Battle Of Gettysburg (1)
Brett Goldberg Battle of Gettysburg: Turning Point in the Civil War Montana Academy Abstract The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. This battle was fought on three hot summer days July 1- July 3, 1863. The American country has faced a lot of turmoil, but the Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in our nation’s history. This paper will give an overview of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Address. More important, the paper will discuss the significance of both these instances and the impact they had on our country. The Gettysburg Address states the United States democracy in its entirety. This paper will help show the reasons the Union defeated the Confederates, which in reaction changed our country forever. The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle in American History. Fought in a small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, The Battle of Gettysburg turned around the battle, but more important our countries history. The days around July 1st-3rd, 1863 will always be remembered. The Union Major General George Meade’s Army of the Potomac defeated attacks by Confederate General Robert Lee’s invasion of the North, in the turning point of America. This war led to the Gettysburg Address. The Gettysburg Address in only two minutes symbolized the definition of democracy. This paper will focus on how the Battle of Gettysburg helped America become a democracy. The Confederates invaded the Northern territory twice during the Civil War. The first invasion occurred in Maryland, at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862. This was the first major battle the North won. The second invasion was conducted on a larger scale. The Confederate troops marched through Maryland and Pennsylvania. The Confederates threatened the state capital at Harrisburg and met the Union army on the battlefield of Gettysburg. (Mitchell, 2004, #1) The first two years of the Civil War, consisted of the South winning every major battle in the Eastern United States, with the exception of Antietam. A turning point in the war occurred on May 1st-4th, 1863. The commander of the Union army was Major General Joseph Hooker. The Confederates were outnumbered two to one. The Confederate Army was led by two great leaders, General Robert Lee and Lieutenant General T. J. Jackson. These leaders won there most impressive victory yet. The Confederates were able to outmatch the odds and defeat the Union. The South paid dearly for this battle. General Jackson died in the battle. General Jackson was a brilliant person and with his intellect and ability the war might have turned out very different. The South won this battle, but in a lot of ways it probably cost them the war. (Mitchell, 2004, #1) The Army of Northern Virginia decided to reorganize the three corps. President Lincoln placed Lietenant Generals James Longstreet, Richard S. Ewell, and A.P. Hill in charge of the Northern armies. General Lee, wanted to take advantage of new leaders and began to plan an attack on the North. He did not want to continue fighting battles on Virginia soil. In the Northern Territory General Lee would be able to obtain supplies all over. General Lee was a great believer in the best defense is a strong offense. General Lee’s army was over 70,000 men all ready to fight. They had a lot of confidence and felt ready to face all terrains. The battle, if won on Northern soil, could produce great opportunities for the South. If the South gained victory, foreign powers might join there force’s. This became dimmer after the Battle of Anitetam and the Emancipation Proclamation, but hope was sustained. (Mitchell, 2004, #1) On June 3rd, Lee’s march began leaving from Fredericksburg, Virginia. Lee’s armies plan was to threaten Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, while strengthening Southern power in the North. General Lee placed the South into three corps. This was led by Lt. Gen. James Longstreet, Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell, and Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill. The Union army was led by General George Meade, General Hooker was replaced for his poor performance. General Lee led his armies through the Shenandoah Valley, to reach Gettysburg. (Wikipedia, 2006) On July 1st, the Battle of Gettysburg began. The two armies began to collide in small fields. Lee would concentrate massive armies. Initially the low ridges were controlled by the Union cavalry division. This became reinforced with two more corps of Union infantry. Two large Confederate corps assaulted from the northwest and north. This collapsed the quickly developed Union Lines. The Unions were forced to send defenders retreating through the streets of town to the hills. (Wikipedia, 2006) The first day was victorious for the Confederates. There plan of attack was working. On the Second day, most of the armies had assembled. A lot more people came for both the Confederates and the Unions. The Union line resembled a fishhook. Lee launched a heavy assault on the Union left flank. This led to fierce fighting raged at Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Devil’s Den, and the Peach Orchard. The Union right side demonstrated into escalated full-scale assaults. This occurred on Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill. Across the battlefield, despite significant losses, the Union defenders held their lines. (Wikipedia, 2006) The Confederates came close to victory on day two, but they failed to seize Round Top or penetrate the line on Cemetery Ridge. On July 3rd, fighting resumed on Culp’s Hill and cavalry battle raged east and south. The main event was a dramatic infantry assault by the Confederates. The Confederates sent 12,500 against the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. This was known as Pickett’s Charge. This was stopped by Union rifle and artillery fire at great loss to the Confederate army. The Union cavalry charged against the right side of the Confederates for the final blow. (Wikipedia, 2006) Union forces at Gettysburg numbered about 85,000 men. The Confederates had 70,000 to 75,000. The Union had losses of 23,000 men. This includes killed, wounded, captured, and missing. The Confederates reported 20,000 casualties. This was a heavy blow for the South. They did not have the man power to replace there men. Everyone was exhausted and could not handle much more torture. (Mitchell, 2004, #710) Throughout the campaign General Lee was under the impression his men were invincible. Lee’s former battles convinced him of this, especially Chancellorsville. Lee did not have the pride to refuse his army’s desire to fight, which caused too much aggression. What hurt Lee the most in the war was the loss of Stonewall Jackson. Lee’s habits of generalizing orders and leaving the rest to his lieutenants played a large part in the defeat. Lee’s lieutenants were not organized and the confusion played a loss in many deaths. This method worked prior with Jackson, but new commanders were to loose. Lee faced a lot of difficulties in going from defender to invader, such as long supply lines, hostile local population, and the imperative to force the enemy from position. On July 1st, the Confederates were not able to coordinate attacks. Lee was struck by the ability of George Meade, leader of the Army of the Potomac standing to fight while on home territory. (Wikiepedia, 2006) On July 4th, General Lee retreated to Virginia. General Meade did not pursue Lee, which Lincoln severely criticized. On this same day, the Confederate fortress of Vicksburg surrendered. The Mississippi River was finally open to Northern shipping. The Confederacy was cut in two. The major event of Gettysburg led to the North having hope and seeing victory in a future. (Mitchell, 2004, #710) Elisha Hunt Rhodes from the 2nd Rhode Island Volunteers recorded after the battle, “July 5th, 1863. Glorious news! We have won the victory, thank God, and the Rebel Army is fleeing to Virginia. We have news that Vicksburg has fallen. We have thousands of prisoners, and they seem to be stupefied with the news. This morning our Corps (the 6th) started in pursuit of Lee’s Army. We have had rain and the roads are bad, so we move slow. Every house we see is a hospital, and the road is covered with the arms and equipments thrown away be the Rebels.” -Elisha Hunt Rhodes, Gettysburg Diary This quote is showing directly a soldier in battle. The soldiers finally had confidence and believed there was a real chance at winning this battle. Overall, this was an experience he will never forget. The victory of the Battle of Gettysburg led to hope for the Confederates. The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote in the paper, “Victory! Waterloo Eclipsed!” The North was electrified all over. George Temple Strong wrote in his diary, “The results of this victory are priceless. . . the charm of Robert E. Lee’s invincibility is broken. The Army of the Potomac has at last found a general that can handle it, and has stood nobly up to its terrible work in spite of its long disheartening list of hard-fought failures. . . Copperheads are palsied and dumb for the moment at least. . . Government is strengthened four-fold at home and abroad.” This statement discusses the place the North was. Hope had been found and was all around. The North really thought they had the South in the bag. The war was about completing what they started. By losing the Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederates lost all hope of London or England coming to there rescue. The Confederates were finally down and it was doubtful they would be getting back up. (Wikipedia, 2006) The Gettysburg Address was presented a few months later on November 19th, 1863. This quote was delivered at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Gettysburg Address is the most famous speech of U.S. President Lincoln and one of the most quoted in history. Secondary to the other presentations, was Lincoln’s carefully crafted address, which came to be regarded as one of the greatest speeches in American history. The speech was in fewer than 300 words and delivered in two to three sentences. (Wikipedia, 2006) The Gettysburg Address is, Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. 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 thuse 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, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. -President Abraham Lincoln, 1863 In the above, Lincoln invoked human principles of human equality supporting the Declaration of Independence. Abraham Lincoln, also, redefined the Civil War as a struggle not merely for the Union, but as “a new birth of freedom” that would bring equality to all. Lincoln crafted his speech very carefully. Lincoln used the word “nation” five times and never used the word “union.” This was to show the significance of restoring nation, not the union, as a significant goal for the country. Lincoln referred to the Declaration of Independence with “all men are created equal.” Throughout the speech Lincoln did not mention slavery or state’s rights. This was to not frustrate the Confederates and know the Union is open to them coming back. Lincoln has also made mention to birth, life, and death with saying “brought forth,” “conceived,” and that shall not “perish.” The one part criticized from the Gettysburg Address was “sacrificed their lives to the cause of self-determination.” It was actually quite the opposite, with the Confederates fighting for the right of their people to govern themselves. (Wikipedia, 2006) On November 20th, 1863 the New York Times stated Lincoln’s speech was interrupted five times by applause and was ended with a long continuous applause. Everett (the man who spoke prior to Lincoln), sent a letter to Lincoln the following day commemorating him for his concise speech. He said, “I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes.” This helped Lincoln gain reassurance. The public reaction was contradictory. The Chicago Times said, “The cheek of every American must tingle with shame as he reads the silly, flat, and dishwatery utterances of the man who has to be pointed out to intelligent foreigners as the President of the United States.” The New York Times, had a contradictory opinion with saying, “deep in feeling, compact in thought, and expression, and tasteful and elegant in every word and comma.” These quotes show us where the country was. We were in a split. (Wikipedia, 2006) The Gettysburg Address earned a hallow place in American literature because in 272 words Lincoln articulated the higher ideals to which they wanted their and causes dedicated. Lincoln believed the fighting was for more than the restoration of the political union and enforcement of laws. The war was fought to preserve a noble republican government and a single nation whose principles are stated in the Declaration of Independence. “All men are created equal.” This noble idea, Lincoln told the people, that the war would produce “a new birth of freedom.” This states the Union cause is worth fighting for and has been advanced by the men in blue. These are the men who made the crucial sacrifice at Gettysburg. (Rafuse, 2000) The Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Address will always be remembered in our countries history. War is always a terrible thing, but good can come from all. The Battle of Gettysburg set up the original plans for the American country. Before the war began, there was the South vs. the North. Now, we are the United States of America. References Battle of Gettysburg. (2006, October 17.) In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:46, October 19, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Gettysburg&oldid=82067199 Battle of Gettysburg. (1996). In The History Place. From http://www.historyplace.com/civilwar/battle.htm Gettysburg Address. (2006, October 19). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:48, October 19, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gettysburg_Address&oldid=82340187 Bruun, E., & Crosby, J. (1999). Our Nation’s Archive: the History of the United States in Documents. Gettysburg Diary (pp. 361-366). New York, NY: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishing. Hanchett, W. (2004). Gettysburg Address. In Encyclopedia Americana: International Edition (Vol. 12, pp. 711). Danbury, CT: Scholastic Library Publishing. Mitchell, J. (2004). Battle of Gettysburg. In Encyclopedia Americana: International Edition (Vol. 12, pp. 707-710). Danbury, CT: Scholastic Library Publishing. Sauers, R. (2000). Battle of Gettysburg. In Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History. (Vol. 2, pp.827-838). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO Publishing. Rafuse, E. (2000). Gettysburg Address. In Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History. (Vol. 2, pp.825-827). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO Publishing. Brett Goldberg Battle of Gettysburg: Turning Point in the Civil War Montana Academy Abstract The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. This battle was fought on three hot summer days July 1- July 3, 1863. The American country has faced a lot of turmoil, but the Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in our nation’s history. This paper will give an overview of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Address. More important, the paper will discuss the significance of both these instances and the impact they had on our country. The Gettysburg Address states the United States democracy in its entirety. This paper will help show the reasons the Union defeated the Confederates, which in reaction changed our country forever.
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