struggled under their respected generals in a 25 mile battle zone (â€Å"American Civil War†). This battle was a triumphant victory and a heart-wrenching loss for the troops of the Yankee North and Rebel South. The complexity of the Battle of Gettysburg brought together two fronts whose decisions and commitment would determine its outcome. Many generals commanded forces during this†¦show more content†¦On the other hand, the Confederates retained control of only Seminary Ridge. This setback for the South was likely the result of General Ewell’s failure to follow Lee’s command (King 15- 17). Despite this, the Rebel’s morale remained optimistic as they initiated the fighting on the following morning (King 18). Union forces retaliated and saved their position until one of General Meade’s commanders staged his own offensive battle (Appleby, Joyce 486; King 22). This Union general was Dan Sickles. By moving his position without consulting General Meade, a â€Å"bulge† was created. This foolish mistake allowed 1,600 Confederate soldiers to rush the Union line to overtake Peach Orchard, capturing 1,000 Yankee prisoners (King 22). Another Union Army general, G.K. Warren, secured and protected a hill called Little Round Top before Confederates claimed it which helped combat the loss from Sickle’s blunder (â€Å"American Civil War†). At this point in the Battle of Gettysburg, both North and South sustained large numbers of casualties. The Southern casualties roughly totaled 7,000 of 22,000 troops. The North suffered even more by losing 15,000 soldiers. Both sides needed to re-evaluate their battle strategies. Lee thought victory for the South was possible with better timing and artillery. Conversely, Meade and his other Union generals decided to stay in their current position and continue the battle (King 22). After dawn on July 3, 1863, Union soldiers fired uponShow MoreRelatedThe Battle Of Gettysburg At Gettysburg1100 Words   |  5 PagesOver the last 153 years Gettysburg, has moved from honoring those who fought and died during the battle at Gettysburg to preserve the battlefield. Gettysburg went through two phases of change. The first phase happened between 1863 –1938 and the second phase happened in 1938 when the War Department transferred the administration of Gettysburg to the National Park Service. During the first phase the National Cemetery was built in Gettysburg for the creation of a proper burial of their now dead sonsRead MoreGettysburg : The Battle Of Gettysburg943 Words   |  4 Pages GETTYSBURG Introduction This is a brief thought of the events that came to unfold. Some say that Gettysburg was the battle that stopped the confederate advance to the north. In addition, that Lee only wanted to take the battle out the state of Virginia that had been hit rather hard by the unions Army . In this review of the Battle of Gettysburg, we will discuss the key events that people believed that allowed the Union Armies to cause the retrograde actions of the confederate forcesRead MoreThe Battle of Gettysburg950 Words   |  4 PagesJune 29, 1863, the day before the most memorable battle in history took place. The Battle of Gettysburg would become the major outcome of the Civil War. What happened in the following three days has greatly impacted todays society. 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This goal was to preserve the UnionRead MoreThe Battle of Gettysburg Essay1398 Words   |  6 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg was the major turning point of the Civil War. The confederate army was led by General Robert E. Lee, an experienced, educated, and extremely successful career military officer. He was second in his class at WestPoint, as well as a valuable asset during the Mexican War. When Virginia seceded from the Union, Abraha m Lincoln initially asked General Lee to lead the Union Army. General Lee declined the position offered by Lincoln due to his loyalty to him home state1. GeneralRead MoreEssay on The Battle of Gettysburg1316 Words   |  6 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg General William T. Sherman put it best when he said War is Hell( Foote 1 ). The Civil War was the largest war fought on American soil. Over a million lives were lost and millions more were affected. Billions of dollars were spent by the United States and billions were spent by the Confederate States to fund this war. Three days were spent in the month of July of 1863 in pure hell. The largest battle of the Civil War was fought near a small town in Pennsylvania.Read MoreThe Battle of Gettysburg Essay994 Words   |  4 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg, fought from July 1 through July 3, 1863, marked a turning point in the Civil War. This is the most famous and important Civil War Battle that occurred, around the small market town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Most importantly Gettysburg was the clash between the two major American Cultures of there time: the North and the South. The causes of the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg, one must understand the differences between