Col. Lawrence Chamberlain of a Maine regiment ran out of ammunition on Little Round Top and charged the Confederates with bayonets. The Maine regiment prevented to fall of the Federal left side and probably won the battle of Gettysburg as a result of their bravery. Farther north, elements of a division of the Confederate III Corps advanced to the slopes of Cemetery Ridge before they too were forced to retire. On the Federal right, Ewell did not attack until evening, after Longstreet’s onslaught had subsided. The effort to storm Cemetery Ridge was ultimately unsuccessful. Ewell’s attacks were also repulsed at Culp’s Hill, although a foothold was gained near the base of the hill.
The second day’s fighting had cost each army some 9,000 casualties. Lee’s forces had again gained ground, but had failed to dislodge the Federal army from its strong position. Lee’s confidence was unshaken by the events of July 2. That night, he ordered Longstreet, who had been reinforced by Major General George Pickett’s division, to renew his assault on the Federal left. Simultaneously, Ewell, who had also been reinforced, was to storm Culp’s Hill. Stuart’s cavalry, which had rejoined the army late that day, was ordered to march well east of Gettysburg, and attempt to penetrate to the Federal rear where they might disrupt communications and distract Meade. Meanwhile, Meade had determined to hold his position and await Lee’s attack.
The Term Paper on Robert E Lee War Military Army
Introduction Few episodes in history are more painful to Americans than the Civil War, fought between the North and the South. This biography, Great American Generals - Robert E. Lee, by Ian Hogg, takes the reader through the life of one of the greatest heroes of that war, Robert E. Lee. It is a thorough, in depth record of the life of Lee and begins with a detailed account of his family history ...
However, at Culp’s Hill he authorized XII Corps to drive Ewell’s forces out of the captured Federal trenches at daylight. The Federal effort opened with a concentrated artillery bombardment which precipitated a tremendous musketry battle. With Ewell already engaged, Lee rode to Longstreet’s headquarters to observe his preparations for the attack on the Federal left. Longstreet misunderstood his orders and was planning instead a movement to turn the Federal left. With the hope of a coordinated attack now lost, Lee was forced to modify his plans. He determined to shift his main attack to the Federal center on Cemetery Ridge.
Longstreet was placed in command of the effort. The plan was first to subject the Federal position to bombardment by nearly 140 cannon, then to send Pickett, Pettigrew and half of Trimble’s divisions (formerly Heth’s and Pender’s) – nearly 12,000 men – forward to smash the Federal center. While Longstreet made his preparations during the morning, Ewell’s forces were defeated in their counterattacks on Culp’s Hill, and withdrew around 11:00 a.m. At l:00 p.m., Longstreet opened the great bombardment of the Federal line. The Federal army replied with approximately 80 cannons and a giant duel ensued which lasted for nearly two hours. After the bombardment subsided, the infantry went forward. Federal artillery, followed by musketry, cut their formations to pieces and inflicted devastating losses.
A small Confederate force effected one small penetration of the Federal line, but was overwhelmed. The attack ended in disaster, with nearly 5,600 Confederate casualties. Meanwhile, three miles east of Gettysburg, Stuart’s cavalry was engaged by Federal cavalry under Brigadier General David Gregg. The cavalry clash was indecisive, but Stuart was neutralized and posed no threat to the Federal rear. The battle was over and the Confederates were crushed. Annotated Bibliography 1.
Coddington, Edwin B. The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command, 1968. The best and most complete treatment of the campaign in a single volume. Long and detailed but essential reading. Suitable for anyone who really wants an in-depth view of the Gettysburg Campaign. 2.
Freeman, Douglas Southall. Lee’s Lieutenants, 1944. Volume 3 deals with the time frame of Gettysburg to Appomattox. Expert analysis written from the Confederate point of view. Also contains biographical sketches on significant Confederate leaders. Outstanding portrait of the Army of Northern Virginia. 3. Gallagher, Gary W.
The Essay on Federal Structure Of The Us Goverment
Structure of US Government The United States of America is a Federation of fifty states plus six territories. A Federation is a country that is comprised of more than one self-governing regions that are united by a central, or federal, government. The term Federation comes from the Latin word foedus, meaning covenant, and the term implies a basic relationship between the Central government and its ...
ed. Fighting for the Confederacy: The Personal Recollections of General Edward Porter Alexander, 1989. Probably one of the most unbiased accounts by any Civil War participant. Alexander participated in all the “big ones.” Has some interesting comments on Longstreet’s actions on the second day at Gettysburg. Alexander served as Longstreet’s chief of artillery during a significant portion of the Civil War, including Gettysburg. 4.
Gallagher, Gary W. ed. The First Day at Gettysburg: Essays on Confederate and Union Leadership, 1992. Essays written by Gallagher, A. Wilson Greene, Alan T. Nolan, and Bob Krick are all excellent. These essays all focus on controversial leadership issues on the opening day of Gettysburg.
The essays are well written and are by extremely knowledgeable Civil War historians. 5. Gallagher, Gary W. ed. The Second Day at Gettysburg: Aces on Confederate and Union Leadership, 1993. Gallagher, Krick, and Greene return and are joined by William Glenn Robertson and Daniel Scott Harwig.
Focus shifts to controversies on the second day. Again, well researched essays by first rate historians. 6. Longstreet, General James. From Manassas to Appomattox., 1895. Longstreet’s controversial memoirs in which he tells his “side of the story.” Interesting but requires careful use. Longstreet tends to use his memoirs to support and defend his position and attack his numerous post-war enemies. 7.
Luvaas, Jay and Nelson, Harold W. The U.S. Army War Cowlick Guide to the Battle of Gettysburg, 1987. Outstanding guide to the battlefield. Will not suffice as general background because it is not a “history” of the campaign/battle, but a valuable work for anyone who wants to tour the battlefield. Written using primary sources: after-action reports, diaries, official correspondence.
Later editions are more in line with the way the battlefield is laid out today (one way roads, etc.).
8. Pfanz, Harry W. Gettysburg The Second Day, 1987. Exhaustive treatment of action at the Wheatfield, Peach Orchard, Devil’s Den, Little Round Top, and Cemetery Ridge on the second day of the battle. Spends a lot of time getting the confused action at the Wheatfield straightened out. Pfanz was a historian at Gettysburg for ten years and retired in 1981 as the Chief Historian of the National Park Service. Great maps; some of the best available for portraying events on the battlefield.
The Essay on Gettysburg First Day
Gettysburg is the bloodiest battle on U. S. soil. It started when Vicksburg was under siege by General Grant. General Lee thought that he would drive them out by invading the North. There plan was to first invade Harrisonburg, but Lee then saw that Gettysburg was a great place, because all the roads lead into it and it would be easier to gather his army. Stuart was in charge of the South Calvary, ...
9. Trulock, Alice Rains. In the Hands of Providence: Joshua Chamberlain and the American Civil War, 1992. Recently published. Terrific scholarship and fun to read. Chapter Five concentrates on events of Gettysburg, but if possible read the first four chapters as well 10. War of the Rebellion: Official records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 1889.
The Gettysburg Campaign is covered in “SERIES I, VOLUME XXVII, PARTS I-III. Tremendous primary source. All the official documents available, official correspondence, reports, messages, etc. Views presented are often self-serving and some after action reports were written well after the campaign had ended. Authors attempted to affix blame elsewhere or deny culpability..
