The Battle of Gettysburg, Day Three
August 16, 2011You’ve been patient and the good news is that the day you’ve been waiting for has arrived! Today we will be sharing the edge-of-your-seat conclusion to the battle of Gettysburg. So, without further ado…
The third day of the battle of Gettysburg opened with both sides having received reinforcements which restored their numbers to the same as the beginning on the war. The Union was the first to strike by attacking the Confederate troops on Culp’s Hill in hopes of regaining territory lost the day prior. The battle lasted 8 hours and ended with the Confederate troops retreating. Meanwhile, Lee was busy planning the main attack on Gettysburg which we know today as Pickett’s Charge. The tactic was to attack the center of the Union’s troops while sending more troops to attack from the rear which would result in the splitting of the Union troops. Lee believed that if this tactic was successful, the win would be theirs.
At 1pm the Confederate artillery opened fire on the Union center which lead to one hour of the most massive artillery bombardment of the Civil War. Around 2pm, the Union slowed their firing in an attempt to trick the Confederates into believing they had knocked out the Union guns. The trick worked and at 3pm, the Confederates stopped firing. It was at this time that the commander of the Confederate artillery convinced Pickett they needed to charge now which lead Pickett to seek and receive permission from Longstreet to carry out the charge. Over 12,000 troops lined up and started the march across a field towards a small clump of trees behind Federal lines. Halfway across the field, the Union fired upon the Confederates from their advantageous positions on Cemetery Hill and Little Round Top. The Confederates bravely pushed forward through not only the artillery but a small fence which caused disruptions to the formation making them an easier target (if you can imagine). They continued forward until they reached a small stone wall which was their destination. The remaining men rushed the stone wall and brutal hand-to-hand combat ensued. The Union quickly reinforced their lines with fresh men and counterattacked. The rebels, expecting reinforcements that never showed, were forced to treat and fled back to their original lines. The troops were met by Lee as they returned to the Confederate lines. He encouraged them to be prepared for a counterattack by the Union that he felt was sure to come yet never did. An entire day passed with neither side making a move. The battle of Gettysburg came to an official close as the Union left Gettysburg for good under the cover of night on July 4th.
The battle of Gettysburg is oftentimes referred to as the turning point of the American Civil War. The Union defeated attacks by the Confederates thus ending the south’s invasion of the north however it wasn’t without consequences. It was the battle with the largest number of casualties (killed, wounded and captured/missing) totaling 23,055 for the Union and 23,231 for the Confederates. It is a sobering number of lives to have been given for us to enjoy the freedoms that we do today. We encourage you to take a moment to remember those brave men and visit Gettysburg to learn more about their stories of true valor!
The Battle of Gettysburg, Day Two
August 9, 2011And we’re back! Ready to jump into day two of the battle of Gettysburg? Great, let’s do it. When we last checked in, both sides were settled in for the night; the Union troops were advantageously positioned on both Cemetery Ridge and McPherson’s Hill with the Confederate camp keenly aware of their opposition’s wise tactic.
Overnight both sides had received reinforcements which bolstered confidences all around. The first move of the day went to Confederate General Robert E. Lee who ordered General James Longstreet to attack the Union’s left flank. The assumption was that the maneuver would come as a surprise since the Union would be preoccupied with the Confederates which were in plain sight on Culp’s Hill. Longstreet wasn’t convinced as to the effectiveness of this strategy and took his time getting to the attack position only to arrive and find that an entire Union corp was in the way! They had no choice but to fight. Around the same time, Lee ordered General Ewell to “make a demonstration” against the main Union line which would prevent their opposition from shifting troops to the south to reinforce their lines.
The attack on the main Union line began with an artillery bombardment which was executed under the leadership of Confederate General Hood. This progressed into very bloody fighting including oftentimes hand-to-hand combat as the Confederates fought their way through Devil’s Den and onwards to Little Round Top. It was here that they ran into the 20th Maine under the leadership of Union General Joshua Chamberlain. The Confederates charged the 20th Maine three times only to be beaten back each. This led to their retreat to Little Round Top during which time Chamberlain ordered his men to fix bayonets and sweep the rebels from the Hill.
Meanwhile, the other attack had turned extremely bloody also as the Confederates pushed their way through an easily overwhelmed Union line. However, the rebels were eventually forced to withdraw after the Union received reinforcements. Around the same time, Confederate General Richard Anderson began his attack on the Union lines within the center of Gettysburg. Unfortunately, this section of the Union had thinned out his lines to reinforce other areas receiving the brunt of the Confederate attacks. The rebels had initial success of taking over however, it was short lived as the 1st Minnesota regiment arrived and effectively held back the rebels while giving the Union Generals time to successfully strategize.
The last attack of the day was executed at 7pm. It was the “demonstration” that Lee had ordered Ewell to make. As with much of the Confederate’s attacks that day, it began with some success however, Union reinforcements left the rebels at a disadvantage and eventually led to their retreat. While Lee came close to breaking Union lines, he ultimately failed to do so on this second bloody day of battle. Casualties were very high with both sides losing approximately 10,000 men each. Shaken by this realization, Union Generals called a meeting to vote on remaining at Gettysburg or withdrawing. It was unanimous – stay and fight.
Whew! We’ve relived two of the three days of the battle of Gettysburg but it isn’t over yet. There is one more day to go but you’re going to have to wait until next week to find out what happens. Make sure to check back Tuesday morning bright and early!
Rabbit Express Service & Freedom Transit
August 6, 2011The Adams County Transit Authority (ACTA) announced a NEW rabbitEXPRESS service between the Gettysburg area and Harrisburg. This service started on Monday, June 6th and operates two round trips on weekdays which includes a stop at Amtrak and the Airport. One of the main purposes of offering the service is to alleviate the stresses of travel including high fuel prices, inclement weather and vehicle wear and tear. Need more details? Check out the rabbitEXPRESS website.
Need transit options once you arrive in Gettysburg? Use the Freedom Transit. $3.00 lets you ride all day! For more information and routes visit Freedom Transit Gettysburg’s website.
The Battle of Antietam Creek
July 19, 2011A quiet tributary flows from its source in southern Pennsylvania, winds its way through Washington County, Maryland, and finally joins the Potomac River just south of Sharpsburg. It is spanned by three picturesque stone arch bridges, foot-worn but well-preserved relics of the farmers’ routes to Sharpsburg markets. The tributary is Antietam Creek; the southernmost bridge is Rohrbach’s Bridge (since renamed Burnside’s Bridge); and, with a total of 22,717 documented casualties, they were the setting of the bloodiest day of fighting in American history, The Battle of Antietam (also known as The Battle of Sharpsburg in the South). Afterward, the Union buried 2, 108 of their soldiers and the Confederacy buried 1,546 of theirs.
The battle began as an invasion, part of General Robert E. Lee’s larger Maryland Campaign, and the first of his attempts to take Northern soil. He was confident after a string of Confederate victories in Virginia and he hoped to further demoralize the Union army, as well as restock his own forces’ scant provisions. He lost the element of surprise, however, when Union General George B McClellan accidentally intercepted his battle orders and moved to repel them. Historians believe the battle could have been a death blow to the Confederacy, given McClellan’s advantage, but he squandered the opportunity. Paranoid, he estimated the opposing army to be composed of 120,000 men (compared to the actual 38,000) and consequently his leadership was fear-driven and defensive against a force the Union outnumbered two to one.
Heavy losses on both sides led to an unspoken stalemate, neither side pressing forward to their original objective. The battle has been considered tactically inconclusive, but nonetheless a major turning point in the war. Stonewall Jackson’s victory at Harper’s Ferry and the Northern retention of Antietam spurred Lincoln to announce the executive order that would become the Emancipation Proclamation, altering the purpose of the war to one of abolition, and thereby eliminating European support of the Confederacy. Abraham Lincoln relieved General McClellan of command, following his ineffective generalship in Antietam and his failure to pursue Lee’s forces afterward. Burnside’s Bridge continues to be one of the Civil War’s most photographed bridges.
To learn more about this historic landmark, including how you can visit it, call 1-877-680-TOUR or visit our website!
Sallie
June 14, 2011The 11th Pennsylvania Infantry is known for many things including courage, persistence, and success. They fought in the first and last infantry battles of the Civil War, including the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1st, 1863. There are many stories that we could share about this brave group however, we could only pick one. So we want to tell you about the infantry’s courageous little friend whose memory is honored to this day.
Situated along Oak Ridge, there stands a monument to honor those, from the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, that gave their lives. This includes a beloved brindle bull terrier named Sallie. She joined the infantry as a pup and grew up with the 11th as her family. It is said that during the fights she frequently stood at the end of the line barking furiously at the advancing opposition.
On July 1st, 1863 the men of the 11th discovered that their faithful friend was not to be found amongst them after relocating away from the heavy fighting of the Battle of Gettysburg. Days later, after the confederate retreat, she was found laying amongst the fallen soldiers from the first day’s conflict, just barely alive herself. Her comrades nursed her back to health and she served with them for another 2 years!
For the 11th infantry, the Battle of Hatcher’s Run was a sad day only made worse by the loss of their loyal Sallie. Despite a dangerous and murderous battle, the men buried their friend as the battle raged on around them. When they erected their monument, Sallie was not to be forgotten and was included on the front!
Have you seen the monument? If not, we want to invite you to check it out! Even if you have, we’d love to see you again. The monument faces away from the road, towards the field, so make sure you don’t miss the front which is where Sallie’s likeness is depicted. Need more details? Call us at (717) 334-1156 or visit our website.
History of the Soldier’s National Museum
March 8, 2011The Soldier’s National Museum has a history steeped in both the good and the bad. And, like all good stories, it has a happy ending. Do you have your cup of coffee? Great, now settle in and let us tell you all about this national landmark.
The Soldier’s National Museum was originally the headquarters for Major General Oliver O. Howard, the commander of the Union Army’s 11th Corps. Additionally, it contained a unit of sharp shooters firing on the Confederates hiding on the south side of town. After the Civil War ended, the loss of over 51,000 lives resulted in a large number of orphans. In response, a board was created and the Soldier’s Orphanage was established in 1866. The doors officially opened on November 20th accepting 22 children.
The first few years went well as there was adequate funding. The children were well taken care of and each year, to commemorate the lives lost, they would lay flowers on the graves of the soldiers. This tradition continues to the present day. By 1869 the facility was overcrowded so an expansion of the facility took place to accommodate the growth. One year later Rosa J. Carmichael was hired as a teacher and disciplinarian much to the chagrin of the orphans. The next few years proved to be horrible as allegations of child abuse, at the hand of Rosa, surfaced. While she was arrested and fined, the abuse continued until the Sheriff closed down the facility.
In the 1950’s Cliff Arquette, aka, Charlie Weaver, purchased the building and established Cliff Arquette’s Soldiers Museum. The museum features hand carved wooden soldiers in battle dress. In 1997 more than 40 Dioramas were added featuring over 5,000 military miniatures, actual headgear, and weapons. All of these additions took over 35 years to accumulate from all over the world. The dioramas highlight many wars including Custer’s Massacre, The Revolutionary War, WW1 and WW2.
The Soldier’s National Museum has seen many different types of days, both happy and sad, however, it ultimately succeeded by becoming a goldmine of historically accurate information through spectacular Dioramas. We invite you to visit us so we can share more information and stories surrounding this national landmark.