Battle Of Gettysburg Essay, Research Paper
Collin Greenwood
Mr. Baker
Honors History
24 April 2000
The Battle of Gettysburg ? The Turning Point of the Civil War
Gettysburg was the turning point of the American Civil War. This is the most famous and important Civil War Battle that occurred over three hot summer days, July 3, 1863, around the small market town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. More importantly Gettysburg was the clash between the two major American Cultures of their time: the North and the South. The causes of the Civil War, and the Battle of Gettysburg, one must understand the differences between these two cultures. The Confederacy had an agricultural economy producing tobacco, corn, and cotton, with many large plantations owned by a few very rich white males. These owners lived off the labor of sharecroppers and slaves, charging high dues for use of their land. The Southern or Confederate Army was made up of a group of white males fighting for their independence from federal northern dictates (The History Place Battle of Gettysburg 1).
The Union economy was based on manufacturing, and even the minorities in the North were better off than those in the South most of the time. The Northern politicians wanted tariffs, and a large army. The Southern plantation owners wanted the exact opposite.
The South was fighting against a government that they thought was treating them unfairly. They believed the Federal Government was overtaxing them, with tariffs and property taxes making their life styles even more expensive than they already had been. The North was fighting the Civil War for two reasons, first to keep the Nation unified, and second to abolish slavery. Abraham Lincoln, the commander and chief of the Union or Northern forces along with many other Northerners believed that slavery was not only completely wrong, but it was a great humiliation to America. Once can see that with these differences a conflict would surely occur, but not many had predicted that a full-blown war would breakout. One did and after three bloody and costly years for both sides we come to the date of July 1, 1863.
Before the battle, major cities in the North such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, and even Washington, were under threat of attack from General Robert E. Lee?s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia which had crossed the Potomac River and marched into Pennsylvania.
On Tuesday morning, June 30, an infantry brigade of Confederate soldiers searching for shoes headed toward Gettysburg (The History Place Battle of Gettysburg 2). The Confederate commander looked through his field glasses and spotted a long column of Federal Cavalry heading toward the town. He withdrew his brigade and informed his superior, General Henry Heth, who in turn told his superior, A.P. Hill, he would go back the following morning for shoes that were desperately needed.
The battle began on July 1, 1863, when some of General Ambrose Powell Hill?s advance brigades entered the town of Gettysburg Pennsylvania looking for shoes (The History Place Battle of Gettysburg 2). Because of General Stuart?s failure to complete his mission of tracking the Union army, Hill?s troops encountered a Union cavalry division commanded by Major General John Buford (Microsoft Encarta Battle of Gettysburg 2). During battle in front of Cemetery Hill, General Hill was faced with stubborn resistance from the Union forces trying to hold until the rest of the forces could arrive and help out. The fighting went on until General Richard S. Ewell arrived and forced the federal troops to retreat to better ground Southeast of Gettyburg (The History Place Battle of Gettysburg 2). Although the Confederates won the day, Ewell made the mistake of not allowing General Hill to force the Union forces back further leaving the Union troops with higher ground, and that is the conclusion of day one.
On the following day, July 2, General George Meade, commander of the Union Army of the Potomac arrived, along with the majority of the army. He formed his forces in a widely recognizable horseshoe formation, anchored at Big and Little Round Top on the West, Culp?s Hill on the East, and got positioned in behind a stone wall along Cemetary Ridge (Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia Vol. 11 pg. 384). The large Union forces faced an ad-hoc formation of Southern Troops preparing for a hasty attack (The History Place Battle of Gettysburg 2). The Confederate forces roughly mirrored the Union line, commanded left to right or East to West by James Longstreet, Amrose Powell Hill, and Richard Ewell.
Determined to destroy the Army of the Potomac, and end the war quickly Confederate General Robert E. Lee ordered an attack over the protests of James Longstreet, who was a major force in defensive warfare mixed with strategic offensive movement (Microsoft Encarta Battle of Gettysburg 2). The ill-fated attack was delayed numerous times, eventually getting under way just before noon and failing once again in a short time period afterwards. Confederate gains of land were limited to a peach orchard and an area called Culp?s Hill, which was lost to a counter attack by Union forces (The History Place Battle of Gettysburg 2). Major losses were suffered in personnel, equipment, ammunition, and morale. The second day ended with planning for the third and final day of this climatic battle. General Meade and the Federal forces believed an attack would come, but expected an attack to come in the same place as earlier that day (The History Place Battle of Gettysburg 2). Oddly, given a large amount of losses to forces going against Longstreet?s first attack, the troops led under the command of Colonel Chamberlain were moved to the center of the line, which, they were promised, was sure not to see much action on July 3rd. General Lee was determined to strike at the center of the Union Line believing that Meade would move most of his forces to sure up the flanks that barely held on the 2nd, and so ending day two.
The morning of July 3rd was not filled with much action with the exception of light shelling by both sides (Funk &Wagnalls Encyclopedia Vol. 11 pg. 384). Preparing for Southern attacks were delayed, but the half-hearted attack began around noon with the infamous Pickett?s charge. Major General George Pickett, and division commander Longstreet, led about 30,000 men across hundreds of yards of open fields, across a road and a number of fences, and up the side of Cemetery Ridge, all the time under enormous fire from Union cannons and muskets (The History Place Battle of Gettysburg 3). This onslaught and its achievements, which small portions did infact reach or even cross the wall in the face of such overwhelming odds are an incredible tribute to the leadership of General Lee, Longstreet, and Pickett, among a number of others, as well as the great spirit of the Confederate troops. One must not forget to mention, however, the heroic stand by the Union troops, from the first day and the Cavalry of John Buford to the third day and the combined effort of the entire Potomac Army (Microsoft Encarta Battle of Gettysburg 2). Even if not other factors influenced the attack, due to the number and firepower of the entrenched Union troops; the assault was going to fail and was destined to fail. On the night of July 3rd, General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army began their retreat back to Virginia. During the costly three days the Union casualties were 3,070 soldiers killed, 14,497 wounded, and 5,434 captured or missing (The History Place Battle of Gettysburg 4). The Confederacy suffered 2,992 deaths, 12,706 wounded, and 5,l50 captured or missing (The History Place Battle of Gettysburg 4). Gettysburg had important psychological effects, as well as, ruining the South?s morale and causing the North to celebrate a great victory. The night of July 3rd and into the next day, Saturday, July 4th, Confederate wounded was loaded aboard wagons that began the journey back toward the South. Lee was forced to abandon his dead and begin a long, slow withdrawal of his army back to Virginia. Union Commander Meade, out of fatigue and caution, did not immediately go after Lee, getting President Lincoln very angry who wrote a mad letter to Meade, which was never delivered, saying he missed an opportunity to end the war at this instance (The History Place Battle of Gettysburg 4). Although the casualties were basically equal, the Battle of Gettysburg was the second and last great invasion the of the North, for the South had neither arms nor numbers to continue an assault, but the War dragged on for two more years.
On November 19, President Lincoln went to the battlefield to dedicate it as a military cemetery. He spoke for a short period of time delivering what is called the Gettysburg Address, surprising many present in the audience with its shortness and leaving others quite unimpressed, but over time the speech has come to symbolize democracy as we know it today (Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia Vol. 11 385).
The Battle of Gettyssburg was a turning point because the South was desperately relying on that War for supplies and perhaps help from an outside source. They felt if they would have won that battle they would have been able to win the war when before they were just hoping to hang with the so-called well-prepared Union Army. The North needed a good, hard fought battle on their part because up until this point they had been men handled and out strategized. The Civil War was expected to be a quick battle easily won by the stronger northern army but had dragged on for years.
Другие работы по теме:
Lincoln At GettysburgThe Manipulation Of Language Essay
, Research Paper Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address The Manipulation of Language The power of words has rarely been given a more compelling demonstration than in the Gettysburg Address. Lincoln was asked to memorialize a gruesome battle. Instead he gave the whole nation “a new birth of freedom”. By tracing its first birth to the Declaration of Independence (which called all men equal) rather than to the Constitution (which tolerated slavery).
Killer Angels Essay Research Paper The Civil
Killer Angels Essay, Research Paper The Civil War is one of the darkest chapters in the history of America. This was a war that tore a nation in half while pitting brother against brother, and neighbor against neighbor as the South battled the North for its independence and separation from the union. At the heart of this division was the belief by southerners that they should be able to own slaves and keep blacks under oppression.
Killer Angels 3 Essay Research Paper This
Killer Angels 3 Essay, Research Paper This is an outstanding book about the Battle of Gettysburg, even though it is fictional. The Killer Angels The Battle of Gettysburg brought the fighting North and South together to the small town of Gettysburg and on the edge of splitting the Union. Gettysburg could closely be compared to Judgement Day and this book gives a day-to-day account of the battle that made America s future.
The Parallels Between Pericles
’ Funeral Oration And Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address Essay, Research Paper The Parallels Between Pericles’ Funeral Oration and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
Gettysburb Essay Research Paper While giving the
Gettysburb Essay, Research Paper While giving the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863 there were three major factors that helped Abraham Lincoln to convey his message that all men are created equal and should be so treated. Those three major factors were the audience, his attitude while giving the address, and the techniques that he used while giving the address at Gettysburg.
General James Longstreet Essay Research Paper Longstreet
General James Longstreet Essay, Research Paper Longstreet was born in Edgefeild District in South Carolina on January eighth, eighteen twenty one. He graduated from West Point in eighteen forty two and went straight to service. There he served until eighteen sixty one. He first saw action in the Mexican War, he was wounded in Chapultepec Mexico.
Chamberlain Angel Killers Essay Research Paper Joshua
Chamberlain Angel Killers Essay, Research Paper Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, as depicted in Michael Shaara s The Killer Angels, was a leader of great valiance and courage. His actions at the Battle of Gettysburg exemplify his persistence, tenacity, and bravery. He had learned from McClellan, the former general in chief of the Union Army, the two things an officer must do to lead men.
The Battle Of Gettysbury Essay Research Paper
The Battle of Gettysburg The battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the American Civil War. When looking at the causes of the Civil War, and eventually the Battle of Gettysburg, one
The Gallant Boys Of Gettysburg Essay Research
Paper The story I read took place mostly at the Battle of Gettysburg. Tom and Jeff Majors had just enrolled in the Confederate army. Tom enrolled as a private and Jeff as a drummer boy. Their dad, Nelson Majors, who had been
Little Big Man Essay Research Paper Little
Little Big Man Essay, Research Paper Little Big Man In the following paragraphs I will be explaining the thematic importance of Jacks association with George Armstrong Custer.
Book Review Of The Killer Angels Essay
, Research Paper Between the days of July 1, 1863 and July 4, 1863, the Civil War?s outcome was decided. These four days have been known as the Battle of Gettysburg, the turning point of the war. In The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara brings us a vivid image of what the battle was like.
Kindred Spirits Essay Research Paper The BoglesCollin
Kindred Spirits Essay, Research Paper The Bogles Collin Bogle grew up in Northwestern Washington. As a kid he liked to spend his time outdoors, fishing, roller-blading, or riding his mountain bike. His father, Lee Bogle, was an art teacher in high school and even when Collin showed extraordinary artistic abilities it was still thought that he would be an accountant.
Similarities Of Essay Research Paper The Similarities
Similarities Of Essay, Research Paper The Similarities of “The Gettysburg Address” and “Speech in the Virginia Convention” In Abraham Lincoln’s famous speech, “The Gettysburg Address”, Lincoln uses emotional appeal, persuasive traits, and powerful diction to make one of the most well known and respected speeches of our time.
Lincoln
’s Legacy Essay, Research Paper Lincoln’s Legacy A legacy is something that is passed down from a predecessor. Lincoln’s legacy is the teachings that he had wanted all of us, as American citizens, to
Civil War Painting Essay Research Paper The
Civil War Painting Essay, Research Paper The civil war was one of the most astonishing and longest wars of all times, It spanned over eight years and had approximately more than a million casualties. People of all ages and generations lost their lives in this war. One thing that makes this war so unforgettable is the fact that it was the first war with photography available.
Gettysburg Essay Research Paper Gettysburg ByMike SidotiThere
Gettysburg Essay, Research Paper Gettysburg By:Mike Sidoti There is a lot of controversy as to why the U.S. Civil War started. Historians believe it was merely a difference in the two cultures. The U.S. Civil War was mainly started because of a difference in these two cultures. The South had an agricultural economy, and the North had a manufacturing economy.
Battle Of Gettysburg Essay Research Paper I
Battle Of Gettysburg Essay, Research Paper I have chosen to write about the battle of Gettysburg, because I found the American Civil War very interesting and I want to know more about that
General George Meade Essay Research Paper General
General George Meade Essay, Research Paper General Meade Do you know who was the general for the Second Battle of Bull Run? Everyone knows what the Second Battle of Bull Run is, but who was the general? Some people even know that the north won that battle. Most people do not know that General George Meade defeated General Lee at that battle.
Major Battles Of The Civil War Essay
, Research Paper The First Bull Run was the first major battle of the war and would occur in northern Virginia right next to the capital. Northern spectators came to watch the battle because they were sure the union would win but the confederates won much to their dismay. Because of this battle both sides realized this would be a long and hard war instead of an easy one.
George Meade Essay Research Paper George MeadeDo
George Meade Essay, Research Paper George Meade Do you know who was the general for the Second Battle of Bull Run? Everyone kGeorge Meadenowswhat the Second Battle of Bull Run is but who was the general? Some people
George Meade Essay Research Paper Do you
George Meade Essay, Research Paper Do you know who was the general for the Second Battle of Bull Run? Everyone knows what the Second Battle of Bull Run is but who was the general? Some people even know
Trenton Battle Essay Research Paper THE
Trenton Battle Essay, Research Paper THE BATTLE OF TRENTON_________________________________________________ The Battle of Trenton was fought last night December 26,1776. As we all know before this battle, The Continental Army wasbeing badly beaten by the British forces. They were in need ofeverything from food to new uniforms and weapons.
Battle Of Gettysburg Essay Research Paper The
Battle Of Gettysburg Essay, Research Paper The Battle of Gettysburg A battle fought July 1 through July 3, 1863, considered by most military historians the turning point in the American Civil War. The Battle of Gettysburg was a decisive engagement in that it arrested the Confederates’ second and last major invasion of the North, destroyed their offensive strategy, and forced them to fight a defensive war in which the inadequacies of their manufacturing capacity and transportation facilities doomed them to defeat.
The War At Gettysburg Essay Research Paper
The War at Gettysburg By Nick Jones Getting There On the way to Gettysburg was tough. It was a long hard and tough journey getting there because there was no other way to get there for the army besides
Battle Of Gettysburg Essay Research Paper Before
Battle Of Gettysburg Essay, Research Paper Before the Battle of Gettysburg even started Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee concentrated his full strength to meet the pursuing federals under Major General George G. Meade at the crossroads of Gettysburg. He did this be cause of what he had heard from a reliable source that the Union forces were weak and not expecting any fighting against the Confederates for a little while.
Gettysburg Essay Research Paper gettysburg By carl
Gettysburg Essay, Research Paper gettysburg By: carl hegney Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg was fought on July 3, 1863 and it was a turning point in the American Civil War. The Battle of Gettysburg was fought between the North and South over slavery. The whole war was because the North did not want slavery and the South wanted slavery.
Gettysburg Essay Research Paper Gettysburg was the
Gettysburg Essay, Research Paper Gettysburg was the turning point in the American Civil War. More importantly Gettysburg was the climatic clash between the two major American cultures of their time: the North and the South. The victory on Gettysburg was brought by three different aspects within these three days: Buford’s defense, Picketts charge, and the defense of Lil’ Roundtop.
Killer Angels Essay Research Paper Report on
Killer Angels Essay, Research Paper Report on “The Killer Angels” Report on “The Killer Angels” by Michael Shaara When an author writes a book he has a message that he is trying to get across to the reader. This message is called a theme. In The
The Killer Angels Essay Research Paper Response
The Killer Angels Essay, Research Paper Response to the “Killer Angels” The Killer Angels is a historical novel written by Michael Shaara. It is one of the best novels I ever read. It describes four days at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863 in what many consider to be the turning point of the American Civil War.
Battle Of Shilo Essay Research Paper The
Battle Of Shilo Essay, Research Paper The Battle of Shiloh 1962 The Battle of Shiloh was one of bloodiest battles of the civil War. In fact it was one of the bloodiest battles fought on Tennessee soil.
War War War Essay Research Paper
Dear Christine, This cursed war has separated me from you. I can not go through a day without thinking of you And the moments we shared with each other. Through the restless nights