By mattpatsfan at 2010-07-01
Posted on 07/01/2010 4:15:44 AM PDT by mainepatsfan
Jul 1, 1863:
The Battle of Gettysburg begins
The largest military conflict in North American history begins this day when Union and Confederate forces collide at Gettysburg. The epic battle lasted three days and resulted in a retreat to Virginia by Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.
Two months prior to Gettysburg, Lee had dealt a stunning defeat to the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville. He then made plans for a Northern invasion in order to relieve pressure on war-weary Virginia and to seize the initiative from the Yankees. His army, numbering about 80,000, began moving on June 3. The Army of the Potomac, commanded by Joseph Hooker and numbering just under 100,000, began moving shortly thereafter, staying between Lee and Washington, D.C. But on June 28, frustrated by the Lincoln administration's restrictions on his autonomy as commander, Hooker resigned and was replaced by George G. Meade.
Meade took command of the Army of the Potomac as Lee's army moved into Pennsylvania. On the morning of July 1, advance units of the forces came into contact with one another just outside of Gettysburg. The sound of battle attracted other units, and by noon the conflict was raging. During the first hours of battle, Union General John Reynolds was killed, and the Yankees found that they were outnumbered. The battle lines ran around the northwestern rim of Gettysburg. The Confederates applied pressure all along the Union front, and they slowly drove the Yankees through the town.
(Excerpt) Read more at history.com ...
“But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
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Gen. John Buford perfectly executed the “Elements of Advanced Guard” taught at West Point, and basically saved the North with his delaying tactics.
I had relatives on both sides of the Civil War/War Between the States/War of Northern Aggression but no direct ancestors..
I recently finished reading "Generals in Bronze" which essentially are the notes from the sculptor James E. Kelly who made this statue of Buford. Veterans in the group that commissioned the statue of Buford were furious that he wasn't portrayed on horseback. The reason Kelly gave for not portraying Buford mounted was because his cavalry fought as dismounted infantry.
I highly recommend “The Gettysburg Gospel” by G. S. Boritt which details the history of the speech itself and it’s impact since.
It's a rumor that Harry Heath, the commander of the first rebel division to enter the town, enshrined in his memoirs. Heath sent Pettigrew into town to conscript whatever supplies happened to be on hand and not specifically for shoes.
Good job mainepatsfan,
Thanks
I did not know that part. Thanks for writing that
:)
He didn't exactly have a lot to be proud of that morning.
If you want to find it on Amazon, you need to include the rest of the title, “The Gettysburg Gospel : the Lincoln Speech Nobody Knows,” or look way down the list under the author’s name.
It wasn't entirely his fault. Lee mismanaged the cavalry that he'd made Stuart leave behind so Heath was stumbling around blind in enemy territory. He had no idea Union troops were as close as they were and had expected to face militia at best.
That’s a well-taken point. Buford died before the end of the war, a soldier’s death. He deserves a statue. Between him and the “Fighting Professor,” Joshua Chamberlain, Gettysburg was saved. I really think we’d be two nations today if not for those two men.
Reynold’s boys slowed ‘em and Buford’s stopped ‘em, and, with the Yankees on the ridgelines, the whole battle was purt near over, on day one, if you’re asking me. Lee just wasn’t quite the same Lee outside his own little backyard, and Old One-leg Ewell reinforced the late Stonewall’s value. And at teh same time, out at Vicksburg, U.S. Grant was winning the battle that would finish the whole war.
Virtual Tour of Gettysburg
http://www.johnsmilitaryhistory.com/gettysburg.html
And so much more
http://www.johnsmilitaryhistory.com/
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Thanks rabscuttle385 for the ping. |
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Thanks Non-Sequitur.
George G. Meade was the perfect choice, a classic counterpuncher.
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