The Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg

Randy Morris

HIST 101

American Military University

Instructor Sawicki

The Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg is one of the most important battles of the American Civil War . The war lasted from 1861 to 1865 and was the bloodiest war the world had ever seen (Henretta. 2012). The fighting lasted from July 1 to July 3 of 1863. The Confederates, using the momentum of a victory, marched into Pennsylvania in last June and on July 1 clashed with General George G. Meade’s army. The fighting lasted for 3 days and eventually led to the retreat of Lee’s army on July 4. The battle was furious and took place in many different places. (Battle. 2009)

The events that led up to the Battle of Gettysburg are just as important as the battle itself. Robert E. Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia won a key victory at Chancellorsville over the Army of the Potomac in May of 1863. This victory filled Lee with enough confidence to push his army further north to try and push the North into surrender. The North, however, was nowhere near ready to give up. President Lincoln instead relieved acting commander Joseph Hooker of his position and inserted Major General George Gordon Meade into command of the Army of the Potomac. Not even shortly after taking control Meade ordered his army to pursue Lee who had crossed into Maryland and were marching to southern Pennsylvania. (Battle. 2009)

Lee planned to assemble his army in Gettysburg to meet the advancing Army of the Potomac. A Confederate division under the command of A.P. Hill advanced on the town trying to find supplies on July 1. Finding a Union cavalry unit already there from the previous day, the Confederate forces pushed them back into Cemetery Hill. Lee seeing an opportunity to strike gave orders to attack Cemetery Hill to Lieutenant General Ewell who had taken over for Stonewall Jackson who was mortally wounded at a previous engagement. Ewell,...