As I have chronicled here before, sometimes the tides of war can change because of single unplanned action or occurrence. Gettysburg is another example of this, although probably the greatest one.
By July of 1863, the Army of Northern Virginia, also known as the Confederate Army, was soundly defeating the Army of the Potomac, aka the Union Army. Despite being outnumbered and out supplied, Robert E. Lee's Reb's had defeated the Yanks numerous times in battles throughout Virginia. But the Union Army stubbornly held on, refusing to relinquish completely it's hold on the area around Washington D.C.
Lee wanted to change this. He not only wanted to get the Union out of Virginia, he wanted to crush it. And he had a plan. Invade a northern state, draw the Yankees out of his beloved home state and finish them.
To a certain extent, his plan worked. By spreading his troops out in southern and central Pennsylvania, he was not only capturing northern territory, he was also commandeering Yankee supplies and spreading fear among the populace. By the end of June 1863, the entire army, some 75,000 men were deployed in an arc spreading 60 miles across southern Pennsylvania.
And the Yanks took the bait. The Union Army, under General Meade began moving from their stronghold in northern Maryland into Pennsylvania. Lee's plan was working. Lee learned the the Union was on the move and ordered his generals to stop their northern movement and turn back to convene at Gettysburg, about 5 miles from the state line.
And that's where fate stepped in. You see, neither Lee nor Meade expected to find the other force in Gettysburg. But it was at Gettysburg that the two would meet, completely by happenstance. When one unit of Union cavalry arrived at the town, imagine their surprise to see a unit of Confederate infantry coming down the road.
The leader of the Union group, Buford decided to slow the Confederates down, in order to allow reinforcements to arrive, so he arranged his men on a series of ridges to fight a delaying action. At 8:00 am on the morning of July 1st 1863, a Yankee Lieutenant by the name of Jones fires the first shot of what was to be the bloodiest battle of the the bloodiest war in American history and many say was the turning point of the Civil War.
Over the next three days, over 23,000 fighters were killed, wounded, were captured or were reported missing. In the beginning the Confederates gained ground and pushed the Union back beyond the town. But by the third day the Yankees held firm on high ground, repeatedly stopping the Reb's advance, until it became clear that they would not be dislodged.
Lee's plan to capture norther territory and crush the Northern army ended. By the 4th of July, Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was forced to retreat. And after the South's defeat at Vicksburg the next day, the South would never again obtain a significant strategic victory.
The Gettysburg National Military Park is a must see for anyone interested in the Civil War, American history or military history. From the well laid out tour road, to the museum and the Cyclorama painting of the battle, this place is an experience. I recommend multiple days. It took me three.
You can also book bus tours of the battlefield, plus the town is full of both historic sites and plenty of good food and shopping (I highly recommend Gettysburg Eddie's. Try the cheesesteak.) There's so much more nearby, like the Eisenhower Farm, Antietam and Harper's Ferry, but those are for another time. Let's just say I'm glad I decided to stay here for a couple of weeks.
This week's side note. You didn't really think I'd forget about the Gettysburg Address, did you? Mr. Lincoln's famous speech was delivered at the dedication of the National Cemetery which is on part of the battlefield. The cemetery is a must see also.
Anyway, that's going to be it for this week. Next time we meet, I'll regale you with the story of one of those other landmarks. In the meantime...
Later, folks.
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