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Gettysburg part 4: The Second day

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  • Gettysburg part 4: The Second day

    The second day started off really slow. General Lee sent scouts out to go check the Union lines, and found them to be in the shape of a giant fishhook. Lee wanted Longstreet, his second in command, to attack the Union flanks. Longstreet made protest, but sadly gave in. He wanted to fall back, and move South to Washington. There, they could surround the nations capital, and force Lincoln into peace talks. Lee pondered a moment, before exclaiming that "The enemy is here! How could I ask these men to retreat in the face of what they have done this day?" "Not retreat sir, redeploy" replied Longstreet. Never the less, Lee wanted to attack, so Longstreet reluctantly followed orders. It was mainly quiet all day on the Union lines however.

    Due to the fact that the confederates could be seen from the tops of the hills by the Yankees, Longstreet counter-marched the army for several miles. One unfortunate brigade under the command of Evander Law, marched over 25 miles since 1:00AM! They finally got into position at around 3:00PM.

    Union General Daniel Sickles, commander of the III Corps, decided he was not in a good position. He thought that the rebels would win, if he stayed in his current position. Without any orders, Sickles moved his entire command forward, exposing the Roundtops, (hills). Union army General George Meade was furious, but it was already too late. AT 4:00 PM, Longstreet commenced his assault with fury.

    Cannons boomed incessantly, hitting the Peach Orchard and Devils Den with shells. Confederate General Hood, was supposed to take his command to take Devils Den, and the Roundtops. General Hood argued that if he tried to take those rocky heights, his men would be slaughtered. General Longstreet replied, "I've been arguing that decision all day, I've argued against this assault, hell I've been arguing against any attack at all, but the commanding general won't allow you to move around those hills". "But sir, let me move around to the right!! Those hills are undefended and open!" replied Hood. "Sam, by the time you get artillery up there, it would be dark before you were in action. However if the Yankees get up there...we're gonna need buckets to catch the lead" said Longstreet. "They don't even need guns to defend that! said Hood. All they need o do is roll rocks down on you!" "Just take it" said Longstreet. With a salute, General hood rode forward with his men, into the hell of Devils Den.

    Attacks swayed back and forth in the Peach Orchard, the Wheatfield, and Devils Den. Bayonet charges, frenzied melees and bloody fighting took place. Little by little, the confederates gained ground.

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    "The education of a man is never completed until he dies." Robert E. Lee

  • #2
    While the bloody fighting surged back and forth below, Union General Gouveneur K. Warren was perched on little Roundop with his aides, looking through binoculars and spotted rebel troops moving in the distance. He immediately ordered troops to get onto the hill before the rebels could take it. Union Troops rushed onto the hill in the nick of time.

    Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was commander of the 20th Maine infantry regiment. He along with his men hurriedly rushed onto the hill just in time. They were the extreme left flank of the Union army. The line stopped there. They couldn't retreat or withdraw under any circumstance. The rebels eventually came and charged up the hill, which was repulsed by the 20th Maine. After repeated attacks, the 20th Maine's outlook wasn't good. They started the war with 1,000 men. They came to Gettysburg with 300. Now, they were hovering at 200. They were almost completely out of ammunition, when the rebels charged , and temporarily broke through. A desperate hand to hand struggle ensued, with men clubbing, punching and stabbing the foe. The rebels were pushed back again. The rebels were forming up to attack again, and the 20th were totally out of ammo. Colonel Chamberlain pondered his next move. The 83rd Pennsylvania, off to the 20ths right, couldn't give any ammunition, because they were having their own troubles. Chamberlain only had one decision. "BAYONETS!" He screamed. The word caught like wildfire, and everyone had there bayonets fixed.

    The video below, was taken from the 1993 movie Gettysburg, and is the best rendition of what happened next.



    With that action, the Union left flank was saved, and the rebels didn't capture the hill they needed. As the sun set that day, the fields of Gettysburg were filled with over 20,000 casualties.
    "The education of a man is never completed until he dies." Robert E. Lee

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    • #3
      It’s hard to even think of all that happened. Lee could of taken Washington . Some say it was a mistake. I think he did it on purpose.
      Lubbock County Tx

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      • Kentucky point
        Kentucky point commented
        Editing a comment
        A little while ago, two surgeons looked at Lee's medical physicians journal, and read Lee's own account on his condition, and concluded that he had some sort of heart condition, causing him to be irrational at times. I think it was Chancellorsville syndrome.

    • #4
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      Devils Den


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      Wheatfield


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      Little Roundtop.
      "The education of a man is never completed until he dies." Robert E. Lee

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      • #5
        Most apparently you are a great student of the War for Southern Independence (aka known as the Civil War). Your knowledge of the Battle at Gettysburg, PA is accurate to the inth degree. Your photos that you give us really help to illustrate this terrible battle, the bloodiest ever fought. The film, Gettysburg, is probably the most accurate war movie ever made, although it is not without several flaws. I commend you for bringing this to our attention. The 4th of July not only comemerates the founding of the USA but one of the signature events that helped to assure its posterity. I say this as a proud member of the SCV. And by the way, I, also am a member of the SAR. I have ancestors that fought on both sides of that war and I am proud of them all, the ones that died in Yankee prison camps and those Union ancestors that suffered bad wounds in battles that took years for them to recover from. We must not forget the history of our great county even with its imperfections. It's still the best one ever created.

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