It's long been claimed that the artillery barrage preceding Pickett's Charge was heard in Pittsburgh.
Civil War buffs
- Thread starter 53' Stude
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SammyChevelleTypeS3
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I can believe it. I travelled all around Pa and the Gettysburg area during the late 80s / early 90s on many business trips and never once was lucky enough to find the time to visit the battle site at Gettysburg.
Just happened to see this picture this morning.
It's interesting to see how much taller the stone wall was back then, before tourists started taking parts of it.
You can see the horror in their eyes. They aren't seeing a calm field on a sunny day. The images of that day are replaying in their heads. I know that look all too well.
Gettysburg as an adult and a 8th grader, Chikamauga, Mechanicsville and the entire 7 days battle including cold harbor. I need to stop at Andersonville one of these days. I have an ancestor that was in camp Douglas in Chicago at one point and then back in MS a few months later.
Having walked those battlefields having studied the war for many years, you cant help but feel the presence.
Having walked those battlefields having studied the war for many years, you cant help but feel the presence.
Yep, they can see that, as Hood saw, they could, never, have taken that position.
Last Thursday we had a picnic with the family at Columbus-Belmont State Park here in extreme western Kentucky. That was the site where the Confederates placed a huge chain and anchor across the Mississippi River to stop the supplies of the Yankees from going into Confederate territory. The chain and anchor is displayed there along with the cannons and the trenches. It is said that there were 19,000 Confederate soldiers at that fort.
It was an interesting visit for our 8 yr old grand daughter. She just couldn't imagine family members fighting against one another.
It was an interesting visit for our 8 yr old grand daughter. She just couldn't imagine family members fighting against one another.
Historically, the Confederates clearly won the first day. Who knows what would have happened if Ewell had tried to take Cemetary Hill. They had won the day, but were also pretty beat up.
The second day was a draw. Cemetary Hill and Culp's Hill were still in Union hands and the attempt to turn the Union left at Little Round Top had failed, possibly because the Confederates had not gone far enough to their right, or because Longstreet delayed the attack too long allowing the 20th Maine and others to conduct their heroic defense. In Longstreet's defense, have you ever tried moving that many men at a time?
The third day ended the Battle of Gettysburg in a clear Union victory. The attacks on Cemetary Hill and Culp's Hill were clearly hopeless and the charge against the Union Center on Cemetary Ridge was just plain crazy. BTW, the 20th Maine was on on the left end of the line during "Pickett's" charge and was acting as a reserve. They did not take part in that fight.
The final result of the Battle of Gettysburg was about 28,000 of the Confederate killed, wounded or captured. That was 40% of the Lee's army and a loss that could not be made up. The Union losses were about 23,000, about 26% of Meade's army. Overall, about 1/3 of the Americans who took part in that battle were killed, wounded or captured.
Been to all major battlefields. Gettysburg has no equal
We have a Civil War site right up the road from me (about 8 miles). I had ancestors fight for the good side............
travelavoyelles.com
Yellow Bayou Memorial Park - Civil War Battle Site
This Public Park Area has Civil War significance, noted as Confederate Fort No. 2. Yellow Bayou is a relatively small earthwork fortification associated with the Civil War's Red River Campaign. Site of Battle of Yellow Bayou fought May 18, 1864. Picnic facilities are on site.
Ewell made the correct decision, that he could not take Cemetery Hill on Day 1. Ewell agreed to attack C Hill if Lee would send Ewell support on his right, which, Lee declined. Day 2 Hood sent couriers back to Longstreet 3 times telling Longstreet that Little Round Top was too difficult to attack directly, but Longstreet didn't listen. Day 3 was crazy. Bottom line was Lee did not have enough troops to attack the Union defense and Meade performed better than Lee in this battle.
SammyChevelleTypeS3
$50 site donor 2023
Lots of studying of Gettysburg + R.E. Lee has brought me to some conclusions. R.E. Lee was not a healthy man by the time he ended up trying to win the race vs the Army of the Potomac to Washington DC. They unfortunatley ran into each other at Gettysburg. Lee knew he could not break that massive group of Union Corps in front of him by day three. I think he was worn out mentally and ailing physically and wanted it to end. Sadly , even with the mistake of forcing his army to endure Pickett's charge the Union still failed to finsh off the Army of Virginia + the rest of the Confederates Lee had with him for that campaign. The Union allowed them to slip away after day three and the Nation had to endure the torture of almost another full two years before US Grant cornered and wore out Lee and the remanants of his once nearly unbeatable army. Lee flat ran out of men and supplies forcing him to finally surrender while they still had CSA Generals in other areas who wanted to keep fighting. .
Yes, Lee's health had seemed to be in decline and I believe he had, also, eaten too many fresh cherries in Pennsylvania. Lee was not going to D.C. Ewell was almost to Harrisburg when Lee discovered Federal cavalry at Gettysburg and sent for Ewell to return to Gettysburg. Meade's orders from Halleck required Meade to interpose his troops between Lee and D.C. which Meade did. Meade also had about 25,000 casualties and there was a torrential rain on July 4, so, chasing Lee was not easy, while, also, making sure that Lee did not sweep toward D.C. Meade did chase Lee all the way back to the Potomac capturing several thousand Confederates and inflicting many casualties on the Confederates. I agree there are no winners in wars.
SammyChevelleTypeS3
$50 site donor 2023
Yes. That campaign was actually a very desperate one for the CSA. They were getting pretty much beaten all over by that time in the war. Lee also knew he could only go so far and for so long as he had very limited supplies or support to count on. They had no choice but to live off the land unlike the Union who had unlimited wagon & supply trains going in every direction they needed them to. A desperate move that only accomplished one thing. Far too many deaths on US soil from a three day slug fest. Very sad times those folks lived thru. Soldiers + civilians suffered thru so much.
We went to the Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi several years ago, it was quite the experience and very educational. There’s so much to see around the park with all of the canons, monuments and specifically, what’s left of the “USS Cairo”. Getting out and exploring around the remains of that old ship was a very cool experience.
If you’re a Civil War buff, it’s definitely a place that you should visit someday.
If you’re a Civil War buff, it’s definitely a place that you should visit someday.
Almost all of the Civil War generals on both side were veterans of the Mexican War. Lee served under Winfield Scott as he made his insane* march on Mexico City from Veracruz. In battle after battle, the American soldier were making attacks against superior forces often in entrenched and even fortified positions, and winning. Outnumbered, with no supply lines, he captured Mexico City and won the war. Then the union disaster at Chancellorville occurred. Lee thought his soldiers could defeat any force. Pickett's Charge was not the only time Lee made that mistake, Malvern Hill was another example.
*President Polk was appalled and the Duke of Wellington stated, "Scott is lost."
Right. Frontal attacks were too costly, particularly , after 1862 when the soldiers knew how to shoot more accurately. Why Lee would launch Pickett's charge, well , Crazy. The soldiers on the field knew it. Pickett later said "That old man destroyed my division". Lee died in 1870.
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