May 20th, 2021 … Summer of Fun continues!

Today was our narrated Gettysburg Battlefield bus tour. We drove to the National Battlefield Visitor’s Center and waited for the bus to arrive. For three days in 1863, Union and Confederate forces met here on the fields, hills and ridges of Gettysburg in the turning-point battle of the American Civil War. Today, the 6,000-acre battlefield includes more than 1,300 monuments, markers and memorials to tell the story of the battle and the men who fought here. Through preservation efforts, the historic battlefield landscape looks very much like it did in 1863. It continues to serve as an everlasting symbol of courage, remembrance and reconciliation.

Thanks to our Licensed Battlefield Guide, we were able to connect with stories and lessons from the past. We stepped onto the hallowed ground and reflected on the many sacrifices made. This tour allowed us to take our place on the battlefield and experience it beyond the history books and movies. It gave us the opportunity to interact with iconic landmarks such as Little Round Top and Cemetery Hill. It all helped us to understand what happened here and the impact the battle and its aftermath has on our lives today.

The Battle of Gettysburg took place on July 1-3, 1863 in and near the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This battle was one of the most important battles of the Civil War for the North. Robert E. Lee had invaded the North and was trying to defeat the Union Army once and for all. However, the Union Army held him off and sent him retreating. This was a major turning point in the war.

On the first day the armies were still coming together. The Confederates outnumbered the Union the first day and caused them to retreat through the town of Gettysburg to the south side of town. General Lee wanted his men to continue the attack and finish off the Union troops. However, his men delayed and the Union had the opportunity to dig in and set up their defenses. The first day’s fighting (at McPherson’s Ridge, Oak Hill, Oak Ridge, Seminary Ridge, Barlow’s Knoll and in and around the town) involved some 50,000 soldiers of which roughly 15,500 were killed, wounded, captured or missing. The first day in itself ranks as the 12th bloodiest battle of the Civil War—with more casualties than the battles of Bull Run and Franklin combined.

The battle began about 8 am to the west beyond the McPherson barn. Union cavalry confronted Confederate infantry advancing east along Chambersburg Pike. Heavy fighting spread north and south along the ridge as additional forces arrived.

At 1 pm Major General Robert E Rodes’ Confederates attacked from this hill (where the Eternal Light Peace Memorial stands today) threatening Union forces on McPherson and Oak ridges. Seventy-five years later, over 1,800 Civil War veterans helped dedicate this memorial to “Peace Eternal in a Nation United.”

Union soldiers at Oak Ridge held stubbornly against Rodes’ advance. By 3:30 pm the entire Union line from here to McPherson Ridge had begun to crumble, finally falling back to Cemetery Hill. When the first day ended, the Confederates held the upper hand. Lee decided to continue the offensive, pitting his 70,000-man army against Meade’s Union army of 93,000.

By the second day, the armies from both sides were now at full force. The Union had around 94,000 soldiers and the Confederates around 72,000. Lee attacked and there was fierce fighting throughout the day with both sides taking heavy losses. The Union lines held. 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.

Early in the day, the Confederate army positioned itself on high ground along Seminary Ridge, through town, and north of Cemetery and Culps hills. Union forces occupied Culps and Cemetery hills and along Cemetery Ridge south to Round Tops. The lines of both armies formed two parallel “fish hooks.”

On the second day of the Battle Of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, General Robert E. Lee devised a plan for his Confederates to attack both flanks of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. The result would be three hours of carnage that won nothing of tactical significance for his Army of Northern Virginia. The battles fought that day are some of the most famous in military history.  Lee’s First Corps, under Lieutenant General James Longstreet, would attack the northern end of the Federal line obliquely, in echelon from south to north, with three of his four divisions. The fourth, under Major General George Pickett, was still en route and unavailable. One division from the corps would capture two hills (Round Top and Little Round Top) just beyond the end of Cemetery Ridge. Sweeping over the hills, they would hit the Federal flank and drive northward astride Cemetery Ridge.

The next two divisions, each in its turn, would then join the attack by moving obliquely at a northeast angle across the Emmitsburg Road. The three divisions would push the Federal Army of the Potomac back against the south slope of Cemetery Hill and Culp Hill. Meanwhile, the corps of Lieutenant General Ewell would be assailing those hills from the north. Ewell was to begin his demonstration against Cemetery and Culp hills when he heard the sound of guns at the beginning of Longstreet’s assault and keep pressure on the Union right. Major General Gouverneur K. Warren, chief engineer of the Army of the Potomac, rushes troops to Little Round Top; they arrived minutes before the Confederates did. The 20th Maine Regiment charges late in the battle, foiling a flanking attempt by the 15th Alabama. Little Round Top is the smaller of two hills, between the Emmitsburg and Taneytown roads. The Union left flank was preserved by an ad hoc collection of troops sent by Chief Engineer Gouverneur K. Warren that arrived just minutes before Confederates of Major General John Bell Hood’s division. The hill only became known as Little Round Top well after the battle was fought.

They were surprised to find Federals in front of them at the beginning of the assault, where none had been reported. Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles had moved his Union III Corps about three-quarter mile in advance of the Union line, to take up position in a wheat field, a peach orchard, and around a tumbled mass of huge boulders known as Devil’s Den. Maneuvering around boulders and through thick underbrush, men finally reached the summit, and General Oates could see the entire Federal line. He could also see about a half mile away, the summit of Little Round Top, which was about 100 feet lower than where he stood. Unlike the heavily wooded Big Round Top, much of the trees on Little Round Top had been cut down months earlier. He could plainly see that only a handful of men from the Union Signal Corps were on the hill. Receiving orders to take Little Round Top, Oates had his tired men work their way down to the valley between the two hills, where they were joined by a regiment of their fellow Alabamians and two from Texas. The newcomers had fought their way through the fringe of Devil’s Den, where heavy fighting continued. The five regiments began ascending Little Round Top, with 4th Texas on the left, then 5th Texas, 4th Alabama, 47th Alabama, and on the right flank the 15th Alabama. Two-thirds of the way to the summit, they were met with volleys of rifle and cannon fire.

They were supported on their right by 10-pound Parrott rifles of 1st Lt. Charles Hazlett’s battery. The Federals got into position 15 minutes before the Alabama and Texas troops arrived. The Confederates, rocked by the initial volleys, responded with their own fire. A bullet struck Colonel Vincent fatally; reportedly, his last command was, “Don’t give an inch.” The 140th New York Regiment from Brig. Gen. Stephen Weed’s brigade arrived, sent by Warren to reinforce the Union position. Its commander, Col. Patrick O’ Rorke was killed almost instantly. Soon, Weed’s other three regiments—146th New York, 91st and 155th Pennsylvania—joined the defenders on Little Round Top. Weed himself, standing near one of Hazlett’s guns, was killed by a shot to the head, reportedly from a Confederate sharpshooter in Devil’s Den below. Lieutenant Hazlett too fell dead, also reportedly the victim of a Devil’s Den sharpshooter. Officer casualties were heavy on both sides and included Col. Oates’ brother, Lieutenant John Oates, killed while attacking the 20th Maine. The fight for Little Round Top was over, but farther north along the Emmitsburg Road brutal battles were being fought in the Wheatfield and the Peach Orchard.

On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg Union 3rd Corps commander Daniel Sickles advanced to occupy the Peach Orchard, feeling that the high ground there dominated his defensive line. The Union lines extended from the Peach Orchard to Devil’s Den and angled northward on Emmitsburg Road. The advance forced the 3rd Corps to cover far too much ground, and it had barely taken its new position when Longstreet’s attack struck. Federal cannon bombarded Confederate forces crossing the Rose Farm toward the Wheatfield. The Confederate attacks overran the Peach Orchard and threatened the entire Union flank in the heaviest fighting of the battle. By sunset, names of otherwise insignificant spots would be writ large in blood, immortalizing Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, the Wheatfield, and the Peach Orchard.

The third day, General Lee decided to make an all or nothing attack. He felt if he could win this battle, the South would win the war. He sent General Pickett, with 12,500 men, on a direct charge at the heart of the Union Army. This famous attack is called Pickett's Charge. Pickett's men were defeated with over half of them injured or killed. Pickett’s Charge was large and grand but by no means the largest charge of the Civil War. Pickett’s Charge involved some 12,000 Confederate soldiers, but the Confederate charge at Franklin had roughly 20,000. Even that pales in comparison to the grand Confederate charge at Gaines’ Mill which involved more than 50,000 Confederate troops. 

Even the well-known 260-gun bombardment that preceded Pickett’s Charge was not the largest of the war. There was at least one bombardment at Petersburg with more than 400 cannons involved. General Lee and the Confederate Army retreated. The Battle of Gettysburg was the deadliest battle of the Civil War. There were around 46,000 casualties including nearly 8,000 deaths. After the Battle General Meade and the Union Army were exhausted and had many casualties and deaths of their own to deal with. They did not pursue Lee's Army. President Lincoln was disappointed that Meade did not pursue General Lee as he felt the entire Confederate army could have been defeated and the war ended that day.

Gettysburg Address Later that year, on November 19, 1863, President Lincoln attended the dedication of the Soldier's National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His speech was short and lasted only two minutes. Not much was thought of the speech at the time, but today it is considered one of the greatest speeches ever given.

64 Medals of Honor awarded to Union soldiers for their actions at Gettysburg. The deeds spanned the battlefield and were awarded from wartime into the 21st century. Eight were awarded for actions on July 1, 28 for actions on July 2, and 29 for actions on July 3. The most recent Medal of Honor given for heroism at Gettysburg was awarded to Alonzo Cushing by President Barack Obama in 2014.

We end the caravan, the same way we started with a group gathering to share our favorite parts of the caravan. There is always food, fellowship and tons of fun! 

See y'all later, until we travel together again! Caravanning is a great way to see interesting sites, meet great people and enjoy worry-free traveling!

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