The Battle of Gettysburg

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Throughout the duration of mankind, the growth of technology has played a major factor resulting in our daily successes and productivity. This not only improves our way of life at times, it totally can change and evolve our social field’s influence as a whole. During times of war, the advancements in technology toward a nation’s weapons systems can weigh heavily upon the impact of one’s victory or defeat. The Field Artillery, for example, is a concept which derived by indirect fire using a howitzer weapon system. The field artillery has played a huge role in many historic battles over the years, dating all the way back to the Revolutionary War. The Battle of Gettysburg, a battle well known to most people when mentioned, used artillery techniques which were vital for both the Union and the Confederate armies. This battle highlighted the Field Artillery’s supernatural ability to rapidly adapt, and apply lessons learned, which allowed much success in both offensive and defensive operations. The Battle of Gettysburg was a huge turning point for the Union Army during the Civil War, this battle ignited between both sides due to the Confederate Army entering the town of Gettysburg looking for shoes for their soldiers. Destined for battle, General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate Southern Army and General George G. Meade’s Union Northern Army’s clashed in a battle that went down as one of the most historic battles during the Civil War. Multitudes of separate aspects affected the outcome of the battle with the most important being, conditions in which weather, living conditions and terrain played a vital part. General Robert E. Lee of the Confederate South had one goal in mind and that was to clear and hold Cemetery Ridge, while General George...

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...nd Napoleons, ten pound parrot rifles (known as Swamp Angels), three inch wrought iron rifles, 12 pound howitzers, 13 inch mortars, ten inch Colombian smooth bores and 7.5 inch Blakely rifles. General Pickett and the Confederate army then opened up with the 170-piece artillery bombardment (Gavin, par. 22), this bombardment which consisted of all these pieces started a skirmish that would last approximately two hours. After the bombardment by the Confederate army the skirmish concluded with General Pickett’s infantry charging up the center of the Union line.

Works Cited

Encyclopedia Americana Book #6 PG 791-792
Encyclopedia Americana Book #6 PG 811-812
Gavin, Phillip. The History Place, 4 July 1996, Web. 2 July 2012
Weeks, Dick. Shotgun’s Home of the American Civil War, 7 January 1997, Web. 2 July 2012
World Book 2009 #8 PG 176.
World Book #4 2009 PG 627-628.

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