Gettysburg

[Matt09784]

The Battle of Gettysburg, is debated by some, to be the most decisive battle in the history of the Civil War. The town served as a unique tactical advantage, taking into account that you could control the large network of roads that surrounded it, because they all converged on Gettysburg. In the three days that the battle waged on, more men would die than the entire Vietnam War. To put it into perspective, if you take into account that they fight only during the day, and 12 hours of light in a day. That comes out to 257 men dying a minute, roughly 4 every two seconds. That alot of death when you think about it. The battle most likely could have been won by Lee, despite being outnumbered yet again, as he had been when encountered on other battlefields. Lee's hesitancy and refusal to take the necessary high ground to command the town, proved disastrous. On the final day, Lee orders a incredibly desperate charge to break the union center. That charge of course, would later be name, "Picketts Charge" Interesting side note, Congressmen are allocated one candidate to admit to West Point Military Academy. General Pickett's uncle was very close friends with a certain Illinois Congressman name, Abraham Lincoln. After the battle, Lee main force tried to retreat across the river into Virginia. President Lincoln then sent an urgent telegram to General George Meade, to not call council of war and attack Lee's retreating force immediately. This could have meant the end of the Civil War for both forces. Lee's troops would have understandbly been fatigued and their morale broken enough to win the war on that day. But, despite Lincolns telegram and constant insistence, Meade call a council of war and did everything possible to delay action. Lee's force eventually retreats across the river into Virginia. After word had reached Washington, of the Confederates successful retreat, Lincoln sat down and wrote General Meade, commander of the Union Army a letter. In the letter Lincoln criticizes and condemns him for not seizing the opportunity to crush Lee's remaining army and win the war. It was found among Lincolns letters the day after his assasination. He had never mailed it. I like to think, that he sat down after writing that letter and said to himself, "You know, I shouldn't be too quick to criticize him. If I had been there on the front lines, and seen the death and the horror, I would probably be hesitant to attack also. It's easy for me to order him to attack all the way here from Washington." Toward the end of his life, after the war, Mary Todd Lincoln would criticize the southern people and condemn them. Lincolns constant response to this was, "Don't criticize them. For they are, who you would be, under similar circumstances".

 

[Gracchus]

Lee was a very good defensive general. He took desperate chances when he had to, but he wasn't great on offense, possibly because his army was usually outnumbered and ill-equipped.

At Gettysburg, the Union had interior lines. To get from one wing of Lee's army to the other was nearly a day-long march. And the Union had better artillery and more of it. Lee had lost the battle by the beginning of the second day, though that was probably not realized on either side. Meade would have had to blunder badly to lose at Gettysburg.

 

[Col3_11n12]

I tend to think Antietam was far more decisive than Gettysburg. If the South had won, Maryland would have switched sides. That means Washington would have fallen. The only problem is, neither side won decisively.

 

[Douger]

About eight thousand men were killed in the battle. Perhaps a few thousand more died in the immediate aftermath. Still quite incomparable to the death toll of the vietnam war. 3.5 million.

 

[Gawron]

He meant American casualties, but your numbers are more accurate. Total combat related deaths numbered about 11,331. This is according to the official records.