The Battle of Gettysburg is perhaps the most famous battle ever to be fought on American soil. The three-day long struggle, which saw intense fighting that pitted friend against friend and brother against brother, holds a special place in the American psyche. In the span of three days in July of 1863 the entire tone of the American Civil changed from certain confederate victory, to an impending federal rout. What happened over this time span that caused the sudden shift in momentum during the civil war? This is the central question and theme of Bruce Catton’s book.
Catton begins his analysis by examining the motivations often given of General Robert E. Lee’s ambitious invasion of the North during the Civil War. In doing so, Catton examines …show more content…
As if by accident, elements of the Army of the Potomac happened upon a column of confederate infantry and artillery on the outskirts of Gettysburg. This unit, a cavalry division under the command of Major General John Buford, was able to hold off the confederate troops until they could be reinforced by a division of infantry. However, the confederates were able to reinforce their troops first, and ended up overwhelming the Federal troops, who ran pell-mell through the streets of Gettysburg until they arrived at Cemetery Hill where the rest of the Federal forces were waiting. On his part, General Lee trough everything he had at the Federal troops during the opening battle, and nearly ended the fighting then. Lee hesitated from renewing the attack, which gave the federal troops time to gather and re-inforce cemetery …show more content…
It is because it was not just a battle between the north and the south, but the supreme battle for the future of America. Before the battle, there was a perception that the confederate army was an unstoppable force to be reckoned with, and that the north had no solution to remedy this problem. The stakes for both sides were equally high. The south expected that a victory would mean peace that recognized the right of the south to exist as a separate country. The North knew that a defeat would mean an end to the United States that had existed for nearly a century. What happened, was the complete reversal of each sides fortunes in the civil war. The south now had no hope of a brokered peace and independence from the North, and the North found itself with a surge in momentum after the Victory of Gettysburg, and Victory in the west at
Catton begins his analysis by examining the motivations often given of General Robert E. Lee’s ambitious invasion of the North during the Civil War. In doing so, Catton examines …show more content…
As if by accident, elements of the Army of the Potomac happened upon a column of confederate infantry and artillery on the outskirts of Gettysburg. This unit, a cavalry division under the command of Major General John Buford, was able to hold off the confederate troops until they could be reinforced by a division of infantry. However, the confederates were able to reinforce their troops first, and ended up overwhelming the Federal troops, who ran pell-mell through the streets of Gettysburg until they arrived at Cemetery Hill where the rest of the Federal forces were waiting. On his part, General Lee trough everything he had at the Federal troops during the opening battle, and nearly ended the fighting then. Lee hesitated from renewing the attack, which gave the federal troops time to gather and re-inforce cemetery …show more content…
It is because it was not just a battle between the north and the south, but the supreme battle for the future of America. Before the battle, there was a perception that the confederate army was an unstoppable force to be reckoned with, and that the north had no solution to remedy this problem. The stakes for both sides were equally high. The south expected that a victory would mean peace that recognized the right of the south to exist as a separate country. The North knew that a defeat would mean an end to the United States that had existed for nearly a century. What happened, was the complete reversal of each sides fortunes in the civil war. The south now had no hope of a brokered peace and independence from the North, and the North found itself with a surge in momentum after the Victory of Gettysburg, and Victory in the west at