Battle of Gettysburg: Day by Day Calendar

Background

General Robert E. Lee decides to invade the North. He feels that a major victory on Northern soil will secure the freedom of the Confederate States of America.

General Lee planned to destroy the railroad bridge at Harrisburg, then turn his attention to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington or another major city. After the long march from Virginia into Maryland and Pennsylvania, Confederate troops became spread apart.

General Lee also decided to invade the North because Virginia had been ravaged by battle and lacked supplies, unlike Maryland and Pennsylvania which had no battles on their soil and plenty of supplies.

Lee's army currently lacked essential supplies, especially shoes. Lee took his army, went from town to town, and held the entire town for ransom. They would then give town officials a list of the supplies they needed and demand that as many supplies as possible could be handed over.

Trouble started just weat of the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania when a division of Lee's army under the command of General A.P. Hill encountered Union soldiers.

July 1^st, 1863

General A.P. Hill encounters a calvary division of Union soldiers at McPherson Ridge, just west of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvainia. On one account, General Hill is instructed to engage the enemy, but not to follow them if they retreat, and on another account, General Lee orders Hill's division and several others are ordered to follow if the enemy retreats.

General A.P. Hill defeats the Union soldiers after a long afternoon only after reinforcements arrive and outnumber the Union soldiers. Thousands of Union soldiers are captured before they can regroup on Cemetary hill. Late into the night, however, General Geroge Meade, the commander of the union army, and his army foritify their positions around the top of the hill while more Union reinforcements arrive.

July 2^nd, 1863

General Longstreet, one of Lee's Generals, advises Lee not to try to take the hill, on account of their advantage of well positioning and elevation, but Lee ignores this warning and attacks.

The entire day was filled with losses on the Confederate Army, despite the fact that they gained land. Many of the battles, including the attack of the flanks of the Union Army and the Attack of Cemetary Hill, were lost mostly due to a lack of communication among the Confederates. The Union line could have been broken and defeated if the Confederates had more support in different areas.

July 3^rd, 1863

With the Confederate casualties still increasing, the Confederate Army made a desperate attempt. General George Pickett lead one of the most incredible (and most stupid) efforts in military history. General Pickett and his division of 15,000 troops charged the Union position on Cemetary Ridge. General Lee did not authorize it and tried to call the charge back, but it was too late; the men were already marching across the open field. The 15,000 men were picked off by short-range cannon shells and minne balls.

When the remaining soldiers finally reached the Union line, they couldn't break it, and retreated. About 10,000 out of the 15,000 soldiers that charged died.

This desperate attempt is known as Pickett's charge.