The Gettysburg Experience By: Frank Schwartz, Chris Umbrell, Nick Taylor, Chris Walker, & Steve Mellor

Gettysburg Battle Summary The Battle of Gettysburg was generally regarded as the turning point in the American Civil War. It was when the fate of the war started to turn towards the favor of the Union. It was fought between July 1 st -3 rd, The Battle of Gettysburg was generally regarded as the turning point in the American Civil War. It was when the fate of the war started to turn towards the favor of the Union. It was fought between July 1 st -3 rd, The Commander of the Union forces was General George G. Meade. The commander of the Confederates was General Robert E. Lee. The Commander of the Union forces was General George G. Meade. The commander of the Confederates was General Robert E. Lee. In a plan to try to overtake Washington, D.C., Lee marched his Confederate forces north into Pennsylvania to try attack the city from the west. General Meade’s forces were sent by Ulysses S. Grant to intercept Lee’s army and push them back. Both armies converged in and around the small south- central Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg. Here is the chronology of the Battle: In a plan to try to overtake Washington, D.C., Lee marched his Confederate forces north into Pennsylvania to try attack the city from the west. General Meade’s forces were sent by Ulysses S. Grant to intercept Lee’s army and push them back. Both armies converged in and around the small south- central Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg. Here is the chronology of the Battle:

Summary of Gettysburg (cont.) Day 1 (July 1 st, 1863)-The two armies began to collide at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, as Lee urgently concentrated his forces there. Low ridges to the northwest of town were defended initially by a Union cavalry division, which was soon reinforced with two corps of Union infantry. However, two large Confederate corps assaulted them from the northwest and north, collapsing the hastily developed Union lines, sending the defenders retreating through the streets of town to the hills just to the south. Day 1 (July 1 st, 1863)-The two armies began to collide at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, as Lee urgently concentrated his forces there. Low ridges to the northwest of town were defended initially by a Union cavalry division, which was soon reinforced with two corps of Union infantry. However, two large Confederate corps assaulted them from the northwest and north, collapsing the hastily developed Union lines, sending the defenders retreating through the streets of town to the hills just to the south.corps Day 2 (July 2 nd, 1863)-On the second day of battle, most of both armies had assembled. The Union line was laid out in a defensive formation resembling a fishhook. Lee launched a heavy assault on the Union left flank, and fierce fighting raged at Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Devil's Den, and the Peach Orchard. On the Union right, demonstrations escalated into full-scale assaults on Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill. Across the battlefield, despite significant losses, the Union defenders held their lines. Day 2 (July 2 nd, 1863)-On the second day of battle, most of both armies had assembled. The Union line was laid out in a defensive formation resembling a fishhook. Lee launched a heavy assault on the Union left flank, and fierce fighting raged at Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Devil's Den, and the Peach Orchard. On the Union right, demonstrations escalated into full-scale assaults on Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill. Across the battlefield, despite significant losses, the Union defenders held their lines.Little Round TopWheatfield Devil's DenPeach OrchardCulp's HillCemetery HillLittle Round TopWheatfield Devil's DenPeach OrchardCulp's HillCemetery Hill Day 3 (July 3 rd, 1863)-the third day of battle, July 3, fighting resumed on Culp's Hill, and cavalry battles raged to the east and south, but the main event was a dramatic infantry assault by 12,500 Confederates against the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. Pickett's Charge was repulsed by Union rifle and artillery fire at great losses to the Confederate army. Lee led his army on a torturous retreat back to Virginia. Between 46,000 and 51,000 Americans were casualties in the three-day battle Day 3 (July 3 rd, 1863)-the third day of battle, July 3, fighting resumed on Culp's Hill, and cavalry battles raged to the east and south, but the main event was a dramatic infantry assault by 12,500 Confederates against the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. Pickett's Charge was repulsed by Union rifle and artillery fire at great losses to the Confederate army. Lee led his army on a torturous retreat back to Virginia. Between 46,000 and 51,000 Americans were casualties in the three-day battleCemetery RidgePickett's ChargerifleCemetery RidgePickett's Chargerifle

I. Visitor Center/Museum

Visitor Center/Museum (cont.) The Visitor Center is a fairly recent addition to the Gettysburg National Park. It opened up in After purchasing tickets for the Center, one proceeds to watch a 20-minute film that shows the highlights of the battle. Afterward, one makestheir way upstairs to the Cyclorama, a 360-degree wall painting showing the battle with sounds and special effects. The Visitor Center is a fairly recent addition to the Gettysburg National Park. It opened up in After purchasing tickets for the Center, one proceeds to watch a 20-minute film that shows the highlights of the battle. Afterward, one makestheir way upstairs to the Cyclorama, a 360-degree wall painting showing the battle with sounds and special effects. From there, one proceeds downstairs to the Gettysburg Civil War Museum, where it has hundreds of images and exhibits to read and experience. From there, one proceeds downstairs to the Gettysburg Civil War Museum, where it has hundreds of images and exhibits to read and experience.

Museum Exhibits

Exhibits

Group photo at Visitors Center

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address Four score 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. 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 battle- field of that war. 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. Four score 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. 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 battle- field of that war. 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.all men are created equalall men are created equal But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate... we can not consecrate... we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. 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. 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. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate... we can not consecrate... we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. 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. 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.

Site of Gettysburg Address

Shots of Battlefields and Monuments

Battlefields/Monuments cont.

The Eisenhower Estate

General Robert E. Lee

Little Round Top

Little Round Top cont.

Devil’s Den

Devil’s Den cont.

Pickett’s Charge

Pennsylvania Monument

Damn Yankees!!