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GETTYSBURG

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July 3, 1863 Gettysburg Battle print
132

The battle of Gettysburg, Pa. July 3d. 1863.
Published by Currier & Ives [1863?].
Lithograph, hand-colored.



  July 1-3, 1863
Estimated Casualties: 51,000 total (US 23,000; CS 28,000)

On July 1, 1863 at Gettysburg, a small town in southern Pennsylvania, Confederate General Robert E. Lee concentrated the full strength of the Army of Northern Virginia against Union Major General George G. Meade's Army of the Potomac.

On June 30, 1863, Lee learned that Gettysburg was occupied by Brigadier General John Buford's Union cavalry. Accordingly, he sent Hill's Corps (Generals Heth and Pender) down the Chambersburg Road, early in the morning of July 1, to drive away Buford's cavalry and occupy the town.

Encountering Buford's resistance about two miles from town, General Heth deployed two brigades in line and pressed forward. Around 10 a.m., Union General John F. Reynolds, commanding I Corps, arrived on the field (relieving Buford) and ordered I Corps and General Oliver O. Howard's XI Corps to march into Gettysburg. As Reynolds directed forces into the line, he was killed by enemy fire.

   


Later Confederate forces converged on the town from west and north, driving Union forces through the streets to Cemetery Hill. During the night, reinforcements arrived for both sides. On July 2, Lee attempted to envelop the Federals, first striking the Union left flank at the Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, Devil's Den, and the Round Tops with Longstreet's and Hill's divisions, and then attacking the Union right at Culp's and East Cemetery Hills with Ewell's divisions. By evening, the Federals retained Little Round Top and had repulsed most of Ewell's men. During the morning of July 3, the Confederate infantry were driven from their last toe-hold on Culp's Hill. In the afternoon, after a preliminary artillery bombardment, Lee attacked the Union center on Cemetery Ridge. The Pickett-Pettigrew assault (more popularly, Pickett's Charge) momentarily pierced the Union line but was driven back with severe casualties. Stuart's cavalry attempted to gain the Union rear but was repulsed. On July 4, Lee began withdrawing his army toward Williamsport on the Potomac River.
(Text Source: U.S. Gov't, National Park Service, and others.)
 


Gunners that repulsed Pickett's Charge
A Union gun and gunners that repulsed Pickett's charge




Regiment marching down a street173
Regiment marching down a street in Gettysburg, Pa,




Confederate Prisoners61
Gettysburg - Confederate Prisoners


  Gettysburg consists of two equally important photographic stories. First, the battlefield and town; including the copse of trees, Devil's Den, Little Round Top, Culp's Hill, etc. And second, the Monuments. These pages will show you both, but, because of their number, the monuments will compose the greater part of this presentation.

To provide some order to this photographic presentation, I have divided it into three sections; two covering the monuments and one covering the battlefield and the town.

11th Mississippi Monument
11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment Monument

The "CONFEDERATE" section contains photographs of CSA monuments mainly on the western side of the battlefield.

Union Monuments
Union Monuments

The "UNION" section contains photographs of USA monuments mainly on the eastern side of the battlefield.

Little Round Top
Little Round Top

The "VIEWS" section presents photographs of the battlefield and the town of Gettysburg rather than the monuments.

 


To go to a section, click on its photograph.

Confederate Monuments
CONFEDERATE
Union Monuments
UNION
Views Section
VIEWS



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