1. Gettysburg and Vicksburg
Pivotal Battles
July, 1863

2. Low Union Morale
Crushing defeats at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville were the lowest points for The United States
“If there is a place worse than hell, I am in it…” – Abraham Lincoln
Will Lincoln resign?
Lincoln strongly considers peace with the south

3. Lee’s Motive at Gettysburg
Dwindling supplies
Supplies available in Gettysburg
Needed to end the war quickly before the supplies ran out
Hope a defeat in their own territory would force the Union to capitulate
The Confederate Government had prepared a letter offering peace that was to be delivered to Lincoln after the capture of Washington
General Robert E. Lee

4. The engagement
As Lee moved closer to Washington, he was followed by the Army of the Potomac and their new commander, General George Meade.
Meade’s cavalry cut off Lee, who was without cavalry assistance of his own, and a battle started just outside the town of Gettysburg

5. July 1, 1863
Union cavalry, under the command of General John Buford, were greatly outnumbered by Lee’s forces.
Were forced to retreat to some hills surrounding the town
Kept the Confederates engaged until the main army could arrive.
Although this portion of the battle was a Confederate victory, Buford halted the Confederate advance
Each side took up positions on hills outside of town that faced each other
Cemetery Ridge – Union Army
Seminary Ridge – Confederate Army
Major General John Buford

6. An overview of the First day of the Battle of Gettysburg

7. July 2, 1863 Lee wanted to attack the enemy lines
Second-in-command General James Longstreet advised against the attack, preferring a more defensive position
An agitated Lee tells Longstreet, “The enemy is there, and I am going to attack him there…”
Longstreet is not ready to attack until the early evening, after Meade has had a chance to reinforce himself
Lt. General James Longstreet

8. Little Round Top Left Flank of the Union lines on Cemetery Ridge
Left undefended
Colonel Joshua Chamberlain of the 20th Maine was ordered to quickly go defend the area
Could not retreat, or the army would be flanked
Very little ammunition, and no reinforcement
Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain

9. Battle lines at Little Round Top

10. Chamberlain
Repulsed several Confederate advances up the hill by Alabamans under General John Bell Hood
Ran out of ammunition
Could not surrender
Could not retreat
Could not shoot, so…

11. “Charge!!!”
Chamberlain ordered his men to fix bayonets, and ordered a foot charge down the hill at the Hood’s Brigade
The Alabamans were so terrified that the surrendered en masse
The flank was preserved, and Chamberlain became a legend

12. Little Round Top

13. Day 3 – Pickett’s Charge
Lee’s plan was to attack the Union center after a barrage of artillery fire
He reasoned that the Union force would be weak in the center
He believed that the Confederate artillery would keep the Union from organizing a defense
He believed the Confederates could not be defeated
Lieutenant General James Longstreet strongly opposed such an attack
Too great a distance over open ground for a charge
Too many obstacles
Union had strong defensive positions
Longstreet is overruled by Lee
Longstreet is ordered to lead the attack
Major General George Pickett’s Division
Major General Isaac Trimble’s Division
Major General Johnston Pettigrew’s Division

14. This is the battle plan for the charge on the center of the Union Lines. Trimble and Pettigrew are to charge straight ahead, while Pickett is to attack the flank

15. The charge
After a prolonged artillery assault, and trying to avoid having to charge, Longstreet gave the order with a nod
12,000 men made the Charge to the Union lines
Less than 50% returned
6555 casualties
Union lines were not breached
Pickett’s division was destroyed in detail
Lost all three brigade commanders (Armistead, Kemper, Garnett)
Lost all thirteen regimental commanders
Bitter toward Lee for the rest of his life. On General Lee’s request for Pickett to reform his division: “General Lee, I have no division…”
The Confederate Army was decimated, and Lee was never able to mount and assault again

16. Looking out at the field of Pickett’s Charge
Confederate dead on the field at Pickett’s Charge

17. Meanwhile….

18. Vicksburg
One of the last strongholds that control the Mississippi River
In Confederate hands
If the Union Army could capture Vicksburg, the would control the Mississippi, and could then choke off Confederate supply lines
The last phase of Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan
Very hard to attack
Fortress city
On a high bluff surrounded by swamps
On a bend in the river that would allow shelling of any enemy ships
Only one way in

19. Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant
Tried several time to capture Vicksburg
Finally waited for the swamps to dry out, and attacked Jackson, Mississippi
This lured the Confederates under Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton out of Vicksburg
A battle ensued at Champion’s Hill, and, although the Confederates lost, they were able to return to Vicksburg, with Grant hot on their tail
Grant finally got his army to Vicksburg

20. The siege…
Grant, having no other option, laid siege to the city of Vicksburg
Siege: a tactic in which an enemy is starved to make them surrender
2800 shells a day flying into Vicksburg
Citizens dug caves to live in so they would not get hit by flying shells
Food became scarce
The people of Vicksburg ate horses, dogs, cats, and rats, and even shoe leather

21. The siege of Vicksburg

22. The surrender…
On July 4, 1863, after a month of constant artillery fire, the Confederates surrendered
Grant marched into Vicksburg, and the Union now controlled the Mississippi
The Confederacy had been cut in half, which was the original strategy of Winfield Scott in 1861
Vicksburg would not celebrate the Fourth of July until after World War II