Story teller

Gettysburg would be Meade’s biggest victory of his career and biggest mistake of his life. What caused the Gettysburg battle? It was the roads, 10 in fact, that lead directly into the town. Hearing Mead was in Pennsylvania and because of his win in Chancellorsville, Lee concentrated his army in Gettysburg. The battle began as the armies collided northwest of the town. John Buford slowed the confederates but as Confederate reinforcements arrived and the confederates won the town. The Union took up residence in Culp’s and Cemetery Hills. Then, on the second day, the Union’s army was fishhook shaped on hills south of town. Lee commanded heavy assaults on the Union’s left in Devils Den, Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, the Peach Orchard and Cemetery Ridge and on the Union’s right- Culp’s hill and East Cemetery Hill. The confederate troops gained ground on the right, Lower-Culp’s hill to be exact.

On the third day the fighting resumed on Culp’s hill, where the Confederates had gained ground. The Union regained Culp’s Hill. Now having tested the Union’s right and left, Lee commanded a massive charge on the center, led by George E. Pickett. Picket’s charge was repulsed by Union fire and there was great loss to the Confederates.

Lee retreated and 51,112 soldiers were killed, wounded or captured from both sides, but only one citizen was killed. The total forces before were 165,620 men. After the battles only 114,508 troops were left. Although all 3 days were in the top 15 civil war battles, it is debated if whether Gettysburg largest civil war battle. Both generals offered to resign, Meade, because he didn’t finish off Lee’s army which was his big mistake and Lee because he felt responsible for the loss. Both resignations were rejected.

Four months after the battle, Lincoln gave his Gettysburg address to dedicate the new soldier’s cemetery. In his speech, in a few minutes he said the U.S. would keep fighting as they were and he honored the solders there.

I think that the battle of Gettysburg is important because if Gettysburg had turned out differently or not happened it would have changed the war because Gettysburg would have happened in a town further north which would mean that we would have to push hard to get them out and lost a lot of men changing the war that. If the war would have been changed, England saw that a divided country would be easier to conquer. If America was captured, it could have changed the world as we know it as England would be in charge of the U.S. That would have changed the world but mostly our freedom. That is why I think Gettysburg is an important landmark.