The Battle of Gettyburg
Battlefield Points of Interest
Day 1
Cemetery Hill
Cemetery Ridge
Day 3
Day 2
Peach Orchard
Little Round Top
Wheat Field
Pickett's Charge
Cemetary Hill overlooks Gettysburg from the South. Given the elvation of the area, it became a crucial strategic point in the battle. On July 1st, the first day of battle, the Army of the Potomac captured Cemetery Hill from Confederate Forces. Robert E. Lee attempted to capture the hill the remaining two days but failed.
Cemetary Ridge is also located on the south side of Gettysburg. Cemetary Ridge was an extension of Cemetary Hill. The ridge proved to be crucial in holding the Union line inbetween Little Round Top and Cemetary Hill.
The Wheat Field had three major geographical features. The Rose Woods to the west, Stony Hill, and Devil's Den in the south. Due to the lack of natural protection both sides sustained heavy casualities. Luckily for the North, they controlled a wooded hill boarding the wheat field known as Little Round Top. Plum Run, a river further south of Devil's Den ran red with the blood of the deceased.
Confederate General Joseph B. Kershaw proved to be the South's downfall in both the Wheat Field and the Peach Orchard. Kershaw had divided his men to combat Union forces in both areas. While the Union troops had the advantage of Little Round Top in the Wheat field, they also had 30 guns from an artilery line north of the Peach Orachard. Kershaw's men took heavy from the artilary which weakened his entire brigade. The Peach Orachard allowed Union control of Emmitsburg Road, a vital roadway.
Little Round Top is widely considered the key to Union sucess in the Battle of Gettysburg. Union forces had control of Little Round Top on the first day of the Battle. The vantage point was held by the 20th Maine Regiment of volunteers. The Confederates tried several unsuccessful attempts to capture the hill but were sent back each time by the 20th of Maine. The culminating skirmish occured when the 20th fixed bayonets and charged downhill at the thinning Confederate soldiers.
Pickett's charge is Robert E. Lee's biggest tactical error. Lee ordered Major General George Pickett to charge on Union troops at Cemetery Ridge. The prior evening, General Meade of the Union had guessed correctly that Lee was going to attack at the center of the Union line. The Confederates began an attack with a mostly unsuccessful artilary barrage. Following the barrage, 12,500 Confederate marched in open filed towards Cemetary Ridge. The Union position was well supported with artilary, the Confederates lost over 50% of the men involved in the attack. During the charge the Confederates reached as far North as they would during the entire war.
