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
Believing that Lee planned a flank movement on his line, and that the
Emmitsburg Road afforded better positions for the artillery, Sickles
moved his Corps forward and posted Humphreys’ Division on the right
along the Emmitsburg Road and his left extending to the Peach Orchard.
Birney’s Division prolonged the line from the Peach Orchard across the
Wheatfield to Devil’s Den. This new line formed a salient at the Peach
Orchard and therefore presented two fronts, one to the west, the other
to the south.
About 3 P.M. Sickles was called to General Meade’s headquarters to a
conference of corps commanders. Upon the sound of artillery, the
conference adjourned, and Meade, Sickles, and Warren, Meade’s Chief
Engineer, rode to inspect Sickles’ change of line. The artillery was
already engaged, and believing it too late to make any changes since the
enemy was present, Meade decided to attempt to hold the new position by
sending in supports. After reviewing the new line, General Warren left
the other members of the party and rode up Little Round Top. He found
the height unoccupied except by the personnel of a signal station.
[Illustration: General Meade’s Statue.—General Meade viewed
Pickett’s Charge from the center of the Union line. This statue,
like those of Reynolds and Sedgwick, is the work of Henry K.
Bush-Brown.]
General Lee’s Plan.
Lee as well as Meade occupied the forenoon in the arrangement of his
line of battle. After a conference with Ewell, he decided to attack
Meade’s left. In his report, Lee says:
“_It was determined to make the principal attack upon the enemy’s
left, and endeavor to gain a position from which it was thought that
our artillery could be brought to bear with effect. Longstreet was
directed to place the division of McLaws and Hood on the right of
Hill, partially enveloping the enemy’s left, which he was to drive
in._
“_General Hill was ordered to threaten the enemy’s center to prevent
reinforcements being drawn to either wing, and coöperate with his
right division in Longstreet’s attack._
“_General Ewell was instructed to make a simultaneous demonstration
upon the enemy’s right, to be converted into a real attack should
opportunity offer._”
When General Lee arranged this plan of attack he believed Meade’s left
terminated at the Peach Orchard; he did not know that Sickles’ advance
line extended to the left from the salient at the Peach Orchard to
Devil’s Den. In plain view of the Union signal station on Little Round
Top, some of his forces were compelled to make a wide detour via the
Black Horse Tavern on the Fairfield Road in order to avoid observation.
Little Round Top.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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