Gettysburg
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Gettysburg, the largest, bloodiest, and most celebrated battle of the Civil war, is said by many to be the turning point of the war that killed 618,000 Americans. Gettysburg the movie was four hours long, which is about 68 hours less than it actually took for the battle to come and go. The first shots were fired no long after daylight, so to be exact, it was 04:30 hours, on the morning of July 1st, (49 Nofi). Bullets flew from the rifles of Union Calvary men on picket duty along the
Chambersburg Pike. It was in response to the advancing of Confederates, a skirmish line of 2,500 led by Henry Keith, a General that graduated last in his class at West Point (104 Clark).
The battle took place in the grassy country just south of Gettysburg. The Confederate headquarters was located East of the union at Seminary Ridge. Seminary Ridge was composed largely of flat fields with patches of forests. Federal forces however, were set along Culpshill, Cemetery Hill, and Cemetery Ridge, which made the Federals line form a hook. The Federal ground was all elevated considerably over the surrounding land. General Stuart and his Calvary had been sent by Lee on an observation mission to locate union forces. Fortunately for the Virginian army, General Longstreet had hired a spy known only as Harrison, to do the same job. This Harrison was an actor and because General Stuart returned late, it was by his word that the entire Southern army made its move (181 Coddington). On July 1st, Confederate forces soon found themselves face to face with brigade General John Buford who was uphill and eventually gained the upper hand as he received reinforcements from Major General John Reynolds. Bufords own brigade sustained many casualties and after the 1st, was reassigned to guarding the supply train for the remainder of the battle, (movie).
July 1st was the same day that the Potomac army found itself replacing General Hooker with General Mead. Meade helped his army secure a well protected area on Cemetery Ridge, and Culps Hill, where it would stay, (aside from the left flank), until the end of the battle. Meades army line stretched three miles and had an average of 17,000 men per mile, (105 Clark). Lees army line stretched approximately two miles longer, but averaged about 10,000 men per mile, (105 Clark).
On July 2nd, Colonel Chamberlain was ordered by his superiors to hold ground at the very left of the union army on Cemetery Ridge. Colonel Chamberlain informed his men that if their ground was compromised, then the entire Potomac army might be in danger. Chamberlain noticed confederate forces appearing through the thick forest, and ordered the reserves to plug any hole that might be made in the line. They held off the Confederates first attack, but soon another rebel charge emerged.
With fewer men and less ammunition, Chamberlain constructs a new wall of soldiers even further left than the first. They manage to destroy the second attack, but then the third comes and Chamberlain orders a bayonet charge. This last order of war helped the Yankees to keep their ground that July 2nd.
A new day dawns, July 3rd comes and Colonel chamberlain receives word that his unit is to be moved to the middle of the Potomac line. He is assured that he will see no fighting today. The Union soldiers were expecting a day of rest. Meanwhile Lees plan of attack is being explained to the reluctant General Longstreet who would rather rest himself. The plan is simple; General Alexander who is in charge of artillery is to fire his cannons at the very middle of the Potomac lines. In an effort to breakdown Union firepower. As soon as General Alexander had diminished enemy strength, General Pettigrue, General Trimble, and General Pickett were to march their brigades up the slope and take Union ground. After the ground has been breached, all Confederate units are to converge under a small patch of trees at the top of Cemetery Ridge. Lee had picked the very middle of the line because there is a long level slop-e for infantry to walk up. It is the closest thing to flat ground that Confederates have and Lee says they are weak there. Longstreet argued the attack, but Lee would not listen. Lee should have listened to Longstreet because as 15,000 troops marched up that slope, 1,000 were taken out by long-range rifle fire. (432 Brinkley) Alexander did not have enough fire power left over to adequately assist the infantry during their mile long march. Only 5,000 Virginians made it to the Union side, and by that time, Meade used his advantage to the fullest by borrowing from quiet parts of the line and patching the front. (105 Clark) During Picketts charge, Lee lost nearly a third of his army and was forced to withdraw from Gettysburg. This ended the battle at Gettysburg, the biggest and bloodiest battle ever fought on American soil. Total deaths from both sides exceeded 53,000, but South was not entirely lost. The war would continue on for two more years. (Movie)
The Gettysburg movie is not entirely accurate historically. Colonel Chamberlain did not “hold his own”. At Little Round Top, the fighting started at Devils Den on July 2nd. Union forces retreated across a wheat field and peach orchard. They stopped at Little Round Top where Colonel chamberlain held off Confederate forces.
The movie gave a detailed depiction of three days worth of war, but in between the fighting, it showed the daily problems of Generals and how they dealt with the frustration. General Longstreet did not believe he was going to succeed in taking the Union ground. He knew he would have a better chance if he had more time and space between armies. Longstreet took up his case with Lee, but General Lee had other ideas. Longstreet coped by obeying orders. Robert E. Lee had to beat the odds of being outnumbered, out gunned, and downhill from his enemy. Although ultimately, he was unable to overcome, he did manage to push back to Union to Cemetery Ridge by relentless attacking. Colonel
Chamberlain was sent one hundred soldier