The American Civil War The Battle of Gettysburg - 985 Words

Gettysburg was fought during the Civil War between the Union Army of the Potomac led by General Meade, and the Confederate Army commanded by General R.E. Lee. The battle only was waged over the course of three days, but it would prove to be the most costly of the entire Civil War. In this paper, we will show how the Confederacy failed to identify certain principles of war, which lead them to incorrectly conduct a center of gravity and critical vulnerability analysis on the Union. Because of this failure, the Confederacy opened the door for the Union to score a decisive victory. Examining the battle form a Principles of War standpoint, we can examine how a few principles became decisive factors in the battle, or how their lack of use prevented success in some cases. An important principle was Mass, in so far as the Confederacy was better able to employ this principle than the Army of the Potomac. On the first day of fighting, the confederacy was successfully able to employ their units against Union defenses, forcing the Union forces to retreat (Vossler 53). An interesting turn of events would soon favor the Federal Army as General J.E.B. Stuart and his cavalry were north and east of Gettysburg causing a lot of fear in the North but consequently were not performing adequate reconnaissance, the result was that General Lee did not know where General Meade and the Army of the Potomac were or what their strength was (Freeman, 147). When Confederate General Henry Heth moved intoShow MoreRelatedBattle Of Gettysburg : Gettysburg Of The American Civil War1465 Words   |  6 PagesShaJuan Ervin Dr.Seamen MIS 303-01 2/24/16 Battle of Gettysburg Day 3 The Battle of Gettysburg is widely known as the largest battle of the American Civil War. This crucial battle occurred over three days, July 1st to July 3, 1863 surrounding the town of Gettysburg. In this battle, General Robert E. Lee tactfully awaited the forces of General Meade’s Union. On July 1st the Confederates were exploited by the Union resulting in a loss. The following day, the Confederates gained ground by conductingRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg And American Civil War924 Words   |  4 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg was fought over the first three days in July 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee led the Army of Northern Virginia, while Union Major General George Gordon Meade commanded the Army of the Potomac. The Battle of Gettysburg involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war and is often described as the war s turning point. With his army in highRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg And The American Civil War1993 Words   |  8 Pagesthe Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the American Civil War. Some even go as far to as to call it the â€Å"high water mark† of the Confederate States. What is known is that it represented the last time a coherent Confederate Army threatened northern soil. In fact, from Gettysburg forward, the Confederation of Southern States would be fighting a defensive/fighting retreat. Gettysburg was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, but there were many bloody battles during the American CivilRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg Was The Turning Point Of The American Civil War837 Words   |  4 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the American Civil war. General Robert E. Lee was the commanding officer of the Confederate army. During the battle of Gettysburg Lee’s military strategy was to fight offensive. Lee’s goal during the ba ttle was to seize the high ground and out last the union army. The Union army had outnumbered the Confederate soldiers. General Lee’s first hand man was General James Longstreet. Longstreet believes the new technology in warfare would make attackingRead MoreEssay about The American Civil War: America’s Bloodiest War716 Words   |  3 PagesThe American Civil War, known as the War Between the States’ by some, was America’s bloodiest war. The Civil War consisted of over 10,000 battles between The Union Army of the North and the South’s Confederate Army, which lasted almost 4 years. The War was fought in 23 states and of the more than 10,000 battles only about 50 were major battles. (Weider, The Civil War, 1) In this paper the reader will learn about important dates of the war also about 4 of the bloodiest battles in the war; the BattleRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg And A Website Article From The New World Encyclopedia1320 Words   |  6 PagesTh e battle of Gettysburg is seen today as the turning point of the war, and after the analysis of these historical documents its clear why the bloodshed at Gettysburg was as significant as it was being able to turn the tides of the war. Two sources that are going to be used in this are a website article from History.com: â€Å"Battle of Gettysburg† and a website article from the NeW World Encyclopedia: â€Å"Battle of gettysburg†. These sources will be analyzed by their origin, purpose, content, value andRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg And Civil War1375 Words   |  6 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg occurred July 1-3, 1863 in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and was one of the most significant battles of the American Civil War. Union forces of the North, commanded by Major General George G. Meade met and fought the Confederate forces of the South, commanded by General Robert E. Lee. Many historians believe the battle was a large turning point in the Civil War in f avor of the Union (Woodworth, 2008). However, this is disputable. The battle was also significantRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg : Why Was It A Turning Point?1361 Words   |  6 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg: Why Was It a Turning Point? â€Å"Death created the modern American union, not just by ensuring national survival, but by shaping enduring national structures and commitments. The work of death was Civil War America s most fundamental and most demanding undertaking†Ã¢â‚¬â€ Drew Gilpin Faust. Death in the Civil War was indeed a principle in creating the America we know and love today. This was the bloodiest war in United States military history. Within the war was the Battle of GettysburgRead MoreSlavery And The Civil War1706 Words   |  7 PagesAbraham Lincoln once said, â€Å"A house divided against itself cannot stand.† In the 1800s, the American nation was slowly becoming a house divided against itself. The United States were no longer united, mainly over the issue of slavery. In fact, many historians believe that, â€Å"From the nation’s founding, the issue of slavery threatened to tear the United States apart.† (â€Å"The Civil War† 1). The issue of slavery was always kept at bay through the utilization of various compromises; however a permanentRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg And The Civil War Essay1448 Words   |  6 PagesOn July 1, 1863, the bloodiest, most gruesome war in American History began. The Battle of Gettysburg was fought in the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Union Army under the command of General George G. Meade faced the Confederate Army led by General Robert E. Lee. They clashed for a long, tragic, three days, but at a costly expense of human life. The American Civil War was one of the most significant battles that the United States has ever been engaged in. On the lines, there were brothers