Pickett's charge. The South never fully recovered, although the war would drag on for nearly 2 more years.
On this date in 1863, Lee rolled the dice and lost.
- Thread starter fairgambit
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Followed shortly by the Confederate surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, a very happy Independence Day for President Lincoln and the Union.
Grant was very underrated.Followed shortly by the Confederate surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, a very happy Independence Day for President Lincoln and the Union.
The merits of Grant as a military commander are subject to debate, but he won the war and that speaks for itself.
Many consider Washington as a man ahead of his time.
I'm no expert on 19th century infantry tactics, but I've walked the battlefield, and I cannot understand how anybody who did know anything about it could look at that ground and think that an infantry charge could possibly succeed.
Please take this opportunity to remember that the Confederates had a culture problem.
Every book I have read on Gettysburg indicated that the Union forces were exhausted The casualties on both sides were horrendous.
Nothing to pursue the retreating Lee.
Nothing to pursue the retreating Lee.
Pickett's charge. The South never fully recovered, although the war would drag on for nearly 2 more years.
WHAT A SHOCK...yet, another war thread on a football board. Well, not really a shock.
It was over at Little Round Top. The South failed because they did only the minimum of what was expected of them.
Lee sorely missed his best general, Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson, who died a month or so earlier.Pickett's charge. The South never fully recovered, although the war would drag on for nearly 2 more years.
One of the brothers lef
one of the brothers left a Diet Coke at little round top. About 11 pm the pledges had to go retrieve it. It's different at night
It was on this date that my great great great grandfather volunteered to join 8 others and charged a cabin housing confederate 'snipers,' secured the cabin and took them all captive, becoming one of 63 men to earn the Medal of Honor at Gettysburg in the process, an item I proudly have in a safe in my home.
This is a topic that has been hotly debated through the years. I am not able to spend much time tonight, but I among those who think Meade did the best he could. He had 23,000 casualties at Gettysburg, including 3 corps commanders. Lee's army was reeling but still dangerous. Tough call.
Whether Jackson would have made a difference at Gettysburg is another hotly debated topic. I believe he would have, but I'm not sure it would have been enough to give Lee a victory.
Meade remained in command of the Army of the Potomac until the end of the war.
Having just checked the back of the medal, in now embarrassed to say yesterday was the anniversary of that event....
Upon learning that Jackson had his left arm amputated after being shot in error by Confederates, Lee wrote to Jackson saying that though he (Jackson) may have lost his left arm, Lee had lost his right.
That may be more impressive. The fighting on July 2nd was bloodier than Pickett's Charge.
You are correct, although in March, 1864, Grant was appointed to lead all Union armies and became Meade's boss.
Hardly a cause to be embarrassed. He was obviously a brave man, regardless of when the act occurred.
Check out Harry W. Pfanz, "Gettysburg - The Second Day." There might also be a regimental history available that provides details.
Longstreet certainly agreed with you.
"The Rebels must go down and they must go down hard!"
General Al Davis - 1864 (courtesy of the History Channel)
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There's certainly more to leadership than strategy and tactics. Marshall and Eisenhower knew how to best apply talent, how to work with and keep the alliance going, planning and logistics. They fail in any of those aspects and the allies could have easily lost the war.
For anyone interested, you can visit the building this ancestor built in Bloomsburg. Just head to the West End Ale Haus. It's located on the first floor of 3 buildings, one of which was built by my ancestor to house his harness shop. Also, if you visit West End Ale Haus, ask for Ray (also the county asst DA), and tell him Will sent you. Ironically, my closest friend owns the bar that includes the building my ancestor built.
It should not be forgotten that General George Custer played a major role in the battle on July 3rd when he led the Michigan cavalry and stopped Stuart getting in the rear of the Union army at the East Cavalry Field.
I've always thought this specific initiative taken by Custer is way overlooked...
I've always thought this specific initiative taken by Custer is way overlooked...
The absence of JEB Stuart's cavalry until late on day 2 is also credited with having hampered Lee's usual aggressiveness and ability to outmaneuver his opponents. One of the great ironies is that Lee's greatest defeat would result from his choice of a frontal assault after he had witnessed multiple times the futility of such tactics when used by the Union army. On the point about letting Lee retreat, I have also heard that Stuart's cavalry did an excellent job of screening the retreating army and keeping the Union cavalry at a distance.
And to wbcincy, wonderful story about your great-great-grandfather earning the MoH. One of my g-g-grandfathers fought for the Union, but disappeared from home during the war and was never heard from again. Lots of rumors about being a spy for one side or the other, but the family never knew exactly what happened to him. My cousin researched it and just recently discovered a record in the Civil War museum in Richmond indicating that he was taken by confederate soldiers near his home and ended up dying in a prison camp. A majority of the deaths during the Civil War were from disease or complications from wounds rather than directly on the battlefield.
Meade was relieved by Lincoln who was under considerable media and other pressures to find a way to end the war, and was angry at no pursuit. I don't think he understood how devastating that battle was for both sides until later. Soon after he put in place the no immediate parole as well 08/1863.
My Great-Great Grandfather, a Corporal in the 1st RI Cav who was harrying General Stuart in Middleburg, VA in late May to keep him in VA (part of the reason JEB was late to Gettysburg), was in Libby Prison/Belle Isle at the time and was not out of that ugly place until 01/1864.
Middleburg lost the Union 200 tried and true Veteran Cavalrymen as prisoners who did not make it to Gettysburg, probably contributing to Stuart's success in retreat.
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The Army of the Potomac, but not the entire Army. Funny, before I started studying this or even having any interest in it b/c of family research, I really had no idea that the whole thing didn't take place in the Eastern US. Yikes.
Indeed, if Stuart's cavalry were able to attack the union from the rear, Pickett's charge may very well have a completely different history.
Whatever the circumstances, Meade's refusal to swiftly pursue the retreating Confederate army certainly brought to Lincoln's mind the general malaise of George McClellan. In no way did Lincoln have any interest in championing a non aggressive general ever again.
Sherman and Grant certainly fit what he was looking for.
Sherman and Grant certainly fit what he was looking for.
Is it true more Americans died in 3 days of battle at GBurg than in the entire Vietnam War?....amazing.
The burning of the Wrightsville/Columbia bridge's role in Gettysburg
http://www.civilwaralbum.com/misc6/columbia_wrightsville_bridge1.htm
http://www.civilwaralbum.com/misc6/columbia_wrightsville_bridge1.htm
thanks for posting that, phillybilly...
even though I lived in Lancaster Co. for a time, I didn't know the details of the burning of the Wrightsville to Columbia bridge.
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