Introduction

Quiz Question #1The Battle of Gettysburg was fought in what state?

Virginia b) Maryland

c) Pennsylvania d) Tennessee Tutorial To navigate around the lesson I have used action buttons:

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BeginIntroductionLesson #1The Civil War was begun on March,11, 1861 when seven states seceded from the United States of America , which was under President Abraham Lincoln. These states then created the Confederate States of America and all signing a new constitution, with Jefferson Davis being elected the president. The first shots of the Civil War happened on April,12, 1861 when Confederate Troops fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The under-manned, out -gunned Union Troops surrendered and gave up the fort. By the summer of 1861, four more southern states had joined the Confederacy and thus began the bloodiest conflict in the history of The United States of America.

Lesson #2The Union Army had several different leaders by 1863, with General Hooker being the latest. The Confederate Army had one General from the start of the war to the end, General Robert E. Lee, who was revered as a god by his army. The conflicts leading up to Gettysburg were many and carried names like Bull Run, Shiloh, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Murfreesboro, and Chancellorsville, all fought on southern land and all Confederate victories except at Murfreesboro which was a weak victory for the Union Army, considering the casualties and lack of defeat to the Confederate Troops under Gen. Bragg. President Lincoln wanted a decisive victory against Lees invincible army, and was determined to attack the South on its own ground yet again, with Vicksburg as the Union goal this time. Gen. Lee wanted the northern Army out of his area and decided on a plan to circumvent around the Union Army and attack the North on its own ground, removing them from southern soil and Lee hoped he could deliver a blow the Union could not survive from, ending the war in the Confederates favor. He began his march crossing the Potomac river and headed for his goal of either Harrisburg or Philadelphia Pennsylvania .

Lesson #3

On July,1,1863 the two armies met by chance. An advance force of Confederate troops under Gen.s Hill and Ewell ran into a Union cavalry brigade, under Gen. Buford, which was quickly reinforced by two Corp of infantry under Gen. Reynolds . The Union troops had the town of Gettysburg and artillery covering the Chambersburg Pike. Once Lee learned of the conflict he ordered an all out attack, moving his troops from all arenas toward Gettysburg. The Union troops started advancing as well toward the conflict. The Confederates pushed the Union back and eventually through the town, Reynolds was killed along Seminary Ridge and when Confederate Gen.s Early and Rhodes arrived on scene the Union lines folded and retreated to Cemetery Hill, which was high ground in the arena. Lee ordered Ewell to take the hill behind the town, Culp Hill, and place artillery on there to knock the Union troops off the ridge. He failed to follow orders and left the high ground under Union control. Throughout the late afternoon and evening troops arrived for both sides. The Union General Meade, who had replaced Hooker a few days before, arrived on scene and was determined to defeat Lee once and for all. The two armies dug in for the next days battle.Lesson #4

On the 2nd day the armies were entrenched, the Confederates on Seminary Ridge, estimated at 75,000 strong. The Union, entrenched along Cemetery Ridge from Culps Hill around the ridge creating a fishhook formation, was estimated to be 94,000 strong. Meade had Hancock in charge of the center , and had ordered Gen Sickles to form next to Hancock on the ridge. Sickles instead placed his troops forward in the Peach Orchard, Rose Woods and Devils Den, a move that almost wiped out his troops and exposed the Unions left flank to being over-run by the Confederates. Meade moved Sykes divisions into place in time and took the ridge to Little Round Top to prevent the Confederates from circling behind. Some of the bloodiest fighting took place in the rocky crevices of Devils Den and trying to take Little Round Top. Confederate Gen. Longstreet had Gen Hoods division try and take the hill and Hood lost an arm in the battle and his division was wiped out. They took the den but could not take the hill. After the fighting on this day the Union also put troops on Big Round Top to keep it secure and the Confederates from circling behind that hill as well. Lesson #5

There were a few factors that may have contributed to the outcome of the 2nd days battles that need to be mentioned here. Lee had intended there to be a simultaneous attack on both ends of the Union lines. Ewell was to attack at Culps Hill at the same time that Longstreet attacked on the Unions left flank. Longstreet had not been enthusiastic about attacking such an entrenched army that held the high ground and he may have held back longer than he should have, allowing the Union to counter Ewells attack and then turn toward Longstreets attack. The Confederate Cavalry under Gen. Jeb Stuart had been sent ahead when Lees army had crossed the Potomac to do reconnaissance, Lee had not heard back from him and made battle plans without knowing what was in front of him in regards to the Unions strength. Stuart did arrive on the scene the evening of the 2nd day, perhaps he was asked to survey too much area due to Philadelphia being one of the original targets of the battle. Lesson #6

The Union Gen. Sedgwick arrived on the evening of the 2nd day and brought much needed reinforcements to the Union lines. Gen.s Meade and Hancock were sure that after Lees failed flank attacks his next move would be a center of the line attack in the morning. The middle of the Union line was reinforced and Sedgwicks troops went to the far left Union flank to hold Big and Little Round Tops and once again prevent a flanking action from the Confederate Army. Gen. Lee had decided on an all out frontal assault on the center of the Union line preceded by a full artillery assault on the center. Ewell was again to attack Culp Hill and Gen. Stuarts cavalry was to flank the Unions far right and disrupt Meade from resupplying his lines with men and munitions. Longstreets Corp was to attack immediately following the bombardment straight up the middle. Longstreet was against this plan and wanted to try the left flank again, but Lee was determined to go up the center. Lees troops were going to have to cross a mile stretch of open land to get to the Union line, all the while being under the Union artillery fire and when in range musket fire from the Union lines. This assault has become known as Picketts Charge, the deadliest infantry assault during the Civil War. 9Lesson #7 At 1pm on July, 3, 1863 the Confederate canons, 159 in total, opened up on the Union positions. Hancock kept his artillery silent and moved up reserves. When the barrage feel silent the Confederate infantry assault began its long march toward and then up the slope of Cemetery Ridge. The Union artillery opened up once they were in the open and from the beginning it was a blood-bath. Such an assault should not have been attempted. The closer the Confederate troops got to the Union line the more concentrated the gunfire was. Very few men made it to the stonewall on the ridge and those that did fell just over it. Picketts brigade was completely wiped out and the Confederate Army lost so many leaders that it would never be the menacing force it had been in the war. Stuarts flank attack failed as well. Lee was devastated by the complete and utter defeat of his Army on this days battle. Though it was a decisive Union victory the casualties on both sides were high. In the total 3 day battle, the Confederate casualty list was 20,451 soldiers, the Union casualty list totaled 23,049. This was the turning point of the Civil War, never again would Robert E. Lees Confederate Army be the aggressor. The war would go on for another 2 years and a new Union General, Ulysses S. Grant, would take Lees surrender at Appomattox Court House on April,9,1865. The Union would be preserved and the long road of reconstruction began. There was to be one more casualty of this long war and that was President Lincoln himself, who fell to an assassins bullet on April, 14,1865 at Fords Theater. Lesson ReviewTake QuizYou have finished this lesson10