Gettysburg

Gettysburg, the largest, bloodiest, and most celebrated battle of the Civil war, is said by many to be the turning point of the war that killed 618,000 Americans. Gettysburg the movie was four hours long, which is about 68 hours less than it actually took for the battle to come and go. The first shots were fired no long after daylight, so to be exact, it was 04:30 hours, on the morning of July 1st, (49 Nofi). Bullets flew from the rifles of Union Calvary men on picket duty along the

Chambersburg Pike. It was in response to the advancing of Confederates, a skirmish line of 2,500 led by Henry Keith, a General that graduated last in his class at West Point (104 Clark).

The battle took place in the grassy country just south of Gettysburg. The Confederate headquarters was located East of the union at Seminary Ridge. Seminary Ridge was composed largely of flat fields with patches of forests. Federal forces however, were set along Culpshill, Cemetery Hill, and Cemetery Ridge, which made the Federals line form a hook. The Federal ground was all elevated considerably over the surrounding land. General Stuart and his Calvary had been sent by Lee on an observation mission to locate union forces. Fortunately for the Virginian army, General Longstreet had hired a spy known only as Harrison, to do the same job. This Harrison was an actor and because General Stuart returned late, it was by his word that the entire Southern army made it's move (181 Coddington). On July 1st, Confederate forces soon found themselves face to face with brigade General John Buford who was uphill and eventually gained the upper hand as he received reinforcements from Major General John Reynolds. Bufords own brigade sustained many casualties and after the 1st, was reassigned to guarding the supply train for the remainder of the battle, (movie).

July 1st was the same day that the Potomac army found itself replacing General Hooker with General Mead. Meade helped his army secure a well protected area on Cemetery Ridge, and Culps Hill, where it would stay, (aside from the left flank), until the end of the battle. Meade's army line stretched three miles and had an average of 17,000 men per mile, (105 Clark). Lee's army line stretched approximately two miles longer, but averaged about 10,000 men per mile, (105 ...

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...r with itself. The brother against brother and friend against friend mentally made fighting even harder. In one particular instance, General Amistead who was leading his Confederate brigade up the slope during Picketts charge, was shot on the Union line. Instantly he was noticed by Colonel Chamberlain's brother Thomas, who instead of killing Amistead, helped him lay down to ease his pain. General Amistead was good friends with Hacock a Union General. Amistead requested to speak with Hancock, but Thomas Chamberlain informed him that Hancock had also been shot. Upon hearing this, Amistead was greatly saddened. Union soldiers then carried Amistead to field hospital where he died two days later. Hancock survived the wound at

Gettysburg and went on to run for the Presidency on the Democratic ticket in 1880.

All in all the war seemed to me senceless, the Confederate and Federal Generals knew this and wore it on their faces, constantly giving orders and pulling triggers in vain. A prime example would be Longstreets following of orders in the midst of doubt. The movie was very well made; it showed the harsh realities of war and the great simplicity of life.