The Battle of Gettsyburg July 1

Today is the 150th anniversary of the first day of the 3 days battle around Gettsysburg, Penn. If you are an American who has some sentiment for the US, you will have some appreciation for the Battle of Gettysburg because this was perhaps to be the battle to decide the fate of the USA. The northern states were tired of the war and the defeats, the south wanted another victory on northern soil. If the Confederates defeated the Union army here it would make the war so vile, appalling, demoralizing for the northerners that they would seek out a peaceful resolution instead.

What started off as a search for supplies by the Confederates in Gettsyburgs and skirmishes, quickly turned into a full engagement involving 165620 men and lasting 3 days. Lee wasn't stupid about this battle, but he may have overestimated the capability of his men through his victories at Second battle of Bull Run, Seven Days Battles, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and inflicting heavy casualties at Antietam. Lee was blind to the Union movements because his cavalry General JEB Stuart rode too far out of the way to keep communications with Lee. Allowing Lee to engage a Union force of unknown strength and ground he couldn't choose from.

This is just a general outline of the first day of battle from the Complete Idiot's Guide

Day One: July 1, 1863

When Brig. Gen. John Buford of the Union army reached Gettysburg, he immediately grasped the importance of holding the high ground called McPherson??s Ridge, just west of town.

Buford??s dismounted cavalry held off the first waves of Heth??s and William Pender??s Confederate infantry divisions while General John Reynolds??s I Corps and Gen. Oliver O. Howard??s XI Corps rushed to reinforce Buford. Reynolds??s troops began to arrive by 10:30, but by this time the Confederates were massing and had built up superior strength. Reynolds took personal command of the celebrated 1,800-man —Iron Brigade?? in McPherson??s Woods, to the west of the ridge. Within minutes, the gallant major general fell from his horse with a wound in his neck. He died instantly.

The Union Loses Ground

When 😕. Howard and his XI Corps arrived, shortly before noon, the situation had become terribly confused. Union forces were repeatedly pushed back, only to rally and counterattack, but when Howard, who assumed overall command in the field following the death of Reynolds, tried to join a division commanded by Major General Carl Schurz to the beleaguered brigades of I Corps, the units failed to meet. This gave the combined Confederate units under Generals Robert Rodes, Jubal Early, and A.P. Hill the ability to drive the Federals off McPherson??s Ridge and their other positions west and north of Gettysburg. The Union soldiers retreated into the town, fighting hand-to-hand near Pennsylvania College and, ultimately, retreating southeast of the town down the Baltimore Pike. Meade, not yet on the field, sent his most trusted subordinate—General Winfield Scott Hancock—to take charge of the battered defense.
The End of the First Day

The first day??s fighting ended in a Southern victory, but the battle was not over. The high ground of McPherson??s Ridge was lost to the Union, but a rout of the Federal forces had been stemmed on other high ground: East Cemetery Hill, Cemetery Ridge, and Culp??s Hill, running from due south to southeast of town. The Confederates occupied some high ground, too: Oak Hill, northwest of town, and Seminary Ridge, due west of Gettysburg.

good thing i misspelled gettysburg at the top

Posted by chopstickcharmer
i wonder if housecleaning is the type to do reenactments? 😛

if i get to use live rounds for full effect