DK - The American Civil War

THE UNION TIGHTENS ITS GRIP 1863

Robert E. Lee was discouraged
by the events of July 2. When
cavalry under General Jeb Stuart
rejoined the Confederate army that
evening, Stuart got only the tersest of
greetings. He boasted he had brought
100 captured Union wagons. “What
good are they to me now?” Lee replied.

A fatal mistake
Lee’s decision to attack the Union center
on the third day of Gettysburg has been
long debated. His judgment may have
been impaired—he was tired and
suffering from diarrhea and a heart

Federal counter-battery fire fell silent as

Union artillerists cooled their overheated

guns. Thinking he had suppressed them,

Longstreet’s artillery chief recommended

that the infantry attack should begin,

following Lee’s plan of battle.

Pickett’s Charge

Longstreet could only nod dourly when

General George Pickett, commanding a

fresh division of Virginians, asked

permission to advance. Two depleted

divisions of A. P. Hill’s corps, under

General Johnston Pettigrew and

General Isaac R. Trimble, also stepped

out of the protection of the wood line and

began a march of 1 mile (1.6km) to the

Union center. With bands playing and

banners snapping in the breeze, the

Southern line moved forward. Union

defenders in Winfield S. Hancock’s

Second Corps felt a sense of awe at the

approach of this grand assault.

When their enemies were about a

third of the way across the field, Union

artillery opened up with a vengeance,

condition. He thought he had thinned

Meade’s line by obliging him to

reinforce his flanks the previous day.

He also believed his men could do

anything he asked of them and was

determined to win the decisive victory

that had seemed so close the last two

days. Longstreet again urged Lee to

disengage and go around the Federal

flank. Lee refused.

Meanwhile, General Meade held a

council of war around midnight on July

2. He listened to his generals’ opinions,
   and resolved to stay and fight it out.
   Both armies had suffered badly in the
   previous two days, but the Union army
   still held the high ground. Meade was
   determined to keep it.
   At 1 p.m. on July 3, 150 Confederate
   cannons opened fire from Seminary
   Ridge in the greatest Southern artillery

CONFEDERATE GENERAL (1825–75)

After graduating last in his West Point class,

Pickett, a native Virginian, saw service on the

Western frontier and in the War with Mexico.

As a Confederate, he fought at Gaines’ Mill

and commanded a division at Fredericksburg.

He led his Virginia troops in the fateful Pickett’s

Charge at Gettysburg on July 3, though he did

not originate the plan. Pickett served until

the end of the war with limited success.

What he lacked in tactical knowledge he

made up for with a dashing personality that

made him a favorite with subordinates and

superiors alike.

GEORGE EDWARD PICKETT

Napoleon gun-howitzer
U.S.-made versions of the French-designed
12-pounder (5.5kg) Model 1857 Napoleon gun-
howitzer were the war’s most widely used field artillery
weapon, seeing service with both North and South.

Bronze smoothbore

4.62in (117mm) in caliber,

the Napoleon could fire

ball, canister, or shell

ammunition.

Sponge Bucket

Rammer, for ramming

charge and ammunition

into the muzzle

Swab, for

cleaning the gun

between shots

The third day at Gettysburg

The outcome of the battle was decided by Lee’s decision

to launch an all-out attack on the Union center in the

afternoon. The assault on Cemetery Ridge resulted in

unsustainable Confederate casualties.

The number of

men fielded by

the two armies at Gettysburg, roughly

70,000 Confederate and 90,000 Union

troops. About 51,000 became casualties

—killed, wounded, or captured.

160,000

barrage of the war. Federal guns

answered, and for two hours the ground

shook with the impact of exploding

shells. The noise could be heard as far

away as Pittsburgh. Meant to smash

Union positions on Cemetery Ridge, the

bulk of the Confederate shells fell on the

rearward slope, disrupting only hospitals

and reserve artillery. Then suddenly the

Mobile weapon

The wooden wheels had

iron-banded rims for added

durability. Overall the gun

was relatively light, needing

only six horses to pull it,

instead of the usual eight.

Balti mor

e Tu

rnpike

Fairfield Road

Hanover

Road

Em

mit

sb

urg

Ro

ad

Peach

Orchard

Wheatfield

Ro

ck

Cre

ek

W

illo

ug

hby

Run

Little

Round Top

Big

Round

To p

Devil’s

Den

Se

m

in

ar

y^

Ri

dg

e

Culp’s

Hill

Ce

m

et

er

y^

Ri

dg

e

Cemetery

Hill

PETTIGREW

PICKETT

TRIMBLE

LEE

JOHNSON

EWELL

HOWARD

HANCOCK

BIRNEY

SLOCUM

MEADE

A.P. HILL

LONGSTREET

SYKES

SEDGWICK

Gettysburg

① Jul 3, 11 a.m.:

Confederate attack

on Culp’s Hill is

② 1 p.m.: Start of intense driven back

Confederate barrage

⑥ 5 p.m.:

Only half

the men make

it back to

Confederate

lines

④ 3 p.m.: Over

13,000 men mount

charge against the

Union center

③ 1:15 p.m.: Union

forces reply with

bombardment of

Confederate positions

⑤ 4 p.m.: Small group

of men led by General

Lewis A. Armistead

briefly penetrates

Union line, but the

breach is soon filled

KEY

Union forces July 3

Confederate forces July 3

N

0 km

0 miles 0.5 1

0.5 1