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Gettysburg, the largest, bloodiest, and most celebrated battle of the Civil war,
is said by many to be the turning point of the war that killed 618,000
Americans. Gettysburg the movie was four hours long, which is about 68 hours
less than it actually took for the battle to come and go. The first shots were
fired no long after daylight, so to be exact, it was 04:30 hours, on the
morning of July 1st, (49 Nofi). Bullets flew from the rifles of Union Calvary
men on picket duty along the
Chambersburg Pike. It was in response to the advancing of Confederates, a
skirmish line of 2,500 led by Henry Keith, a General that graduated last in his
class at West Point (104 Clark).
The battle took place in the grassy country just south of Gettysburg. The
Confederate headquarters was located East of the union at Seminary Ridge.
Seminary Ridge was composed largely of flat fields with patches of forests.
Federal forces however, were set along Culpshill, Cemetery Hill, and Cemetery
Ridge, which made the Federals line form a hook. The Federal ground was all
elevated considerably over the surrounding land. General Stuart and his Calvary
had been sent by Lee on an observation mission to locate union forces.
Fortunately for the Virginian army, General Longstreet had hired a spy known
only as Harrison, to do the same job. This Harrison was an actor and because
General Stuart returned late, it was by his word that the entire Southern army
made it\'s move (181 Coddington). On July 1st, Confederate forces soon found
themselves face to face with brigade General John Buford who was uphill and
eventually gained the upper hand as he received reinforcements from Major
General John Reynolds. Bufords own brigade sustained many casualties and after
the 1st, was reassigned to guarding the supply train for the remainder of the
battle, (movie).
July 1st was the same day that the Potomac army found itself replacing General
Hooker with General Mead. Meade helped his army secure a well protected area on
Cemetery Ridge, and Culps Hill, where it would stay, (aside from the left
flank), until the end of the battle. Meade\'s army line stretched three miles
and had an average of 17,000 men per mile, (105 Clark). Lee\'s army line
stretched approximately two miles longer, but averaged about 10,000 men per
mile, (105 Clark).
On July 2nd, Colonel Chamberlain was ordered by his superiors to hold ground at
the very left of the union army on Cemetery Ridge. Colonel Chamberlain informed
his men that if their ground was compromised, then the entire Potomac army
might be in danger. Chamberlain noticed confederate forces appearing through the
thick forest, and ordered the reserves to plug any hole that might be made in
the line. They held off the Confederate\'s first attack, but soon another rebel
charge emerged.
With fewer men and less ammunition, Chamberlain constructs a new wall of
soldiers even further left than the first. They manage to destroy the second
attack, but then the third comes and Chamberlain orders a bayonet charge. This
last order of war helped the Yankees to keep their ground that July 2nd.
A new day dawns, July 3rd comes and Colonel chamberlain receives word that his
unit is to be moved to the middle of the Potomac line. He is assured that he
will see no fighting today. The Union soldiers were expecting a day of rest.
Meanwhile Lee\'s plan of attack is being explained to the reluctant General
Longstreet who would rather rest himself. The plan is simple; General Alexander
who is in charge of artillery is to fire his cannons at the very middle of the
Potomac lines. In an effort to breakdown Union firepower. As soon as General Alexander
had diminished enemy strength, General Pettigrue, General Trimble, and General
Pickett were to march their brigades up the slope and take Union ground. After
the ground has been breached, all Confederate units are to converge under a
small patch of trees at the top of Cemetery Ridge. Lee had picked the very
middle of the line because there is a long level slop-e for infantry to walk
up. It is the closest thing to flat ground that Confederates have and Lee says
they are weak there. Longstreet argued the attack, but Lee would not listen.
Lee should have listened to Longstreet because as 15,000 troops marched up that
slope, 1,000 were taken out by long-range rifle fire. (432 Brinkley) Alexander
did not have enough fire power left over to adequately assist the infantry
during their mile long march. Only 5,000 Virginians made it to the Union side,
and by that time, Meade used his advantage to the fullest by borrowing from
quiet parts of the line and patching the front. (105 Clark) During Pickett\'s
charge, Lee lost nearly a third of his army and was forced to withdraw from
Gettysburg. This ended the battle at Gettysburg, the biggest and bloodiest
battle ever fought on American soil. Total deaths from both sides exceeded
53,000, but South was not entirely lost. The war would continue on for two more
years. (Movie)
The Gettysburg movie is not entirely accurate historically. Colonel Chamberlain
did not \"hold his own\". At Little Round Top, the fighting started
at Devils Den on July 2nd. Union forces retreated across a wheat field and
peach orchard. They stopped at Little Round Top where Colonel chamberlain held
off Confederate forces.
The movie gave a detailed depiction of three days worth of war, but in between
the fighting, it showed the daily problems of Generals and how they dealt with
the frustration. General Longstreet did not believe he was going to succeed in
taking the Union ground. He knew he would have a better chance if he had more
time and space between armies. Longstreet took up his case with Lee, but
General Lee had other ideas. Longstreet coped by obeying orders. Robert E. Lee
had to beat the odds of being outnumbered, out gunned, and downhill from his
enemy. Although ultimately, he was unable to overcome, he did manage to push
back to Union to Cemetery Ridge by relentless attacking. Colonel
Chamberlain was sent one hundred soldier prisoners. These soldiers had been
through eleven engagements and only two years. They had seen enough war to last
two life times, but were required to fight for another year. They were brought
to Colonel chamberlain with broken spirits by gun point.
Chamberlain was told he could shoot them if they became a nuisance. They were
unwilling to fight and Chamberlain knew it, so he fed them to make them happy.
Then when they were full, he gave a long, persuasive, and dramatic speech about
war. He gave them two options, the easy way out with \"probably no
punishment\", or one last fight with honor. All but six joined the fight.
Colonel Chamberlain was on of the noblest Generals in the movie. He was
portrayed as a real life hero, aggressive enough to lead his army to victory,
yet humble enough to nourish an escaped slave. It was during his battle at
Little Round Top that my imagination was captured. Colonel
Chamberlain was stationed with his brigade on Little round Top, which is a
steep hill, pressed in a forest. They were positioned strategically behind a
wall of logs and rocks that stretched a good three hundred yards. He knew if
his ground was compromised the entire Potomac army would be in jeopardy. The
Confederates attacked three times and the third was a mutual bayonet charge.
Chamberlain emerged victorious. After Getttysburg, Colonel Chamberlain was
injured six times and later rose to the rank of Major General, due to his
victory at Little Round Top. Chamberlain also received the Congressional Medal
of Honor and was elected Governor of Main four times in a row. (Movie)
Watching the movie, Gettysburg, not only gave me better understanding of
history, but a better understanding of people in general as well as myself.
After watching the movie and doing the research, I realized many Irish people
fought in the war. This was probably because the Irish had just immigrated and
were still considered the minority. Since I am of Irish decent, it is
reasonable to assume that my ancestors were in the war and if this is correct,
it is also reasonable to assume my ancestors either survived the civil war or
had families at a young age before joining the war effort.
The movie gave me historical insight on the war tactics of Old American
infantry. I was completely amazed at the lack of strategy in the movie
Gettysburg. The Potomac and Virginian armies seemed unskilled in combat. They
simply and ignorantly walked straight into the face of the enemy to get shot.
Considering their methods of attack, it would only be logical to assume that
the North wold win, due to their larger numbers. The North out numbered the
South, 90,000 to 75,000, and the union was occupying a smaller area of land. (432
Brinkley) The movie also gave gave me historical insight as to the hardships of
a nation having a war with itself. The brother against brother and friend
against friend mentally made fighting even harder. In one particular instance,
General Amistead who was leading his Confederate brigade up the slope during
Picketts charge, was shot on the Union line. Instantly he was noticed by
Colonel Chamberlain\'s brother Thomas, who instead of killing Amistead, helped
him lay down to ease his pain. General Amistead was good friends with Hacock a
Union General. Amistead requested to speak with Hancock, but Thomas Chamberlain
informed him that Hancock had also been shot. Upon hearing this, Amistead was
greatly saddened. Union soldiers then carried Amistead to field hospital where
he died two days later. Hancock survived the wound at
Gettysburg and went on to run for the Presidency on the Democratic ticket in
1880.
All in all the war seemed to me senceless, the Confederate and Federal Generals
knew this and wore it on their faces, constantly giving orders and pulling
triggers in vain. A prime example would be Longstreets following of orders in
the midst of doubt. The movie was very well made; it showed the harsh realities
of war and the great simplicity of life.