Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg

[Weatherman2020]

While Lee nor any of his Generals clearly stated what their objective was for invading Pennsylvania, my feeling was Lee wanted to bring the horrors of war to the doorsteps of Northerners in order to get people elected who were willing to let the South succeed from the Union.

But for whatever reason Lee’s Army is now confronting the Union Army in Gettysburg PA. The first of three days of the battle went fairly well for Lee, but while they had pushed the Union Army back they failed to take the high ground at Culp’s hill and Cemetery ridge. Day two Lee attacked both flanks which failed.

Day three Lee incorrectly thinks the Union center is weak because the flanks are well defended. Meade had played a hunch correctly and built up the center overnight. So Lee orders a frontal assault across a mile of open field despite witnessing what his outnumbered men did to Union forces at Fredericksburg over a shorter field just the year prior.

This is from Lee’s position, the arrow points to the copse of trees Pickett’s 13,000 men were to go towards and break thru the Union line. To add to the mile of open field are three well built fences his men must navigate.

This is from the Union position at the only point Pickett’s men reached - the high watermark of the Confederacy. Pickett started in the line of trees in the distance.

The assault began with the largest artillery attack ever to take place on this hemisphere. Approximately 170 cannons fired for almost two hours to soften up the Union line. People in Baltimore heard what sounded like distant thunder.

Initially Union artillery returned fire. But gunpowder smoke had obscured the view of the Confederacy and most of their shells were going over the Union line. Seeing this the Union commander of the artillery ordered his cannons into silence so the Confederates would think they had been taken out. It worked. Pickett’s men moved forward.

This is the field of fire of the Union artillery during Pickett’s charge. The red circle is the copse of trees Pickett was to head towards.

It was murder. That’s about all you can say. The Confederacy was over at this point. But like all wars they go on long after it’s over just delaying the inevitable and costing many lives and the further destruction of infrastructure of the losing side. Lee retreats back to Virginia and conducts a series of battles to defend Richmond.

 

[Dante]

Fog of war? If so, what is your point? I'm sure there is one.

please...

 

[jbrownson0831]

While Lee nor any of his Generals clearly stated what their objective was for invading Pennsylvania, my feeling was Lee wanted to bring the horrors of war to the doorsteps of Northerners in order to get people elected who were willing to let the South succeed from the Union.

But for whatever reason Lee’s Army is now confronting the Union Army in Gettysburg PA. The first of three days of the battle went fairly well for Lee, but while they had pushed the Union Army back they failed to take the high ground at Culp’s hill and Cemetery ridge. Day two Lee attacked both flanks which failed.

Day three Lee incorrectly thinks the Union center is weak because the flanks are well defended. Meade had played a hunch correctly and built up the center overnight. So Lee orders a frontal assault across a mile of open field despite witnessing what his outnumbered men did to Union forces at Fredericksburg over a shorter field just the year prior.

View attachment 988302

This is from Lee’s position, the arrow points to the copse of trees Pickett’s 13,000 men were to go towards and break thru the Union line. To add to the mile of open field are three well built fences his men must navigate.

View attachment 988300

This is from the Union position at the only point Pickett’s men reached - the high watermark of the Confederacy. Pickett started in the line of trees in the distance.
View attachment 988301

The assault began with the largest artillery attack ever to take place on this hemisphere. Approximately 170 cannons fired for almost two hours to soften up the Union line.
View attachment 988309

Initially Union artillery returned fire. But gunpowder smoke had obscured the view of the Confederacy and most of their shells were going over the Union line. Seeing this the Union commander of the artillery ordered his cannons into silence so the Confederates would think they had been taken out. It worked. Pickett’s men moved forward.

This is the field of fire of the Union artillery during Pickett’s charge. The red circle is the copse of trees Pickett was to head towards.
View attachment 988314

It was murder. That’s about all you can say. The Confederacy was over at this point. But like all wars they go on long after it’s over just delaying the inevitable and costing many lives and the further destruction of infrastructure of the losing side. Lee retreats back to Virginia and conducts a series of battles to defend Richmond.

Outstanding pictures and illustrations.
I've been there a couple of times, it certainly is a moving experience standing on that ground.

 

[rampart]

Fog of war? If so, what is your point? I'm sure there is one.

please...

history forum. i'm just happy to see the penguin doing somrething productive.

 

[Weatherman2020]

As the Confederates got closer the artillery would have switched to canister or grape shot, basically turning their cannons into shotguns. The balls were steel rather than lead so they could pass through multiple troops.

 

[rampart]

As the Confederates got closer the artillery would have switched to canister or grape shot, basically turning their cannons into shotguns. The balls were steel rather than lead so they could pass through multiple troops.
View attachment 988332View attachment 988333

they must have left a few tons of that scrap metal on the field. i guess the townspeople haul it off when the war is over. probably plenty of "souvenirs" as well.

"souvenirs" the spello checker likes it. bing likes it. why does it look like it needs an "ier" ending

 

[Weatherman2020]

they must have left a few tons of that scrap metal on the field. i guess the townspeople haul it off when the war is over. probably plenty of "souvenirs" as well.

"souvenirs" the spello checker likes it. bing likes it. why does it look like it needs an "ier" ending

The government paid kids to collect the spent metal for the ongoing war. Unfortunately a few unexploded shells killed a few of the kids.

 

[1srelluc]

My wife's old boss's father was in the14th Virginia Inf. , Armistead's Brigade during Pickett's Charge.....Wounded (concussion) and captured....He escaped a few days later and by and by surrendered at Appomattox.

LOL....His wound sure didn't hurt his reproductive capabilities.....He became a lawyer, went through three wives, and fathered a child while in his 80s.

 

[Weatherman2020]

My wife's old boss's father was in the14th Virginia Inf. , Armistead's Brigade during Pickett's Charge.....Wounded (concussion) and captured....He escaped a few days later and by and by surrendered at Appomattox.

LOL....His wound sure didn't hurt his reproductive capabilities.....He became a lawyer, went through three wives, and fathered a child while in his 80s.

Wife’s 5x G-Grandfather was in the 14th VA during the Revolution. He was at Trenton, Valley Forge, Germantown among others. Going to retrace his steps in a few weeks.

 

[rampart]

The government paid kids to collect the spent metal for the ongoing war. Unfortunately a few unexploded shells killed a few of the kids.

the south in particular would have need to continue recycle the materials. logistics is such a big part of every war.

the number of mules required to haul that stuff. we could have given the freedmen 2 mules to plow that 40 acres after the war.

 

[rampart]

While Lee nor any of his Generals clearly stated what their objective was for invading Pennsylvania, my feeling was Lee wanted to bring the horrors of war to the doorsteps of Northerners in order to get people elected who were willing to let the South succeed from the Union.

But for whatever reason Lee’s Army is now confronting the Union Army in Gettysburg PA. The first of three days of the battle went fairly well for Lee, but while they had pushed the Union Army back they failed to take the high ground at Culp’s hill and Cemetery ridge. Day two Lee attacked both flanks which failed.

Day three Lee incorrectly thinks the Union center is weak because the flanks are well defended. Meade had played a hunch correctly and built up the center overnight. So Lee orders a frontal assault across a mile of open field despite witnessing what his outnumbered men did to Union forces at Fredericksburg over a shorter field just the year prior.

View attachment 988302

This is from Lee’s position, the arrow points to the copse of trees Pickett’s 13,000 men were to go towards and break thru the Union line. To add to the mile of open field are three well built fences his men must navigate.

View attachment 988300

This is from the Union position at the only point Pickett’s men reached - the high watermark of the Confederacy. Pickett started in the line of trees in the distance.
View attachment 988301

The assault began with the largest artillery attack ever to take place on this hemisphere. Approximately 170 cannons fired for almost two hours to soften up the Union line. People in Baltimore heard what sounded like distant thunder.
View attachment 988309

Initially Union artillery returned fire. But gunpowder smoke had obscured the view of the Confederacy and most of their shells were going over the Union line. Seeing this the Union commander of the artillery ordered his cannons into silence so the Confederates would think they had been taken out. It worked. Pickett’s men moved forward.

This is the field of fire of the Union artillery during Pickett’s charge. The red circle is the copse of trees Pickett was to head towards.
View attachment 988314

It was murder. That’s about all you can say. The Confederacy was over at this point. But like all wars they go on long after it’s over just delaying the inevitable and costing many lives and the further destruction of infrastructure of the losing side. Lee retreats back to Virginia and conducts a series of battles to defend Richmond.

some 2013 interactive maps from the smithsonian. also recently the site was surveyed with ground penetrating radar, adding great detail to our knowledge of troop behavior and positions.

A Cutting-Edge Second Look at the Battle of Gettysburg

New technology has given us the chance to re-examine how the Civil War battle was won and lost

www.smithsonianmag.com

shelby foote is one historian who thought that lee was concerned about the morale of his troops, after marching through the north they wanted to fight, or lee thought they woukd be demoralized.

as a former troop. i can say that there are far worse things than being demoralized - frontal assauilt on a fortified ridge being one of them.

lee : "general, rejoin your division"
pickett : "sir , i have no division"

 

[Winston]

You cannot talk about Gettysburg without talking about the 26th of North Carolina, the largest regiment in the Union Army led by the youngest Colonel, Henry Burgwyn, all of 21 years old.

On the first day of Gettysburg the 26th defeated the 24th of Michigan and took their position on McPherson's Ridge. Their colors were shot down 14 times. Out of 800 men, 588 were killed, injured, or MIA.

They rested on the second day, but on the third day they were at the forefront of Pickett's charge. The colors shot down eight times, the final time it was carried by Burgwyn himself, he was mortally wounded. The Hibriten Guards, all 90 men, either killed or wounded. Let me just say, Hibriten Mountain, and the crossroads where those men were recruited, is less than ten miles from where I sit right now.

But here is what you don't know, what history will not openly tell you. And it is a huge lesson. Not unlike Biggerstaff Fields and the American Revolution, again, not ten miles from where I sit. Some of the 26th made it across that field, I would say they climbed over the Union fortifications, except they didn't do it alone. They were helped, by Union soldiers, who pulled them over those fortifications. They shook hands, welcomed them as brothers, so impressed with the courage they displayed. They were taken prisoner, but the very next day, they all "escaped". Yeah, right.

War is a terrible thing. But in the very midst of almost every war in human history, there are moments of supreme humanity. Pulling those men over the fortifications after Pickett's charge is just one. Biggerstaff Field, the Christmas Truce of 1914, clearly demonstrate that wars are initiated and fought by governments. But people, men especially, they are the salt of the earth, and like Dad told me, "don't you ever forget it".

 

[Weatherman2020]

You cannot talk about Gettysburg without talking about the 26th of North Carolina, the largest regiment in the Union Army led by the youngest Colonel, Henry Burgwyn, all of 21 years old.

On the first day of Gettysburg the 26th defeated the 24th of Michigan and took their position on McPherson's Ridge. Their colors were shot down 14 times. Out of 800 men, 588 were killed, injured, or MIA.

They rested on the second day, but on the third day they were at the forefront of Pickett's charge. The colors shot down eight times, the final time it was carried by Burgwyn himself, he was mortally wounded. The Hibriten Guards, all 90 men, either killed or wounded. Let me just say, Hibriten Mountain, and the crossroads where those men were recruited, is less than ten miles from where I sit right now.

But here is what you don't know, what history will not openly tell you. And it is a huge lesson. Not unlike Biggerstaff Fields and the American Revolution, again, not ten miles from where I sit. Some of the 26th made it across that field, I would say they climbed over the Union fortifications, except they didn't do it alone. They were helped, by Union soldiers, who pulled them over those fortifications. They shook hands, welcomed them as brothers, so impressed with the courage they displayed. They were taken prisoner, but the very next day, they all "escaped". Yeah, right.

War is a terrible thing. But in the very midst of almost every war in human history, there are moments of supreme humanity. Pulling those men over the fortifications after Pickett's charge is just one. Biggerstaff Field, the Christmas Truce of 1914, clearly demonstrate that wars are initiated and fought by governments. But people, men especially, they are the salt of the earth, and like Dad told me, "don't you ever forget it".

I love North Carolina troops.

They shot Jackson and Longstreet.

Trivia: only Confederate monument at Appomattox is NC.

 

[whitehall]

Bad intelligence. The Union Army had pretty much cut an run from an organized Confederate attack at Bull Run in 1861 and most subsequent battles since but the Union troops had hardened by 1864 and the Rebel Yell didn't panic them as much.

 

[Weatherman2020]

A good drone 360 of the battlefield. Shows how huge it was.

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[Mushroom]

While Lee nor any of his Generals clearly stated what their objective was for invading Pennsylvania

Oh, we know exactly what their objective was. By invading, it would force the Union army to respond to it and force them to fight in Pennsylvania rather than most of the previous fighting in Confederate territory. It is known as the "Gettysburg Campaign", and threaten the cities of Baltimore, Washington DC and Philadelphia. It was hoped that he could move around at will in the rural areas, and force the Union to recall forces fighting on other parts of the South, like Vicksburg.

And it was largely a repeat of his campaign of the year before. One of the problems he later saw with his Maryland Campaign was that he did not have enough room to maneuver, and it was clearly obvious that DC was his goal. By swinging farther to the west, he hoped that would not only confuse the defenders to their eventual goal, but also left himself open to changing if the opportunity arose.

 

[Mushroom]

Union troops had hardened by 1864 and the Rebel Yell didn't panic them as much.

This was 1863. And only the opening battles were Union disasters. And by that time, had gone through Scott, and McClellan and were under the command of Halleck.

And even then, most of the "failures" were in the Army of the Potomac. That was an extremely "green" army mostly made up of new recruits, while the Western Armies had many more veterans in their ranks. And the commanders of that army were just as questionable as the command of the Army as a whole. Including such as McDowell, McClellan, Burnside, and Hooker.

That is why as the war drug on, Lincoln looked increasingly to the "Western Generals". They were much more likely to actually engage in a fight, and not withdraw the moment things were not favorable.

 

[Weatherman2020]

Oh, we know exactly what their objective was. By invading, it would force the Union army to respond to it and force them to fight in Pennsylvania rather than most of the previous fighting in Confederate territory. It is known as the "Gettysburg Campaign", and threaten the cities of Baltimore, Washington DC and Philadelphia. It was hoped that he could move around at will in the rural areas, and force the Union to recall forces fighting on other parts of the South, like Vicksburg.

And it was largely a repeat of his campaign of the year before. One of the problems he later saw with his Maryland Campaign was that he did not have enough room to maneuver, and it was clearly obvious that DC was his goal. By swinging farther to the west, he hoped that would not only confuse the defenders to their eventual goal, but also left himself open to changing if the opportunity arose.

Like mine, mere opinion. Lee nor his staff recorded it for us.

 

[Mushroom]

they must have left a few tons of that scrap metal on the field. i guess the townspeople haul it off when the war is over. probably plenty of "souvenirs" as well.

Actually, for most of it there are teams that go through the battlefield afterwards. Collecting up and burying the dead, collecting up any arms and munitions, things like that. This has been done for as long as there have been wars and battlefields.

 

[Weatherman2020]

Actually, for most of it there are teams that go through the battlefield afterwards. Collecting up and burying the dead, collecting up any arms and munitions, things like that. This has been done for as long as there have been wars and battlefields.

Sometimes it took years for the dead to be buried. Many Gettysburg residents moved because of the stench