General Ray
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Gettysburg, 1st Day: Heth engages Buford's cavalry 
Buford holds off Heth's first attacks, waiting for general Reynold's 1st Corps to arrive on the field. From the movie Gettysburg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQvj2HfEokE
Gettysburg, 1st Day: Reynolds Arrives
Fighting continues as Reynolds' First Corps reinforces Buford's cavalry. From the movie Gettysburg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE-BKmlr3OI
Gettysburg, 1st Day - the Union Line Collapses
As the Federals retreat to regroup on Cemetery Hill, Lee and Longstreet argue over strategy.
General Ewell later made the controversial decision not to press the attack and halted his advance in the East near Culp's Hill.
From the movie Gettysburg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hpn-puqnKk
Gettysburg - Morning of July 2nd, the Briefing
"Lee's battle plan for July 2 called for Longstreet's First Corps to position itself stealthily to attack the Union left flank, facing northeast astraddle the Emmitsburg Road, and to roll up the Federal line. The attack sequence was to begin with Maj. Gens. John Bell Hood's and Lafayette McLaws's divisions, followed by Maj. Gen. Richard H. Anderson's division of Hill's Third Corps. The progressive en echelon sequence of this attack would prevent Meade from shifting troops from his center to bolster his left. At the same time, Maj. Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson's and Jubal Early's Second Corps divisions were to make a "demonstration" against Culp's and Cemetery Hills (again, to prevent the shifting of Federal troops), and to turn the demonstration into a full-scale attack if a favorable opportunity presented itself.
Lee's plan, however, was based on faulty intelligence, exacerbated by Stuart's continued absence from the battlefield. Instead of moving beyond the Federals' left and attacking their flank, Longstreet's left division, under McLaws, would face Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles's III Corps directly in their path.
Longstreet's attack was to be made as early as practicable; however, Longstreet got permission from Lee to await the arrival of one of his brigades, and while marching to the assigned position, his men came within sight of a Union signal station on Little Round Top. Countermarching to avoid detection wasted much time, and Hood's and McLaws's divisions did not launch their attacks until just after 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG812fH9d2Y
Gettysburg, day two, little round top
The 20th Maine when all was lost but they found a way to hold the right flank, took guts and they had guts!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYDhAmjmxYk
Picketts charge, The Bombardment, day three, Part one, just before Pickett's Charge and 15,000 Americans stepped off knowing full well they wouldn't come back
Badly blooded by the failed attacks on the flanks (which, some historians argue, can be blamed on Longstreet's cautious reaction to Sickles' moving his corp forward without orders into the Wheatfield), the Army of Northern Virginia had but two fresh Divisions left in the army.
General Lee gambled all on an attack, in which the two Divisions, plus a third made up of several other Divisions badly beaten the previous two days, commanded by General Longstreet and lead by Generals Pickett, Pettigrew, and Trimble, would attack the center of the Union lines after a massive cannonade to break up Union artillery and infantry deposits, a Napoleonic tactic Lee hoped would work in this instance.
Before the charge would begin, every Confederate artillery piece available would be focused upon the Union center across the way from Cemetary Ridge. It was said the impact of the artillery bombardment was so massive, that in Washington D.C., Lincoln could feel the ground shake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZWAmsdGBiE
Pickett's Charge, Part 2: The March
Whilst the cannonade was underway, Ewell prematurely engaged in actions near Culp's Hill which required a section of the artillery to be diverted away from the main cannon action.
Longstreet was livid when he discovered this, and wanted to cancel the entire attack until all cannons could be focused on the center. However, not enough ammunition remained to resume the bombardment, and by then the Union forces would have recovered.
So, without a full bombardment as Longstreet wanted, and after much hesitation, Longstreet finally ordered the march, which nearly 13,000 men made, marching an entire mile across open ground, their target being a small cusp trees behind Cemetary Ridge.
Unbeknownst to the Confederates, due to the Southern Artillery being improperly calibrated (the artillery used had a nasty reputation for overshooting their targets), Union infantry deposits and artillery remained relatively intact, and would be brought to bear on the mass of men as they made the march.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GupEJXlNKCE
Pickett's Charge Part 3: The Battle
As if marching an entire mile wasn't exhausting enough, the lines of Pickett, Pettigrew, and Trimble's Divisions were ripped apart by Union artillery and infantry. Holes were torn in the Confederate lines. At one point, the Union troops began to try and flank the marching Confederates.
Little could be done by the Confederate forces but continue to march, and push the presumably decimated Federal lines back, thus breaking them and sending them into a panic-stricken rout.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iT0Hmu5bXY
Pickett's Charge Part 4: The High Water Mark
Having marched an entire mile under heavy cannon and musket fire, the surviving mass of the Confederate Divisions began to attack in earnest, and managed to push back the Union defenders in many places.
While some areas were not so lucky; tales tell of a Confederate regiment destroyed down to the last man--the flag bearer--who was then helped over the low stone wall upon reaching it and immediately taken prisoner.
This was considered the High Water Mark of the Confederacy and the entire Civil War, because at this point in the charge, Confederate forces got as close to breaking the Union lines and ultimately achieving victory in the war as they ever have in the Eastern Theater, and ever would.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiDumCX_Pr8
I love this stuff, American history, I walked that same long mile on a cold rainy day and I was the only one out there, but the fallen were with me, I could sense them all around me, could feel them, could feel their pain 150 years ago, I knew they were there and they knew I was there that day by myself to pay them hornor, I could feel them, knew I wasn't alone, thats American history and her heart and what America is all about and I wouldn't have it any other way because these Americans said you go Ray, we gave you the road to freedom now take that road.
GeneralRay
Buford holds off Heth's first attacks, waiting for general Reynold's 1st Corps to arrive on the field. From the movie Gettysburg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQvj2HfEokE
Gettysburg, 1st Day: Reynolds Arrives
Fighting continues as Reynolds' First Corps reinforces Buford's cavalry. From the movie Gettysburg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE-BKmlr3OI
Gettysburg, 1st Day - the Union Line Collapses
As the Federals retreat to regroup on Cemetery Hill, Lee and Longstreet argue over strategy.
General Ewell later made the controversial decision not to press the attack and halted his advance in the East near Culp's Hill.
From the movie Gettysburg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hpn-puqnKk
Gettysburg - Morning of July 2nd, the Briefing
"Lee's battle plan for July 2 called for Longstreet's First Corps to position itself stealthily to attack the Union left flank, facing northeast astraddle the Emmitsburg Road, and to roll up the Federal line. The attack sequence was to begin with Maj. Gens. John Bell Hood's and Lafayette McLaws's divisions, followed by Maj. Gen. Richard H. Anderson's division of Hill's Third Corps. The progressive en echelon sequence of this attack would prevent Meade from shifting troops from his center to bolster his left. At the same time, Maj. Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson's and Jubal Early's Second Corps divisions were to make a "demonstration" against Culp's and Cemetery Hills (again, to prevent the shifting of Federal troops), and to turn the demonstration into a full-scale attack if a favorable opportunity presented itself.
Lee's plan, however, was based on faulty intelligence, exacerbated by Stuart's continued absence from the battlefield. Instead of moving beyond the Federals' left and attacking their flank, Longstreet's left division, under McLaws, would face Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles's III Corps directly in their path.
Longstreet's attack was to be made as early as practicable; however, Longstreet got permission from Lee to await the arrival of one of his brigades, and while marching to the assigned position, his men came within sight of a Union signal station on Little Round Top. Countermarching to avoid detection wasted much time, and Hood's and McLaws's divisions did not launch their attacks until just after 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG812fH9d2Y
Gettysburg, day two, little round top
The 20th Maine when all was lost but they found a way to hold the right flank, took guts and they had guts!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYDhAmjmxYk
Picketts charge, The Bombardment, day three, Part one, just before Pickett's Charge and 15,000 Americans stepped off knowing full well they wouldn't come back
Badly blooded by the failed attacks on the flanks (which, some historians argue, can be blamed on Longstreet's cautious reaction to Sickles' moving his corp forward without orders into the Wheatfield), the Army of Northern Virginia had but two fresh Divisions left in the army.
General Lee gambled all on an attack, in which the two Divisions, plus a third made up of several other Divisions badly beaten the previous two days, commanded by General Longstreet and lead by Generals Pickett, Pettigrew, and Trimble, would attack the center of the Union lines after a massive cannonade to break up Union artillery and infantry deposits, a Napoleonic tactic Lee hoped would work in this instance.
Before the charge would begin, every Confederate artillery piece available would be focused upon the Union center across the way from Cemetary Ridge. It was said the impact of the artillery bombardment was so massive, that in Washington D.C., Lincoln could feel the ground shake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZWAmsdGBiE
Pickett's Charge, Part 2: The March
Whilst the cannonade was underway, Ewell prematurely engaged in actions near Culp's Hill which required a section of the artillery to be diverted away from the main cannon action.
Longstreet was livid when he discovered this, and wanted to cancel the entire attack until all cannons could be focused on the center. However, not enough ammunition remained to resume the bombardment, and by then the Union forces would have recovered.
So, without a full bombardment as Longstreet wanted, and after much hesitation, Longstreet finally ordered the march, which nearly 13,000 men made, marching an entire mile across open ground, their target being a small cusp trees behind Cemetary Ridge.
Unbeknownst to the Confederates, due to the Southern Artillery being improperly calibrated (the artillery used had a nasty reputation for overshooting their targets), Union infantry deposits and artillery remained relatively intact, and would be brought to bear on the mass of men as they made the march.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GupEJXlNKCE
Pickett's Charge Part 3: The Battle
As if marching an entire mile wasn't exhausting enough, the lines of Pickett, Pettigrew, and Trimble's Divisions were ripped apart by Union artillery and infantry. Holes were torn in the Confederate lines. At one point, the Union troops began to try and flank the marching Confederates.
Little could be done by the Confederate forces but continue to march, and push the presumably decimated Federal lines back, thus breaking them and sending them into a panic-stricken rout.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iT0Hmu5bXY
Pickett's Charge Part 4: The High Water Mark
Having marched an entire mile under heavy cannon and musket fire, the surviving mass of the Confederate Divisions began to attack in earnest, and managed to push back the Union defenders in many places.
While some areas were not so lucky; tales tell of a Confederate regiment destroyed down to the last man--the flag bearer--who was then helped over the low stone wall upon reaching it and immediately taken prisoner.
This was considered the High Water Mark of the Confederacy and the entire Civil War, because at this point in the charge, Confederate forces got as close to breaking the Union lines and ultimately achieving victory in the war as they ever have in the Eastern Theater, and ever would.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiDumCX_Pr8
I love this stuff, American history, I walked that same long mile on a cold rainy day and I was the only one out there, but the fallen were with me, I could sense them all around me, could feel them, could feel their pain 150 years ago, I knew they were there and they knew I was there that day by myself to pay them hornor, I could feel them, knew I wasn't alone, thats American history and her heart and what America is all about and I wouldn't have it any other way because these Americans said you go Ray, we gave you the road to freedom now take that road.
GeneralRay
