Gettysburg
By late afternoon, on the 2nd July, 1863, after fierce hand to hand fighting, Major General John B. Hood's 3rd Division's flanking attack on Big Round Top had been successful. Meade realising the lack of troops on the Round Tops had rushed the 1st Maine to try to thwart Jackson who having let Hood bypass Sickles force in the Peach Orchard caught way out in front of the main Union lines and seize the Top (s). Sickle was outflanked and held by Laws Brigade leaving only the 1st Maine to take the brunt of the killing power of the massed Confederate infantry. Colonel Chamberlain, commanding was killed in the first volley and whatever morale the Union troops retained was soon broken. It was over in less than ten minutes, the remnants of the Federal forces streamed back to the relative safety of their main line on Cemetery Ridge.Hood sent reports of the securing of the Tops to Jackson.Thomas'Stonewall' Jackson had assumed command of the Army of Northern Virginia after Robert E.Lee was wounded by a stray shell late on the afternoon of the 1st. Though not serious, General Lee had shrapnel wounds to both legs and concussion and command had passed to his deputy, Jackson.
This was the only bright light for the Union, news had already reached Washington and the Government was in a frenzy as they tried to pack and flee the Capital all at the same time with the SPECTRE of Lee, Jackson and their bloodythirsty hordes on everyones lips and minds. Those fleeing forward rush into Pickett's command . Orders are countermandered , duplicated and totally confused as officers try to keep their various charges in check. The only leading Union players to escape capture were Hancock (wounded on the 1st and already back in Washington, Howard who had kept his nerve had organised his retreating x1 Corps in good order with Pleasanton's remaining cavalry including Gregg and Kilpatrick and thereby saved half of his artillery as well. Meade, Sickles, Sykes, Sedgewick, Slocum, Warren and a host of lesser generals were prisoners inside an hour along with several thousand of the Federal Army of the Potomac. Jackson sent for Lieutenant-General Longstreet and ordered him to get his artillery onto the Tops and commence bombardment of Meade's forces. Stuart coming back with his cavalry from wherever early on the morning of the 3rd realised he was riding into a Union rabble instead of an army raised his hat high, cheered and ordered his men to charge . For the retreating , shattered Federal forces the sight of Rebel cavalry was too much. Unfortunately, in the dark they have little sense of direction and hundreds are going from one field of slaughter to another as Ewell has his men on battle stations on the right flank. By midday the Army of Northern Virginia was ready to march on Washington, Jackson in his battered faray cap and threadbare uniform looking like any of his ragtag, starving, weary army at their head began the march on the Federal Capital. Lee was attempting to advise caution but Jackson smelled blood and would not be swayed. In the pitch dark lit only by the shell bursts of the Confederate fire the Union troops mill about in panic. Lee's sickbed was reporting on the actions of the 2nd and the overwhelming victory thay had achieved. 00pm 67 cannon are belching their deadly breath down on Cemetery Ridge. Buford whose troopers had borne the brunt on the 1st and had been on the road to Washington when the disaster began was already clear of the debacle.
Common topics in this essay:
Cemetery Ridge,
Round Top,
Colonel Chamberlain,
Robert ELee,
Gregg Kilpatrick,
Washington Jackson,
Pipe-Line Creek,
Laws Brigade,
Yankee Command,
Army Potomac,
northern virginia,
round top,
cemetery ridge,
1st maine,
union troops,
army northern virginia,
army northern,
federal forces,
late afternoon,
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Acceptance Essays
