Civil War Battles - Virginia & Pennsylvania

[giradman]

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That cyclorama is something I would like to see, for the detail and the quality of the painting. (Did a double take when I saw that lady with the blue hard hat right in the middle of a battle)

Hi Andrew - the painting is 42 ft high (377 ft in circumference) - below are some additional facts, including a weight of 25,000 pounds and a restoration cost of $13,000,000 (Source)! Putting an adult human being next to the lower figures is certainly an 'eye-opener' - Dave

The Gettysburg Cyclorama is 377 feet long, 42 feet high and weighs 12.5 tons.

Initiated in 2003, the Gettysburg Cyclorama underwent a thirteen million dollar rehabilitation project.

Conservation specialists from Olin Associates repaired unstable sections of the canvas and restored original details lost during the numerous repair and preservation attempts on the painting. The cyclorama was moved to the new Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center and placed in its own unique viewing auditorium with a restored skyline and foreground. The conserved painting and restored foreground was unveiled to visitors on September 26, 2008 during the grand opening of the visitor center.

 

[giradman]

Battle of Gettysburg - First Day

The Battle of Gettysburg occurred over 3 days, July 1-3, 1863 - this post will include opening comments on the activities of the first day of this bloodiest battle of this war.

The first map below is my attempt to add lines to a beautiful map showing 'roughly' the actions that happened on each day; the first day's fighting started unintentionally north and west of the town of Gettysburg (top middle on the map) - my white arrow shows that general location (refer to the more detail map for a better appreciation of the action). On the second day (next post), much of the activity occurred where I've placed the red lines, and most importantly at the bottom around Little Round Top. The third day (blue lines), had the Confederates placed on Seminary Ridge and the Union located from Culp's Hill, down Cemetery Ridge, to Little Round Top - the blue arrows indicate the final assault of the rebels.

Quoted below is a beginning summary of the first day (Source) - the overall commanders in charged were Robert E. Lee & George Gordon Meade, also pictured. Union Brigadier General John Buford arrived on the scene first and observed the Confederate movements from the cupola of the Lutheran Seminary (images below and location on the second map) - Buford was played by Sam Elliott in the film Gettysburg (a recommendation). Federal Major General John Reynolds soon appeared on the scene while the Confederates were getting into position - the second map shows the progress of the battle that first day w/ A.P. Hill leading the southern effort - the Union was forced south to it's second day position as described above.

John Reynolds was killed that day by a Confederate sharp shooter - a pic of his monument is included below; there are approximately 1,328 monuments, markers and memorials at Gettysburg National Military Park (Source) - one could spend days seeing just the monuments - also shown below is the North Carolina Monument (my state), which was created by Gutzon Borglum - some of his other efforts described in the second quote (same link). Numerous maps of the locations of these monuments are available online - just one is shown.

By the end of the first day, Robert E. Lee and his army were entrenched on Seminary Ridge, which now has numerous monuments from the southern states, including Florida. The last pic below shows Lee's position (on which we stood on the bus tour) on that ridge looking across the mile length of fields/fences to Meade's Union line - the middle is highlighted by the Pennsylvania Monument (arrow). Dave

The First Day of the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War took place on July 1, 1863, and began as an engagement between isolated units of the Army of Northern Virginia under ConfederateGeneralRobert E. Lee and the Army of the Potomac under Union Maj. Gen.George G. Meade. It soon escalated into a major battle which culminated in the outnumbered and defeated Union forces retreating to the high ground south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum (March 25, 1867 – March 6, 1941) was an Americanartist and sculptor famous for creating the monumental presidents' heads at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota; the famous carving on Stone Mountain near Atlanta; and other public works of art, including a head of Abraham Lincoln, exhibited in Theodore Roosevelt's White Houseand held in the United States Capitol Crypt in Washington, D.C.

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[scifan57]

I've got that movie. It's quite long but very good.

Here's some battle maps from the first day.

 

[giradman]

I've got that movie. It's quite long but very good.

Here's some battle maps from the first day.
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Hi Scifan.. - thanks for the historic maps - love the terrain markings - that 'golf course' mentioned on the previous page would be west of the town - believe that most of that land on the first day is now protected - Dave

 

[scifan57]

Hi Scifan.. - thanks for the historic maps - love the terrain markings - that 'golf course' mentioned on the previous page would be west of the town - believe that most of that land on the first day is now protected - Dave

How much has Gettysburg grown since 1863? Has urban growth destroyed much of the battlefield?

 

[giradman]

Gettysburg Battlefield - Monuments

Bonus Post! Second day of the battle tomorrow - but when I realized there were over 1300 various monuments in the park and that we saw hundreds on our bus tour, I thought a few more pics would be an interlude - these are dedicated to states, regiments/units, individuals, service types, etc. - here is an Exhaustive List for the curious!

But, I've just chosen over a half dozen - in the quotes below are the corresponding brief descriptions - Dave

P.S. In the second image, a Union soldier is looking across the fields toward Seminary Ridge where Lee's army was located - the Virginia Monument (while arrow) is just seen about a mile away - this was the distance the Confederates had to cross on the third day of the battle, often called Pickett's Charge (but somewhat misnamed, as will be discussed).

Alabama State Monument
Cemetery Ridge toward VA Monument (arrow)
George Meade (Union Commander)
Gettysburg National Cemetery & Monument
Irish Brigade Monument (Union - mainly New York)
James Longstreet (Confederate Lt. General)
John Sedgwick Monument (Union Major General)
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address Monument
Minnesota Monument
Mississippi Monument
Pennsylvania State Monument
Vermont Sharpshooters Monument
Virginia Monument (Lee on Traveller)
Women’s Monument

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[scifan57]

Gettysburg Battlefield - Monuments

Bonus Post! Second day of the battle tomorrow - but when I realized there were over 1300 various monuments in the park and that we saw hundreds on our bus tour, I thought a few more pics would be an interlude - these are dedicated to states, regiments/units, individuals, service types, etc. - here is an Exhaustive List for the curious!

But, I've just chosen over a half dozen - in the quotes below are the corresponding brief descriptions - Dave

P.S. In the second image, a Union soldier is looking across the fields toward Seminary Ridge where Lee's army was located - the Virginia Monument (while arrow) is just seen about a mile away - this was the distance the Confederates had to cross on the third day of the battle, often called Pickett's Charge (but somewhat misnamed, as will be discussed).


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Thanks for all those photos of some of the memorials. I can see where just looking at them all could take several days.

 

[giradman]

How much has Gettysburg grown since 1863? Has urban growth destroyed much of the battlefield?

Well, most of the land around the town is 'protected' so is immune from modern urban, highway, etc. developments - looked up the population and summarized in the first quote below - only a 3X increase in 150 years (Source). Gettysburg was an important crossroads town in southern Pennsylvania at the time of the Civil War, a reason that these armies were converging toward the place - second quote below showing the staggering effect the battle had on the civilian population - virtually every house & building was filled w/ wounded men, i.e. more than 50,000 casualties.

Today a lot of the park's land surrounding the town is in part rented out to local farmers for growing crops w/ some of the money made going back into the park's treasury - so, as one tours the various locations on the battlefield, the appearances are pretty much like the mid-1860s (and constant restorations are in progress to help achieve that goal) - Dave

1860 - 2,390
1890 - 3,221
1920 - 4,439
1950 - 7,046
1980 - 7,194
2010 - 7,620

The Battle of Gettysburg, one of the largest battles during the American Civil War, was fought between 1–3 July 1863 across the fields and heights south of the town. In the end, Confederate General Lee and his other generals retreated. Casualties were high; there were over 27,000 Confederate and 31,000 Union losses. The residents of Gettysburg were left to care for the wounded and bury the dead following the Confederate retreat. Approximately 8,000 men and 3,000 horses lay under the summer sun. The soldiers' bodies were gradually reinterred in what is today known as Gettysburg National Cemetery, where, on November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln attended a ceremony to officially consecrate the grounds and delivered his famous Gettysburg Address.

A 20-year-old woman, Jennie Wade, was the only civilian killed during the battle. She was hit by a stray bullet that passed through her kitchen door while she was making bread on July 3.

Physical damage can still be seen in some of the houses throughout the town, notably the Schmucker House located on Seminary Ridge.

 

[giradman]

Battle of Gettysburg - Second Day

On the second day, Meade's army were positioned like a 'fish hook' w/ the curved upper hook near the town on Culp's & Cemetery Hills, then extending down Cemetery Ridge to Little Round Top, potentially the most vulnerable flank of the entire line. The first map below shows the Federal positions, along w/ the flanking attacks that Lee used - probably the most important was that led by Longstreet & John Bell Hood against the Union forces on the smaller round stony hill - famous sites in that area of the battlefield still echo today, i.e. Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, & Devil's Den - quoted below is a summary of the second day of the Gettysburg conflict (Source).

Several of the more important officers on this day are shown below - James Longstreet & Richard Ewell for the Confederates and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain & Winfield Scott Hancock for the Union, all generals except for Chamberlain, who was a colonel and head of the 20th Maine, which was the defending 'end of the line' on Little Round Top - the next pictures show what the Confederates faced trying to go up the rocky hill (arrow points to the NY Castle Monument) and also a view from the top w/ a statue of General Warren, the chief Union engineer contemplating the importance of the position. Next images are present views of areas below Little Round Top that saw some of the deadliest action of the day w/ several stark B&W photos of dead soldiers (one about blown in half by cannonade!) - note that the Peach Orchard scene involves conservation and restoration efforts w/ the planting of a tree.

The next diagram illustrates the locations of monuments around Little Round Top - two important ones are marked w/ blue arrows and labelled, i.e. NY Castle Monument (regimental dedication to the 12th & 44th New Yorkers) and the 20th Maine Monument (maybe the most visited one in the park) - pics of both follow.

Finally, for those that would like to delve more into this battle, then the film Gettysburg w/ Jeff Daniels playing Chamberlain is highly recommended, along w/ the book, The Killer Angels (on which the film was based) and the winner of a Pulitzer Prize - basically a historic novel. Dave

During the Second Day of the Battle of Gettysburg (July 2, 1863) Confederate Gen. Robert E. Leeattempted to capitalize on his first day's success. He launched the Army of Northern Virginia in multiple attacks on the flanks of the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George G. Meade.

After a short delay to assemble his forces and avoid detection in his approach march, Lt. Gen. James Longstreet attacked with his First Corps against the Union left flank. His division under Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood attacked Little Round Top and Devil's Den. To Hood's left, Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws attacked the Wheatfield and the Peach Orchard. Although neither prevailed, the Union III Corps was effectively destroyed as a combat organization as it attempted to defend a salient over too wide a front. Gen. Meade rushed as many as 20,000 reinforcements from elsewhere in his line to resist these fierce assaults. The attacks in this sector concluded with an unsuccessful assault by the Third Corps division of Maj. Gen. Richard H. Andersonagainst the Union center on Cemetery Ridge.

That evening, Confederate Second Corps commander Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell turned demonstrationsagainst the Union right flank into full-scale assaults on Culp's Hill and East Cemetery Hill, but both were repulsed.

The Union army had occupied strong defensive positions, and Meade handled his forces well, resulting in heavy losses for both sides but leaving the disposition of forces on both sides essentially unchanged. Lee's hope of crushing the Army of the Potomac on Northern territory was dashed, but undaunted, he began to plan for the third day of fighting.

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[scifan57]

Battle of Gettysburg - Second Day

On the second day, Meade's army were positioned like a 'fish hook' w/ the curved upper hook near the town on Culp's & Cemetery Hills, then extending down Cemetery Ridge to Little Round Top, potentially the most vulnerable flank of the entire line. The first map below shows the Federal positions, along w/ the flanking attacks that Lee used - probably the most important was that led by Longstreet & John Bell Hood against the Union forces on the smaller round stony hill - famous sites in that area of the battlefield still echo today, i.e. Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, & Devil's Den - quoted below is a summary of the second day of the Gettysburg conflict (Source).

Several of the more important officers on this day are shown below - James Longstreet & Richard Ewell for the Confederates and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain & Winfield Scott Hancock for the Union, all generals except for Chamberlain, who was a colonel and head of the 20th Maine, which was the defending 'end of the line' on Little Round Top - the next pictures show what the Confederates faced trying to go up the rocky hill (arrow points to the NY Castle Monument) and also a view from the top w/ a statue of General Warren, the chief Union engineer contemplating the importance of the position. Next images are present views of areas below Little Round Top that saw some of the deadliest action of the day w/ several stark B&W photos of dead soldiers (one about blown in half by cannonade!) - note that the Peach Orchard scene involves conservation and restoration efforts w/ the planting of a tree.

The next diagram illustrates the locations of monuments around Little Round Top - two important ones are marked w/ blue arrows and labelled, i.e. NY Castle Monument (regimental dedication to the 12th & 44th New Yorkers) and the 20th Maine Monument (maybe the most visited one in the park) - pics of both follow.

Finally, for those that would like to delve more into this battle, then the film Gettysburg w/ Jeff Daniels playing Chamberlain is highly recommended, along w/ the book, The Killer Angels (on which the film was based) and the winner of a Pulitzer Prize - basically a historic novel. Dave


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Very interesting, Dave. I learn something new with every post.

 

[scifan57]

Here are some original battle maps from July 2, 1863.

 

[giradman]

Here are some original battle maps from July 2, 1863.
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Hi Scifan.. - glad that you enjoyed the 'second day' post - those Civil War B&W photos are so sobering - the first major war that realistic pictures from the battlefield were taken in large numbers and shocking to the civilian population reading the newspapers of the day and seeing those images - the numbers of casualties in these battles and the horrifying photographs must have been almost 'sickening' to many - below a little discussion of Civil War photography from the Civil War Trust - below a stereoscopic set from Petersburg.

P.S. thanks again for posting the historic maps - these are quite beautiful - Dave

While photographs of earlier conflicts do exist, the American Civil War is considered the first major conflict to be extensively photographed. Not only did intrepid photographers venture onto the fields of battle, but those very images were then widely displayed and sold in ever larger quantities nationwide.

Photographers such as Mathew Brady, Alexander Gardner, and Timothy O'Sullivan found enthusiastic audiences for their images as America's interests were piqued by the shockingly realistic medium. For the first time in history, citizens on the home front could view the actual carnage of far away battlefields. Civil War photographs stripped away much of the Victorian-era romance around warfare.

 

[giradman]

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain - An Amazing American!

One of my favorite personages from the Civil War is Chamberlain - my brief summary of his life below (mainly from the link given) - I've read several biographies on him and am always amazed at what he accomplished - if you want a Civil War hero to admire, then he is an excellent choice.

Some pics below of him and his Medal of Honor; his statue memorial at Bowdoin College; and the ultimate sign of respect, a beer named after him! Now, I've been to Maine many times and cannot remember drinking that brew, but will do so on my next visit - Dave

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (1828-1914 - aged 85) was born in Brewer, Maine. He graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine in 1852, and began an academic career there as a professor of rhetoric and modern languages (he was fluent in 9 languages).

Chamberlain was granted a leave of absence (to study in Europe) but enlisted in the Union army and was promoted to colonel of the 20th Maine regiment in June 1863. He fought in the Battle of Fredericksburg (a later post), but made his reputation on Little Round Top, the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg; for this effort, he was awarded the Medal of Honor (belatedly in 1893).

During the Siege of Petersburg, he received a severe bullet injury to his hip and groin and was not expected to live, but recovered. U.S. Grant promoted him to brigadier general (breveted to major general) - he was also selected to accept the surrender of Lee’s army at Appomattox on April 12, which effectively ended the war. Chamberlain served in 20 battles and many minor conflicts, had six horses shot from under him, and was wounded six times.

Chamberlain returned to his home state of Maine - he served multiple terms as Governor of Maine and was president of Bowdoin College - for other post-war activities and accomplishments see HERE.

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[scifan57]

Great post, especially the part about Chamberlain.
The Civil War was the first large scale war in which mechanization was used to a significant degree. This would include trains, observation balloons, and the first automatic weapons(Gatling Gun).

 

[giradman]

Great post, especially the part about Chamberlain.
The Civil War was the first large scale war in which mechanization was used to a significant degree. This would include trains, observation balloons, and the first automatic weapons(Gatling Gun).

Thanks again - Chamberlain was one of my favorite characters in the Civil War and such an accomplished person in so many other ways.

The Civil War did indeed see so many developments as mentioned above and in previous posts, such as the 'iron' ships & the Hunley. Concerning guns and cannons, a great 3-part video series (nearly 3 hours) is the Guns of the Civil War narrated by Charles Martin Smith - produced in 1993 (I own a single DVD of all episodes) - can be a little slow in parts but much is discussed and illustrated. Dave
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