The Battle of Gettysburg The Turning Point of the War

The Plan –Lee (C.S.A.) attempts another invasion of the North –Lee hopes to capture another northern city which could convince the North to seek peace –Lee desperately needs supplies; stops at the town of Gettysburg, PA

The Union- North n General George Meade newly appointed n 90,000 troops

The Confederacy- The South n General Robert E. Lee n 75,000 troops n General Pickett n General Longstreet

Gettysburg Map

Lee’s plan n 1. Weaken the flanks (sides)- Day 1 and 2 n 2. Attack the center of the Union line on Day 3!

The Troops Union: Occupies the High Ground “Cemetery Ridge” The C.S.A.- wants to occupy the high ground Pickett’s Charge July 2 July 3rd

Pickett’s Charge- attack the center

Pickett’s Charge n On the 3rd day of battle, Lee orders an all-out attack on the center of the Union line. n George Pickett leads 15,000 Confederate soldiers in a charge across the low ground separating the two forces n “High Tide of the Confederacy” –Northern-most point reached by Confederate army –Closest and last chance for Confederacy to win the War

“General Lee, I have no division now.” …….words spoken by General Pickett after the Battle of Gettysburg n As the division marched towards the ridge, half were killed by cannon fire, cannister or bullets from the dug-in Union troops n Of the men that reached the ridge, most were killed or captured n Union victory

The Aftermath n Casualties –Union = 23,000 –Confederacy = 28,000

Lincoln with Civil War Soldiers

Original Manuscript Abraham Lincoln’s handwriting

n "Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. n 4 x years ago our founding fathers brought to North America a new nation- The United States of America- born out of freedom and dedicated to the idea that ALL men (all races) are created equal. Gettysburg Address

Gettysburg Address (cont.) n Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. n Now we are involved in a huge war- testing if the U.S. (born out of freedom) can exist. Here we are at Gettysburg- a battlefield of that war.

Gettysburg Address (cont.) n We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. n We are here to dedicate a part of that field as a burial place- for those people who died here so that our nation could exist and endure. It is the right thing to do.

Lincoln Actual Photograph of Lincoln just before giving the speech at Gettysburg

Gettysburg Address (cont.) n But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. n But we really can’t dedicate or make this ground sacred. The brave men who fought here - both killed and wounded, have already made it sacred far more than we can.

Gettysburg Address (cont.) n The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. n The rest of the world will not remember what we say here on this day, but the world will never forget what those people who died here did. We who are living should devote ourselves to the unfinished work (securing freedom for all people, carrying out the hopes and dreams of the founding fathers, proving that a democracy can work) which those that we are remembering today have already started. Cemetery Gate at Gettysburg

Gettysburg Address (cont.) n It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth." n Those that died at Gettysburg did not die in vain- but died to advance the cause which is that this nation guided by God, shall have a second birth of freedom- one in which ALL men will be free-- and that democracy will not disappear from this Earth.