1863 : Battle of Gettysburg ends
On the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate General
Robert E. Lee's last attempt at breaking the Union line ends in
disastrous failure, bringing the most decisive battle of the American
Civil War to an end.
In June 1863, following his masterful victory at the Battle of
Chancellorsville, General Lee launched his second invasion of the
Union in less than a year. He led his 75,000-man Army of Northern
Virginia across the Potomac River, through Maryland, and into
Pennsylvania, seeking to win a major battle on Northern soil that
would further dispirit the Union war effort and induce Britain or
France to intervene on the Confederacy's behalf. The 90,000-strong
Army of the Potomac pursued the Confederates into Maryland, but its
commander, General Joseph Hooker, was still stinging from his defeat
at Chancellorsville and seemed reluctant to chase Lee further.
Meanwhile, the Confederates divided their forces and investigated
various targets, such as Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania capital.
On June 28, President Abraham Lincoln replaced Hooker with General
George Meade, and Lee learned of the presence of the Army of the
Potomac in Maryland. Lee ordered his army to concentrate in the
vicinity of the crossroads town of Gettysburg and prepare to meet the
Federal army. At the same time, Meade sent ahead part of his force
into Pennsylvania but intended to make a stand at Pipe Creek in
Maryland.
On July 1, a Confederate division under General Henry Heth marched
into Gettysburg hoping to seize supplies but finding instead three
brigades of Union cavalry. Thus began the Battle of Gettysburg, and
Lee and Meade ordered their massive armies to converge on the
impromptu battle site. The Union cavalrymen defiantly held the field
against overwhelming numbers until the arrival of Federal
reinforcements. Later, the Confederates were reinforced, and by
mid-afternoon some 19,000 Federals faced 24,000 Confederates. Lee
arrived to the battlefield soon afterward and ordered a general
advance that forced the Union line back to Cemetery Hill, just south
of the town.
During the night, the rest of Meade's force arrived, and by the
morning Union General Winfield Hancock had formed a strong Union line.
On July 2, against the Union left, General James Longstreet led the
main Confederate attack, but it was not carried out until about 4
p.m., and the Federals had time to consolidate their positions. Thus
began some of the heaviest fighting of the battle, and Union forces
retained control of their strategic positions at heavy cost. After
three hours, the battle ended, and the total number of dead at
Gettysburg stood at 35,000.
On July 3, Lee, having failed on the right and the left, planned an
assault on Meade's center. A 15,000-man strong column under General
George Pickett was organized, and Lee ordered a massive bombardment of
the Union positions. The 10,000 Federals answered the Confederate
artillery onslaught, and for more than an hour the guns raged in the
heaviest cannonade of the Civil War. At 3 p.m., Pickett led his force
into no-man's-land and found that Lee's bombardment had failed. As
Pickett's force attempted to cross the mile distance to Cemetery
Ridge, Union artillery blew great holes in their lines. Meanwhile,
Yankee infantry flanked the main body of "Pickett's charge" and began
cutting down the Confederates. Only a few hundred Virginians reached
the Union line, and within minutes they all were dead, dying, or
captured. In less than an hour, more than 7,000 Confederate troops had
been killed or wounded.
Both armies, exhausted, held their positions until the night of July
4, when Lee withdrew. The Army of the Potomac was too weak to pursue
the Confederates, and Lee led his army out of the North, never to
invade it again. The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the
Civil War, costing the Union 23,000 killed, wounded, or missing in
action. The Confederates suffered some 25,000 casualties. On November
19, 1863, President Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address
during the dedication of a new national cemetery at the site of the
Battle of Gettysburg. The Civil War effectively ended with the
surrender of General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in April 1865.
history.com/tdih.do
1775 : Washington assumes command
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5146
1988 : U.S. warship downs Iranian passenger jet
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5147
##########################################
On the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate General
Robert E. Lee's last attempt at breaking the Union line ends in
disastrous failure, bringing the most decisive battle of the American
Civil War to an end.
In June 1863, following his masterful victory at the Battle of
Chancellorsville, General Lee launched his second invasion of the
Union in less than a year. He led his 75,000-man Army of Northern
Virginia across the Potomac River, through Maryland, and into
Pennsylvania, seeking to win a major battle on Northern soil that
would further dispirit the Union war effort and induce Britain or
France to intervene on the Confederacy's behalf. The 90,000-strong
Army of the Potomac pursued the Confederates into Maryland, but its
commander, General Joseph Hooker, was still stinging from his defeat
at Chancellorsville and seemed reluctant to chase Lee further.
Meanwhile, the Confederates divided their forces and investigated
various targets, such as Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania capital.
On June 28, President Abraham Lincoln replaced Hooker with General
George Meade, and Lee learned of the presence of the Army of the
Potomac in Maryland. Lee ordered his army to concentrate in the
vicinity of the crossroads town of Gettysburg and prepare to meet the
Federal army. At the same time, Meade sent ahead part of his force
into Pennsylvania but intended to make a stand at Pipe Creek in
Maryland.
On July 1, a Confederate division under General Henry Heth marched
into Gettysburg hoping to seize supplies but finding instead three
brigades of Union cavalry. Thus began the Battle of Gettysburg, and
Lee and Meade ordered their massive armies to converge on the
impromptu battle site. The Union cavalrymen defiantly held the field
against overwhelming numbers until the arrival of Federal
reinforcements. Later, the Confederates were reinforced, and by
mid-afternoon some 19,000 Federals faced 24,000 Confederates. Lee
arrived to the battlefield soon afterward and ordered a general
advance that forced the Union line back to Cemetery Hill, just south
of the town.
During the night, the rest of Meade's force arrived, and by the
morning Union General Winfield Hancock had formed a strong Union line.
On July 2, against the Union left, General James Longstreet led the
main Confederate attack, but it was not carried out until about 4
p.m., and the Federals had time to consolidate their positions. Thus
began some of the heaviest fighting of the battle, and Union forces
retained control of their strategic positions at heavy cost. After
three hours, the battle ended, and the total number of dead at
Gettysburg stood at 35,000.
On July 3, Lee, having failed on the right and the left, planned an
assault on Meade's center. A 15,000-man strong column under General
George Pickett was organized, and Lee ordered a massive bombardment of
the Union positions. The 10,000 Federals answered the Confederate
artillery onslaught, and for more than an hour the guns raged in the
heaviest cannonade of the Civil War. At 3 p.m., Pickett led his force
into no-man's-land and found that Lee's bombardment had failed. As
Pickett's force attempted to cross the mile distance to Cemetery
Ridge, Union artillery blew great holes in their lines. Meanwhile,
Yankee infantry flanked the main body of "Pickett's charge" and began
cutting down the Confederates. Only a few hundred Virginians reached
the Union line, and within minutes they all were dead, dying, or
captured. In less than an hour, more than 7,000 Confederate troops had
been killed or wounded.
Both armies, exhausted, held their positions until the night of July
4, when Lee withdrew. The Army of the Potomac was too weak to pursue
the Confederates, and Lee led his army out of the North, never to
invade it again. The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the
Civil War, costing the Union 23,000 killed, wounded, or missing in
action. The Confederates suffered some 25,000 casualties. On November
19, 1863, President Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address
during the dedication of a new national cemetery at the site of the
Battle of Gettysburg. The Civil War effectively ended with the
surrender of General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in April 1865.
history.com/tdih.do
1775 : Washington assumes command
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5146
1988 : U.S. warship downs Iranian passenger jet
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5147
##########################################
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