The Battle of Gettysburg: The Country, the Contestants, the ResultsStorrick, W. C. (William Clayton)
History
The Battle of Gettysburg: The Country, the Contestants, the Results
Storrick, W. C. (William Clayton)
Gettysburg National Military Park (Pa.); Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysburg, Pa., 1863
General Meade’s line, shaped like a fishhook, was about 3 miles long.
The right faced east, the center over Cemetery Hill, north, and the left
from Cemetery Hill to Round Top nearly west. The whole line was
supported by artillery brigades belonging to the different corps.
Confederate Line of Battle.
General Lee’s line was nearly the same shape as General Meade’s but,
being the outer line, was about 6 miles long. On the right, facing the
two Round Tops, were Hood’s and McLaws’ Divisions of Longstreet’s Corps.
On the left of McLaws, extending along the line of Seminary Ridge, were
the Divisions of Anderson and Pender of Hill’s Corps, with Heth’s
Division in the rear in reserve. On the left of Pender, extending
through the town along the line of West Middle Street, was Rodes’
Division of Ewell’s Corps, then Early’s and Johnson’s Divisions, the
latter reaching to Benner’s Hill, east of Rock Creek. Pickett’s Division
of Longstreet’s Corps was at Chambersburg, guarding trains, and Law’s
Brigade of Hood’s Division of Longstreet’s Corps at New Guilford,
guarding the rear. The latter arrived at noon on the 2nd in time to
participate in the day’s engagement. Pickett’s Division arrived later
and was not engaged until the afternoon of the 3rd. The artillery was
posted according to the different corps to which it was attached.
General Lee’s line coincides with the present West Confederate Avenue
along Seminary and Warfield or Snyder Ridges, west of the town, then
runs through the town to coincide with East Confederate Avenue. The
distance between the Union and Confederate lines is three-fourths of a
mile to a mile.
Military critics agree that General Meade held the stronger position.
Both flanks presented precipitous and rocky fronts, difficult to attack,
and it was possible to send reinforcements by short distances from point
to point.
Sickles’ Change of Line.
As already stated, General Sickles’ 3rd Corps was on the left of General
Hancock’s 2nd Corps on Cemetery Ridge, and Birney’s Division was near
the base of Little Round Top, replacing Geary’s Division after its
withdrawal to be posted on Culp’s Hill. Humphreys’ Division was on low
ground to the right between Cemetery Ridge and the Emmitsburg Road.
Anxious to know what was in his front, Sickles sent the Berdan
Sharpshooters and the 3rd Maine Infantry forward on a reconnaissance. On
reaching the Pitzer Woods, beyond the Emmitsburg Road, they found the
Confederates there in force, and after a sharp engagement with Wilcox’s
Brigade, withdrew and reported.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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