Monday we returned for our final visit to the Gettysburg battlefield. This time we visited Spangler’s Spring
Culp’s Hill
and the site of the climatic battle known as Pickett’s Charge. The lanes mowed in the grass mark the approximate route the Confederate Troops converged on the Union lines.
General George Pickett’s troops were the spearhead of the attack. Pickett commanded about 1/3 of the 12,500 Confederate soldiers who attacked that final day. They were spread along a front about 1 mile wide and marched 3/4 mile across the field under constant artillery fire. When they reached the road in front of the Union lines, constant rifle fire was added. After the battle, Union soldiers counted over 800 bullet holes in one 16 foot section of rail fence the Confederates had to cross.
The High Water Mark was the point where a few Confederate Troops crossed the Union low stone wall at a point know as “The Angle”.
This monument marks where Confederate General Armistead was killed and the attack faltered with Confederate troops retreating back across the field again under enemy fire.
Confederates suffered over 50% casualties with some of Pickett’s Divisions over 90%. There were about 93,000 Union soldiers and 73,000 Confederate soldiers in the Battle of Gettysburg. Somewhere around 50,000 casualties were reported. It is hard to imagine that many people being killed, wounded and/or captured. What a different scene it would have been in the days after the battle than the beautiful landscape Monique and I have viewed. But it is fitting that such peace and beauty should be seen across this hallowed ground. We have been saddened by much of what we have learned, yet we have learned much about the bravery of our ancestors who fought on both sides. We are very glad we came and highly recommend your coming to Gettysburg for a visit.
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