climate events of the battle. He described his experiences in a lengthy letter to his brother and still to this day is the most descriptive and eloquent battle narratives ever written (NPS).
The walk toward the Battle of Gettysburg started in June 1863. General Robert E. Lee’s soldiers crossed the Potomac River in Virginia and began to make their way toward the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania (The Gettysburg Foundation). This epic battle was three days long and resulted in a retreat to Virginia by Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Just two months prior to the Gettysburg battle, Lee had dealt a stunning defeat to the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville, Virginia. The battle started on the first of July when Lee took his army to …show more content…
Major General Henry Heth sent his 7,500-man division down the Chambersburg Pike toward Gettysburg (History Net). The first day of the battle ranks as the 12th bloodiest battle of the Civil War (Civil War Trust). It was the largest military conflict in North America history when the Union and Confederate forces collided at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The sound of the battle appealed to other units, and by midday the battle was on fire. During the first hours of battle, Union General John Reynolds was killed (A&E Television Networks). As more troops arrived, Meade’s army formed a three- mile long, fishhook- shaped line proceeding from Culp’s Hill on the right flank, along Cemetery Ridge, to the base of the Little Round Top (A&E Television Networks). The Confederates held Gettysburg, and stretched along a six- mile arc around the Union position (A&E Television Networks). Lee’s forces would continue to batter each end of the Union position, before launching the shocking Pickett’s Charge across the Union center on July 3 (A&E Television Networks). The first day’s fighting at McPherson’s Ridge, Oak Hill, Seminary Ridge, and Barlow’s Knoll and in around the town involved 50,000 soldiers of which roughly 15,500 were killed, wounded, captured or missing (Civil War
The walk toward the Battle of Gettysburg started in June 1863. General Robert E. Lee’s soldiers crossed the Potomac River in Virginia and began to make their way toward the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania (The Gettysburg Foundation). This epic battle was three days long and resulted in a retreat to Virginia by Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Just two months prior to the Gettysburg battle, Lee had dealt a stunning defeat to the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville, Virginia. The battle started on the first of July when Lee took his army to …show more content…
Major General Henry Heth sent his 7,500-man division down the Chambersburg Pike toward Gettysburg (History Net). The first day of the battle ranks as the 12th bloodiest battle of the Civil War (Civil War Trust). It was the largest military conflict in North America history when the Union and Confederate forces collided at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The sound of the battle appealed to other units, and by midday the battle was on fire. During the first hours of battle, Union General John Reynolds was killed (A&E Television Networks). As more troops arrived, Meade’s army formed a three- mile long, fishhook- shaped line proceeding from Culp’s Hill on the right flank, along Cemetery Ridge, to the base of the Little Round Top (A&E Television Networks). The Confederates held Gettysburg, and stretched along a six- mile arc around the Union position (A&E Television Networks). Lee’s forces would continue to batter each end of the Union position, before launching the shocking Pickett’s Charge across the Union center on July 3 (A&E Television Networks). The first day’s fighting at McPherson’s Ridge, Oak Hill, Seminary Ridge, and Barlow’s Knoll and in around the town involved 50,000 soldiers of which roughly 15,500 were killed, wounded, captured or missing (Civil War