The Battle of Gettysburg
-Mark G.The Battle
Before July 1st: May 26th - June 30th
On May 26, Lee receives the Confederate President's order (Jefferson Davis) to secretly march into Maryland by using the Shenandoah Valley and the Potomac River. Then on June 9, Pleasonton (a Union cavalry leader) fights skirmishes with Stuart (Confederate cavalry leader) at Brandy Station, Virginia. June 15: General Lee and his army enter Maryland. Nine days later, General Hooker, commander of the Potomac, resigns and is replaced with General Meade. The next day, Heth, a general under General Lee, draws near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His objective is to quickly raid the town for supplies and shoes! However, when Federal cavalry draws nigh, he retreats quickly.
July 1st
At dawn, Heth of Lee's army (The Army of Northern Virginia) approaches Gettysburg again, seeking to raid the town for shoes. Later, at 10 AM, General Reynolds, a great Union General under Meade, reaches Gettysburg and commands Buford (a lower Union general) to hold and defend his position until more Federal reinforcements arrive. Not long after, General Reynolds, personally commanding troops on the front line, is shot! Of course, he dies. Doubleday, a lower rank general, assumes his command. Howard of the Union, along with some other troops, arrive slightly past noon. Then Howard fills a gap on the Union line by fortifying Cemetery Hill. At 2:00 PM, General Lee of the Army of Northern Virginia appears for the Confederates with reinforcements!
The Union is at a disadvantage an hour after Lee's arrival. They are surrounded on a curved front by Confederate forces, who outnumber them.
The Union retreats past Gettysburg, to the south of it, fortifying Cementery Hill and Ridge, as well as other hills around it.
Throughout the night, Union reinforcements continue to arrive, including General Meade. Union casualties are about 8,500!
The Union
The Confederacy