Day 2
Watch the video from History.com
http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/battle-of-gettysburg
Union Leaders
- Maj. Gen. George G. Meade- Command of the Union Army of the Potomac only three days before the Battle of Gettysburg.
- Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Sickles- He moved his brigade (without orders) to a position where almost all the men would face death and his leg would need to be amputated due to being shot by a cannon.
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- Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock- The general was everywhere the action was on July 2 and played a prominent role in sending troops to threatened areas.
Confederate Leaders
- Gen. Robert E. Lee- The Battle of Gettysburg would prove to be the highlight of his army and the Civil War.
- Lt. Gen. James Longstreet- A stubborn, effective fighter, he opposed Lee's battle plan at Gettysburg and his decisions would later haunt him.
- Lt. Gen. Ambrose P. Hill- His troops fought on July 2.
Source of text: http://www.personal.psu.edu/staff/k/a/kab4/WebPro_Projects/ist6773/index.html
Little Round Top Video
Myths and Facts of Day 2
Myth # 4: The fight for Little Round Top was the most important combat of the battle.
Historians have long written about the disaster that would befall the Union army if Little Round top fell into Confederate hands. But even before the fighting began, Gen. Meade had already ordered more than 10,000 reinforcements to the Union left. Had the Confederates captured Little Round Top, they would have been greatly outnumbered and low on ammunition, with a command structure in complete disarray. With nearly equal numbers, the Confederates almost captured Little Round Top twice during the battle. Why is it difficult to believe that organized and fully-supplied Union troops could not retake it with at least triple the number of troops?
For a more detailed debunking, check out The Myth of Little Round Top by the Civil War Trust’s own Garry Adelman.
Source: http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg/gettysburg-history-articles/the-world-will-little-note.html
Historians have long written about the disaster that would befall the Union army if Little Round top fell into Confederate hands. But even before the fighting began, Gen. Meade had already ordered more than 10,000 reinforcements to the Union left. Had the Confederates captured Little Round Top, they would have been greatly outnumbered and low on ammunition, with a command structure in complete disarray. With nearly equal numbers, the Confederates almost captured Little Round Top twice during the battle. Why is it difficult to believe that organized and fully-supplied Union troops could not retake it with at least triple the number of troops?
For a more detailed debunking, check out The Myth of Little Round Top by the Civil War Trust’s own Garry Adelman.
Source: http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg/gettysburg-history-articles/the-world-will-little-note.html
Fact #3: The Second Day’s Battle was the largest and costliest of the three days.
The second day’s fighting (at Devil’s Den, Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, the Peach Orchard, Cemetery Ridge, Trostle’s Farm, Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill) involved at least 100,000 soldiers of which roughly 20,000 were killed, wounded, captured or missing. The second day in itself ranks as the 10th bloodiest battle of the Civil War—with far more casualties than the much larger Battle of Fredericksburg.
Fact #5: Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill were far more important than Little Round Top.
While Little Round Top is far more popular today, its importance to the Union army is at least debatable. The same cannot be said for Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill. The two latter hills formed the center and right of the Union’s main position and also protected the Union army’s only real lifeline on July 2 and 3—the Baltimore Pike. Had Confederates captured and controlled either of these two hills, the Union army would have had to leave the Gettysburg area. It is as simple as that. Even with its sweeping views and commanding height, the same cannot be said for Little Round Top.
Source: http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg/assets/ten-facts-about/ten-facts-about-gettysburg.html
The second day’s fighting (at Devil’s Den, Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, the Peach Orchard, Cemetery Ridge, Trostle’s Farm, Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill) involved at least 100,000 soldiers of which roughly 20,000 were killed, wounded, captured or missing. The second day in itself ranks as the 10th bloodiest battle of the Civil War—with far more casualties than the much larger Battle of Fredericksburg.
Fact #5: Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill were far more important than Little Round Top.
While Little Round Top is far more popular today, its importance to the Union army is at least debatable. The same cannot be said for Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill. The two latter hills formed the center and right of the Union’s main position and also protected the Union army’s only real lifeline on July 2 and 3—the Baltimore Pike. Had Confederates captured and controlled either of these two hills, the Union army would have had to leave the Gettysburg area. It is as simple as that. Even with its sweeping views and commanding height, the same cannot be said for Little Round Top.
Source: http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg/assets/ten-facts-about/ten-facts-about-gettysburg.html
The Battle of Gettysburg Interactive Map
Click the link below to watch the video but STOP before playing July 3 clip.
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg/maps/gettysburg-animated-map/
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg/maps/gettysburg-animated-map/
