Battle Of Gettysburg Research Paper

The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the largest conflicts between the Confederacy and the Union in the Civil War. It was a major turning point in the war that took the lives of many soldiers. This battle lasted three days, from July 1st to July 3rd at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. During the first day of the battle, the Confederate forces attacked and took control over Gettysburg, which was previously held by the Union. After a bloody day of battling, the Union armies were forced to retreat to the high altitudes, such as Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill.

The map on the left, created by Union General William Wilcox, shows the army lines and the artillery of the Union and the Confederacy during the afternoon of July 2nd, the second day of the battle. On the map, there are blue lines which represent the Union forces and red lines which represent the Confederate forces. Additionally, the map shows environmental aspects of the region, such as rivers, valleys, ridges, and the elevation of the ground. The Confederacy is situated near Gettysburg and the Union is in the high hills to the south of the town.
His goal was to defeat the left flank with Hill’s and Longstreet's Corps, and after that has been accomplished, have Ewell’s Corps attack the weakened right flank of the Union army. The Union’s strategy, however, was to defend the hills and high altitudes using their numerous troops and artillery. The map illustrates the position of both armies right before the battle, the Union forces forming a fishhook shape around the hills and ridges and the Confederate forces standing opposite to them. After a long and costly day of battling, the Union manages to defend their position. Both sides sustained major