4.2 The Gettysburg Campaign

The Gettysburg Campaign marked a pivotal moment in the Civil War. In June 1863, emboldened by victory at Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee launched a second invasion of the North, aiming to force a negotiated peace.

The resulting Battle of Gettysburg became a major turning point. Over three days of fierce fighting, Union forces under General George Meade repelled Confederate attacks, culminating in the failed Pickett's Charge. This decisive Union victory ended Lee's offensive capabilities and shifted the war's momentum.

Events Leading to Gettysburg

Confederate Strategy and Movement

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• Confederate victory at Chancellorsville in May 1863 emboldened General Robert E. Lee to launch a second invasion of the North
  • Aimed to relieve pressure on war-torn Virginia
  • Sought to potentially force a negotiated peace
• Lee's Army of Northern Virginia began northward movement in early June 1863
  • Army numbered around 75,000 men
  • Used Shenandoah Valley to screen movements from Union forces
• Confederate invasion threatened major Northern cities
  • Targets included Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.
  • Caused widespread panic among Northern civilians
  • Forced President Lincoln to call for militia reinforcements

Union Response and Strategic Importance

• Union General Joseph Hooker relieved of command on June 28, 1863
  • Replaced by General George Meade as commander of the Army of the Potomac
  • Meade immediately began pursuing Lee's army
• Campaign held potential to secure foreign recognition for the Confederacy
  • Success could demoralize the North
  • Possibly end the war through a decisive victory on Northern soil
• Gettysburg's road network made it strategically significant
  • Connected several major arteries (Baltimore Pike, Emmitsburg Road)
  • Crucial location for both armies maneuvering through Pennsylvania

Turning Points of Gettysburg

Day 1: Battle Begins

• Battle started unexpectedly on July 1
  • Confederate forces encountered Union cavalry west of Gettysburg
  • Escalated into major engagement as both sides rushed reinforcements
• Union forces initially pushed back through Gettysburg
  • Managed to establish strong defensive positions south of town
  • Secured high ground on Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill

Day 2: Confederate Assaults

• Lee launched major assaults on both Union flanks on July 2
  • Attacks focused on Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Peach Orchard, Culp's Hill
  • Failed to dislodge Union army from its positions
• Defense of Little Round Top became famous episode
  • Led by Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine
  • Prevented critical Confederate flanking maneuver

Day 3: Pickett's Charge

• Lee decided to launch massive assault on Union center on July 3
  • Known as Pickett's Charge
  • Involved approximately 12,500 Confederate soldiers
  • Troops advanced across nearly a mile of open ground
• Pickett's Charge resulted in devastating Confederate casualties
  • Marked climax of the battle
  • Effectively ended Lee's offensive capabilities at Gettysburg
• Repulse of Pickett's Charge combined with Jeb Stuart's cavalry defeat
  • Solidified Union victory
  • Forced Lee to retreat back to Virginia

Leadership at Gettysburg

Confederate Command Decisions

• Robert E. Lee's aggressive strategy demonstrated post-Chancellorsville confidence
  • Decision to order Pickett's Charge widely criticized by historians
• Lee's command style granted significant autonomy to corps commanders
  • Led to coordination problems (failure to take Cemetery Hill on July 1)
  • Resulted in missed opportunities (delayed assault on July 2)
• Absence of Confederate cavalry under J.E.B. Stuart for much of campaign
  • Deprived Lee of crucial intelligence
  • Highlighted importance of reconnaissance in military operations

Union Leadership

• George Meade demonstrated solid defensive tactics despite recent appointment
  • Quickly concentrated forces at Gettysburg
  • Selected strong ground for defensive stand
• Meade's decision-making sparked historical debate
  • Held council of war on night of July 2
  • Cautious approach to counterattacking on July 4
• Joshua Chamberlain exemplified effective small-unit leadership
  • Quick thinking in defending Little Round Top
  • Executed famous bayonet charge under extreme pressure
• Union corps commanders made critical early decisions
  • Winfield Scott Hancock reinforced Cemetery Hill
  • John Buford's cavalry delayed Confederate advance on Day 1

Gettysburg's Impact on the War

Military Consequences

• Gettysburg marked major turning point in Civil War
  • Coupled with fall of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863
  • Shifted momentum decisively in favor of the Union
• Confederate defeat ended Lee's strategic offensives into Northern territory
  • Forced South into predominantly defensive posture for war's remainder
• Battle's outcome influenced military strategy
  • Led to Ulysses S. Grant's appointment as general-in-chief
  • Resulted in adoption of war of attrition against Confederate forces
• Gettysburg's casualties shocked both sides
  • Highest of any battle in the Civil War (over 50,000 combined)
  • Changed attitudes about nature and cost of the conflict

Political and Social Impact

• Union victory boosted Northern morale
  • Reinvigorated support for the war effort
  • Countered growing peace movement and Copperhead influence
• Battle inspired Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in November 1863
  • Reframed war's purpose as struggle for equality and democracy
  • Had profound impact on public perception of the conflict
• Gettysburg's aftermath helped prevent foreign intervention
  • Discouraged Britain and France from recognizing the Confederacy
  • Solidified Union's diplomatic position