One of the largest military conflicts in North American history begins on July 1, 1863, when Union and Confederate forces collide at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 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, Virginia. 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.
By evening, the Federal troops rallied on high ground on the southeastern edge of Gettysburg. As more troops arrived, Meade’s army formed a three-mile long, fishhook-shaped line running from Culp’s Hill on the right flank, along Cemetery Hill and Cemetery Ridge, to the base of Little Round Top. The Confederates held Gettysburg, and stretched along a six-mile arc around the Union position. Lee’s forces would continue to batter each end of the Union position, before launching the infamous Pickett’s Charge against the Union center on July 3.
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And just in time for the festivities this weekend, they just put the Yankee Dicktater’s newly cleaned statue back up on the square. He’s literally patting the requisite darkie statue on the back, and holding his hat high in the air, as if to say, “All this will one day be yours….”
How come no mention of Vicksburg? The surrender was July 4 1863. It was probably as significant of an event. Lost the MS river for the western confederacy. Never quite understood the significance of Gettysburg as far as strategy.
Allow me to ‘splain it for ya.
Lee needed a victory on Union soil to convince the British to ally themselves with the Confederacy. Lee was under direct orders from Jefferson Davis to make that happen. Britain desperately wanted King Cotton in their pocket. They just weren’t willing to pay for that privilege with blood and treasure. It was Lee’s “job” to convince them otherwise.
General Lee was, at the time, on a victorious tear that Lincoln would never have dreamed possible! He let his good fortune, his duty by honor to follow the orders of his “superiors”, and his unwavering confidence in his subordinates cloud his better judgment.
Robert E. Lee didn’t lose the Battle of Gettysburg.
That honor goes to J.E.B. Stuart, Confederate Calvary. He stopped to pillage boots from the town factory when he should have been scouting the enemy movement and reporting to Lee. Stuart blinded Gen. Lee for a day and a half at a critical moment in history. He violated his Commander’s confidence and destroyed his own good reputation.
“I’ve already lost might right arm (speaking of Gen. Stonewall Jackson). Now I’ve lost my left as well (speaking of J.E.B. Stuart)” – General Robert E. Lee, CSA, commanding.
Before Gettysburg, The South never knew anything but victory. After Gettysburg? Well. You know how the story ends. Today marks the high water mark of the Confederacy. After July 1st it was all down hill.
Also? Gettysburg was fought with Honor writ large by both sides. Vicksburg was a Union war crime.
“Britain desperately wanted King Cotton in their pocket.”
Total bullshit. Britain had already sourced cotton production to India. Didn’t read any farther…the rest was probably bullshit too.
In 1860, India was supplying 31% of British cotton imports, but the outbreak of war in America saw that supply escalate to 90% in 1862. Although it declined somewhat, India’s cotton growers were still supplying 67% of Britain’s cotton imports in the later years of the war.
https://www.qdl.qa/en/how-american-civil-war-caused-boom-cotton-persia
Stuart never got to the town or anywhere near it for boots, that’s an old story made up by locals. The battle at East Confederate battlefield was between the two greatest cavalry commanders in history, Jeb Stuart and Armstrong Custer.
Stuart had never ever met a foe who could stand up to his horse cavalry, and he usually just ran over anyone who got in the way. That day, his cavalry sent charge after charge, each one beaten back as literally dozens and dozens of horses were shot down, later lining the farm lanes with carcasses. Finally, Stuart was forced to give in, and left the field.
What he didn’t know, was that just days prior, Custer had taken delivery of 800 Spencer repeating rifles, and issued them to his cavalry. He had his cavalry dismount and form defensive lines shooting from a kneeling position for accuracy. He moved the line wherever Stuart tried to attack, and the tactic worked. Custer later said he owed his whole career to that day at East Cavalry field, and to the Spencer repeating rifle. Later, Union soldiers remarked how they were almost transfixed at the incredible sight of the confederate charges, comparing them to the bravery of the charge of Pickett’s infantry on the last day of the battle.
Very few tourists visit East Cavalry field, as it’s well east of Gettysburg away from the main battlefield. Very nice place for a walk. I recommend just before dusk, park in the back, and when you walk back to the car you’ll be treated to an incredible firefly show against the backdrop of dark forest trees for the next couple of months. To get there, go to the Harley dealer and turn right at the Harley dealer, go straight, straight, straight, you’ll eventually end up there after about a mile. Very small country road, you’ll think you’re lost.
Jefferson wanted Lee to break the siege at Vicksburg, Mississippi to free up CSA supply lines, but Lee knew better and blazed a trail to the CSA’s death. Personally I think he was just old, tired and wanted the war over, regardless the outcome.
Lee was a poor choice as commander. The outnumbered, outgunned south needed a guerrilla leader. JEB Stuart, JO Shelby
Just a single engagement which turned the tide of the war to the North. Similar to Kursk in WWII.
The whole conflict a horrible fratricide designed to keep the City of London well ensconced in the “trade” and to bleed both the CSA and the Union of blood and treasure.
BTW: Next time pick yer own fukkin cotton.
July 3
For every Southern boy fourteen years old, not once but whenever he wants it, there is the instant when it’s still not yet two o’clock on that July afternoon in 1863, the brigades are in position behind the rail fence, the guns are laid and ready in the woods and the furled flags are already loosened to break out and Pickett himself with his long oiled ringlets and his hat in one hand probably and his sword in the other looking up the hill waiting for Longstreet to give the word and it’s all in the balance, it hasn’t happened yet, it hasn’t even begun yet, it not only hasn’t begun yet but there is still time for it not to begin against that position and those circumstances which made more men than Garnett and Kemper and Armistead and Wilcox look grave yet it’s going to begin, we all know that, we have come too far with too much at stake and that moment doesn’t need even a fourteen-year-old boy to think This time. Maybe this time with all this much to lose than all this much to gain: Pennsylvania, Maryland, the world, the golden dome of Washington itself to crown with desperate and unbelievable victory the desperate gamble, the cast made two years ago.
– William Faulkner, novelist
When the south tried to realize the principals laid out in our most important founding document the Declaration of Independence, they were crushed by the tyrants making it clear that this was no longer a free country, nor a free and sovereign people.