The Battle of Gettysburg

The United States has not always been united. In fact, our country survived intact the greatest civil war in World History between 1861-1863, and almost a million US soldiers from both the Union Army led by Ulysses S. Grant, and the Confederate Army, led by General Robert E. Lee, perished in the war. The ongoing disagreement over the topic of slavery, between the Union who wanted to ban slavery and the Confederate who depended on slavery, is what caused the Civil War. To understand the great drama of the Civil War, one should know this term: antebellum. It is Latin for “before war” and without understanding where America was before a shot had been fired, the entire war will be seen as a waste of time.

The antebellum South is a curious period of national growth in the history of the USA, and it is one that operated fairly successfully for a number of decades. But, as we all know, the South has the great stain of slavery upon it, and though there were positive elements of this society, it must never be forgotten that the South lost the war, and in that vein, “the spoils of war go to the victors”.  For the future of the United States, the Union victory was the best outcome. Although the South depended a lot on slaves, it was finally best that slaves were freed, and we are doing fine without them. We are a United States today because of the victory of the Union forces.

Life in antebellum South: well, there were riches, splendid plantations and wealth for much of society – except for negroes. There were some plantations in the Deep South where the most atrocious and desperate violence occurred – indeed, other slave-holding nations and plantation owners (from Haiti and other nations) were shocked by the South by their inhumane and barbaric treatment of slaves.

In December 1845, Texas became a part of the United States when

Sam Houston, the American commander, told Santa Anna, the Mexican leader, after capturing him, that if he didn’t declare Texas independent, they would end his life. What was Santa Anna supposed to do?

Of course Santa Anna decided to sign the papers giving Texas’ independence and eventually becoming a part of the US. In 1846, the Mexican American War was the conflict between the US and Mexico from dispute over whether Texas was to be claimed by Mexico or the US? America and Mexico disagreed on where the border should end. That border is now what we now know as the Rio Grande.  The war took place between April 25, 1846- February 2, 1848, leaving 17,000 dead and thousands more wounded. By the end, Mexico ceded to the United States bounteous territory, including New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas and part of Colorado. This left Mexico with more than half of their territory lost, the US gaining control over most of the West and Texas.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo  was the agreement of Mexico to give up half of their land for 15 million dollars, worth half a billion in today’s dollars. Even worse for the Mexicans, the Americans the very next year found billions of dollars of gold and silver in the newly acquired land. Ever hear of the San Francisco ‘49ers? Why are they called that?

Later on, in the 1880s, Mexico ended up selling another little chunk of desert land to the US for 10 million dollars so that the US could connect Texas by a railroad to the West.

In the 1860 election, Abraham Lincoln was elected as the very first Republican president. Here’s a little more about Lincoln for those who don’t know much about him: Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. He was in office for four years from March 4th, 1861 to April 15th, 1865. The Vice President at the time was Hannibal Hamlin and then Andrew Johnson. Although I bet he enjoyed his time as President, he was later assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Booth was strong supporter of slavery and he believed that Lincoln was determined to overthrow the South and ban slavery. 

Abe had tried to keep slavery out of the new territories during his time at the Illinois House of Representatives (1834-1842). But before the Civil War, the government came up with many laws but… most did not pass. The Wilmot Proviso of 1846 (concurrent with the outbreak of the Mexican-American War) was a law proposed to completely ban slavery from taking root in the new territory. David Wilmot, a United States Representative, United States Senator from Pennsylvania, and a Judge of the Court of Claims, spent two years fighting for his plan. After many attempts, even on a 2 million dollar budget from the House, it could only get past the House but couldn’t get past the Senate. Then again, it came up in 1847 and did not have any better luck. In 1848, Wilmot tried again to enter the Wilmot Proviso into the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo but, you guessed it, it failed. With low expectations, he entered it into the Compromise of 1850 and it was finally included! The South did not approve of this law because they depended a lot on slaves. However, this was the beginning of first serious discussions of banning slavery. From there, they came up with more laws including Popular Sovereignty which meant that each state got to vote if their state would allow slavery. The Dred Scott v. Sandford case, arguing against the Fugitive Slave Act, meant that slaves from slave states who went to free states were still considered slaves. As we see, the topic of slaves was popular in discussion and the government was busy coming up with rules regarding slaves in slave states and slaves in free states. The Wilmot Proviso, the Dred Scott v Sandford case, and Popular Sovereignty were the messy events that defined this prelude to war.

The South, also known as the Confederate States of America, decided that they should secede from the Union which allowed them to govern themselves. Here is the Confederate States of America’s flag:

Being a new country, they needed a new president, and they elected Jefferson Davis. Jefferson Davis became president of the Confederate states on February 22, 1862. He had served in the United States Army as a first lieutenant Colonel, then was elected as a United States senator from Mississippi. Davis and his Vice President Alexander H. Stephens led the Confederate States of America. 

What kicked off the war was when the Confederates attacked Fort Sumter in Charleston Bay. On that day, the Confederates, consisting of 6 states at that time, “opened fire on the Federal garrison and forced it to lower the American flag in surrender.” Later, four more slave states joined the Confederates. By the end of 1861, nearly 1 million armed men enlisted, from Virginia to Missouri.  

The bombardment of Fort Sumter (the Battle of Fort Sumter) took place on April 12th and 13th, 1861, in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. It is most famous for being the site of the first shots of the Civil War. Fort Sumter was a man-made island that was one of the three fortifications in Charleston Harbor. The Union occupied the fort. When President Lincoln announced that he was going to resupply the fort, the Confederates decided to attack it. However, soon, P.G.T Beauregard, who trained alongside many others at the West Point Military, served for 23 years in the US Army, awarded a Brevet Major,

, ordered the Union to surrender Fort Sumter and leave. Major Robert Anderson, the Union commander who also attended the United States Military Academy and fought in Black Hawk War, Second Seminole War, and the Mexican American war, declined this order… which then led to a bombardment of Fort Sumter, and a 34-hour exchange of artillery fire followed. After the firing back and forth, Anderson was forced to try to negotiate a deal because of lack of supplies – they were under siege! Eventually, Confederates took control of Fort Sumter and they stayed there for most of the Civil War. Today, there is a Fort Sumter monument which is completely surrounded by water. The Confederates won the fort and they occupied it for the next four years. Avoiding several attacks by the Union, they eventually had to abandon the fort just before the capture of William T. Sherman in 1865. 

The first major battle of the Civil War was the Battle of Bull Run which started when the 35,000 Union troops under the new Brigadier General Irvin McDowell marched from the federal capital in Washington to strike the Confederate troops consisting of about 20,000 men. General Irvin McDowell had earned command of the I Corps of the Army of the Potomac.  Before really learning about this battle, you might think that this battle includes bulls running but you are sadly mistaken. Bull Run is just the name of the small river where the battle took place. When the Confederates were able to break the Union’s right flank, the Union had no choice but to retreat to Washington. The Confederates’ victory gave them a boost of confidence and many people in the North realized that this war was not going to be easily won and it wouldn’t end as fast as they had imagined.

In the above map, one can see that the Union Army was split and had some maneuvering to do, and that the Confederates were able to consolidate and beat the Union to a retreat. 

On January 1st, 1863, I imagine President Lincoln must have been so tired of the war and ready for it to be over. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation which declared that “all persons held as slaves henceforward shall be free.” However, this entirely depended on the Union military victory. The Emancipation Proclamation only applied to the states that had seceded from the United States. The Emancipation Proclamation, on paper, ended up freeing the around 4 million slaves in the United States when he signed it. Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not fully end slavery as the war was underway, it did change many people and the focused the “character of the war”. Even better, the Proclamation allowed black men to be accepted into the military and by the end of the war, over 200,000 black men had fought in the war. The Proclamation completely changed the purpose of the war for the one and only reason: to end slavery.

During the Battle of Gettysburg, the Union was led by General George G. Meade. Meade was born on December 31st, 1815 in Spain. Cool birthday- you don’t see lots of people who are born on the last day of a year. General Meade led the Union to victory. He was a United States Army Officer as well as an engineer. He previously served in the Second Seminole War and the Mexican American War. Earlier in his career, before joining the Army, he constructed many lighthouses. He gained the nickname of “Old Snapping Turtle” because of his short temper. On his birthday in 1840, he married his wife Margaretta Sergeant and together, they had seven children. He served in the Battle of Gettysburg and then later died in 1872, at only 56, due to his war wounds and pneumonia. 

The Confederate States of America were led by General Robert E. Lee. General Lee was born on January 19, 1807 in Virginia. He was five years older than General Meade. He had a couple of nicknames including “King of Spades” and “Marble Man” because… one of his classmates thought that he looked like he was hewn from this hard material as he rode by. Lee was a top graduate of the United States Military Academy. He served as an officer for 32 years. In 1865, he became president of Washington College which is now known as Washington and Lee University. General Lee was an icon in the South and later on, believed to be one of the greatest generals in the Civil War. Lee was married to Mary Anna Randolph Custis and they also had seven children. In 1870 he suffered from a stroke and died at the age of 63. 

 MAPS:

July 1, 1863

Day one begins when once at the Pennsylvania border, the Confederates split into 3, one third looping around Gettysburg to the east, and the other meeting them northwest of the town. Lee takes his army and settles right above Gettysburg as they wait for the Union to arrive.

Time passes as the Confederates are on a lookout for the Union. The battle finally starts west of Gettysburg after the Union approaches. General Heth’s army from the Union advances making the first move to kick off the battle. 

With a big reputation of being the highest ranking Union officer in the area, General Reynolds arrives with reinforcements and immediately infantry against infantry start spitting bullets… they fight on their feet. On Oak Hill, General Rodes’ army arrives. However, they are poorly coordinated and therefore are repulsed back over the hill by Reynolds’ first Corp. While directing infantry from Wisconsin, Reynolds’ Corps is interrupted as he gets shot in the back of the neck just before the battle starts to escalate. In the distance stands a group gathered around a leader. The sharpshooter pulls the gun close and carefully aims at the back of a head. In a split second, the bullet is soaring past each tree and hits Reynolds right in the neck. 

He is killed and the Corps is left to fight without leadership. Reinforcements come with a Union brigade charging right through the town of Gettysburg as citizens of the town scramble to safety. Soon, a semicircle around the north of Gettysburg is formed, the town against the Union back. More and more reinforcements come rolling in fast. In the attack, Rodes and Early’s army break the Union’s right flank as they start to retreat, all while Buford stays stationed east of Gettysburg as back up.

It is the hottest day of the year, the sun is shining bright, sweat rolling down faces. As the Union retreats, loud booms come from every direction as bombs land yards away from the lines. With no other choice, the Union line charges through town heading north to safety. Some are trapped and have nowhere to go. There is a lookout in the town, held as it is by the Union, and a young girl from the time remembers what it was like on the day of battle, as she was living in the town. The Union are now reforming on Cemetery Hill away from all the attack. The ragged edge of General Howard’s left flank is the final to wrap around Cemetery Hill, and as the sun sets, it seems as if the hill has a hat of blue uniforms. At Cemetery Hill, General Howard leaves the brigade with cannons; the Confederates reshape and reform but do not attack. As the sun sets behind the hill, soldiers take their bloody jackets off to dry. Laying down looking at the stars, they reminisce on the days before the war, some with their entire bodies covered in blood.

July 2, 1863

As the sun rises from behind the hills, the Confederates are up and ready.

The Federals occupy high ground. General Meade’s formation allows easy reinforcements in a formation famously known as the fishhook. “Attention! 3rd corps! We need to move towards the peach orchard in order to be in the best position. There, we will have a better use of our artillery and might as well grab a peach.” The Peach Orchard is located along Emmitsburg Road.

General Dan Sickle thinks the movement will create a better use for artillery but it leaves a bulge in their shape. When Sickles’ plan backfires, the Union has to send their entire 5th corps and parts of 4th corps as reinforcements for Sickles. Although the move up to the Peach Orchard seems very useful at the moment, Sickles does not think of the consequences and the formation the Union would be left in. Now, the fish hook has a big bulge. Since the 5th corps and parts of the 4th corps were sent as reinforcements, gaps open in Union center and right side. General Lee orders Longstreet to attack Union left, Hill to threaten Union center, and Yole to assault Union right. General Longstreet under John Bell Hood and Lafayette under McLaws line up on Cemetery Ridge along with Richard Anderon and his Hill’s Corps. Soldiers with big packs hoist weapons on their shoulders. Hood’s brigade advances together but then splits apart. At Devil’s Den and Little Roundtop scrambling feet and screaming come from every direction. Both sides are rapidly sending reinforcement. 

Devil’s Den, one of the most strategic points, changes hands three times, from Union to Confederate, and then back!  One side thinks they’re in complete control but in a flash of an eye, they become the underdogs. Alabama and Texas soldiers clash at Little Roundtop but a Union bayonet charge sends the troops back. Meade sends reinforcements from the 2nd to the 5th core to support Sickles. Near the Peach Orchard, the fight for the wheat field changes hands six times and is one of the bloodiest combats of the entire war. The color red is spread into every person’s hands and clothes. Hood and McLaws push near Cemetery Ridge with Anderson where the Union has left a gap from Sickle reinforcement. Luckily, the Union reinforcements are saving the day. Confederates are planning to capture little Round Top. As the attack goes on, Little Round top becomes the “valley of death”. After hours and hours of non-stop combat, the fighting slows down on the south end. By the end of the day, 14,000+ men became casualties of the war. At dusk, General Yole moves on the Union right, starting night attacks. General Jubal Early’s brigades sweep to Cemetery Hill, the Union line held by 11th corps soldiers. Sections of east Cemetery Hill are captured and Meade knows he will lose if all Cemetery Hill is lost. The Union sends reinforcements to come and fight for Cemetery Hill. General Johnson attacks Culp’s Hill against General Greene and Hill’s 1,300 soldiers. That night, Greene faces many nighttime assaults. In two days, 37,000 soldiers become casualties and many were severely injured. Now, it has definitely become one of the bloodiest battles of all time.

July 3, 1863

Lee plans to overtake Culp’s Hill in a morning assault. In the attack, Meade orders the return of 5 brigades that left to aid Sickles to come back as reinforcements. Upon the return, Lee is now outnumbered. The fighting finally comes to a halt after 7 hours of continuation. The Union attacks near Spangler Spring and again, the Confederates become far outnumbered and forced out.  Lee attacks on the Union center which leaves General Pickett as the only fresh division and the core of the attacks. General Meade is the first ever Union general to outguess General Lee! When Lee bombards Union defenses, Meade is prepared and the largest artillery barrage in the Western hemisphere takes place. Lee’s bombardment fails and the Confederates retreat, but 12,000 men come from Seminary Ridge to join back in the battle. The Union fires and General Meade orders 20,000 reinforcements. Confederates move to the great “pencil of Yankees”. In front of the rout, there is a tall wall but only a few could get across the wall, and those who crossed the stone wall are either captured or killed. Some manage to breach Union positions, but the Union brings in reinforcements so powerful, the Confederates have to surrender. When they got back to safety, only half the men who originally attacked, return to Seminary Ridge. This basically ends it for the Confederates. Lee’s biggest chance has become his worst defeat. However, the Confederates are not ones to easily give up. Confederate cavalrymen became active on the flanks. General Stuart’s horsemen try to swing around the Union but are stopped east of Gettysburg by Union cavalrymen. The battle of Gettysburg has finally come to an end. Lee and the Confederates have lost, but still remain on the field. In a state of anger, Lee wants a counter attack on July 4th to even out the odds but it doesn’t happen. With gloomy spirits, Lee pulls back to Potomac River along with a long lumbering wagon train of wounded. General Meade plans to attack again but Lee’s river position is too strong. The Army of Northern Virginia crawls back to Virginia.

In the aftermath of the battle, bloody bodies cover the town of Gettysburg. Wounded soldiers outnumber the citizens of Gettysburg 12 to 1. Every home, church and farm has become a hospital. 

Later, the citizens of Gettysburg thought that the Union dead should be buried on the battlefield in honor of the battle. The first national cemetery on a battlefield is built, for, in previous battles, the fallen were removed and brought to Arlington National Cemetery. 3,512 Union Soldiers were moved to the National Cemetery and family members of lost ones huddled over graves. 

Volunteers in process of moving the fallen to their resting place in Gettysburg

A dedication ceremony was held on November 19th, 1863 and 15,000 people attended. Edward Evertt was the main speaker, who spoke for two hours, along with President Abraham Lincoln who delivered the Gettysburg Address. His two-minute speech became one of the greatest speeches in American history.