who won the second day of the battle of gettysburg? i know the confederates took the hole of the unions left flank, assulted the right flank, but they were never succesful in taking culps hill or cemetery hill were they?
Posts Tagged ‘Second’
Date: Tuesday November 24, 9:13 am
Date: Sunday October 11, 9:16 pm
The third day was a military blunder by General Lee. His plan for a three pronged attack on the center of the Union line went badly on every level. Firstly, the cannonade meant to soften the Union positions was ineffective and over shot the intended targets. Secondly, the coordinated cavalry attack on the center of the line from the east was thwarted by brazen charges of the Federal cavalry lead by Brig. General George Armstrong Custer.
Lastly, against recommendations to the contrary by Lee’s generals, the assault against the Union center was ordered.
Excerpts from wikipedia:
“Approximately 12,500 men in nine infantry brigades advanced over open fields for three quarters of a mile under heavy Union artillery and rifle fire.”
“Its (Pickett’s Charge) futility was predicted by the charge’s commander, Lt. Gen. James Longstreet, and it was arguably an avoidable mistake from which the Southern war effort never fully recovered psychologically.”
“The farthest point reached by the attack has been referred to as the high-water mark of the Confederacy.”
(By the way one answer is in error… the Union reinforcements were coming up from the south around Frederick, Maryland, not down from the north.)
So, the third day at Gettysburg is believed by some to be the beginning of the end for the Confederacy. Lee had chances to withdraw his troops back into Virginia and fight another day, but he risk all and lost.
(I stand with others who believe that the turning point the the war was actually the culmination of the Maryland Invasion of 1862 with the Battle of Antietam at Sharpsburg, Maryland. Lee was never again as strong as he had been before that battle.)
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