Tag: Union

Gettysburg Streets

Posted on By BD No Comments on Gettysburg Streets

Here is a zoomed in map from a survey that was taken after the Battle of Gettysburg in 1868-1870. There is much detail in this map, so let’s explore some things. North of the railroad tracks, Penn. College is now what is Gettysburg College.

There are also three roads that lead north of Gettysburg in a form of a triangle:

  • west-northwest of town (Mummasburg Rd)
  • north of town (Old-Carlisle Rd)
  • north-northeast of town (Old Harrisburg Rd)

There are two roads that lead west of town:

  • west-southwest of town (Fairfield Rd)
  • west-northwest of town (Chambersburg Rd)

There are two roads that lead south of town:

  • eastern road through town (Baltimore Street)
  • western road through town (Washington Street)

There is one road that leads east of town: York Road

These roads from the north and the west brought in supplies and soldiers from the Confederacy, while the southern roads will supply the Union army.

Courtesy of https://13thmass.org/1863/gettysburg.html

This map shows the location of the Union Corps and the Confederate forces around Gettysburg. This will provide beneficial aspects with the Union forces concentrated in a small general area to reinforce battle lines in a short amount of time. Confederate forces had to walk from Chambersburg to Gettysburg. What a journey they had on muddy roads, the heat and humidity, and the lack of water.

Uncategorized

Fourth of July

Posted on By BD 1 Comment on Fourth of July

On this day, on July 1863, the town of Gettysburg rejoiced that the Union won the battle against the Confederates. However, the victory came with a price. Jennie “Virginia” Wade had been shot and killed the day before, and was laid to rest behind the house. Elizabeth Thorn was in the process of receiving word that she would have to start lying grave sites for fallen soldiers the battle within Evergreen Cemetery.

Here below is a rare flag from West Virginia of the United States flag with only 35 stars on it representing 35 states. This flag was from 1863.

Courtesy of http://rareflags.com/RareFlags_Showcase_IAS_00090.htm

In the end, many months later, all the burials were completed.

Evergreen Cemetery — Graves of 2 Confederate and 90 Union soldiers

Let’s remember the sacrifice this Fourth of July, and the soldiers that fought 163 years ago.

Uncategorized

June 29th, 1863

Posted on By BD No Comments on June 29th, 1863

The locations of the Confederate and Union Corps on June 29th. However, that’s not the main story. The temperatures are brutal across the Mid-Atlantic ranging between 90 to 100 degrees and evening thunderstorms with the heat. With traveling on muddy and backroads, it was a very difficult to travel from one place to another.

Meanwhile, the Confederate forces were spread out across Pennsylvania, but had plenty of access roads to combine forces if need be. The 1st Corps was in Chambersburg and commanded by Lieutenant General James Longstreet. The 2nd Corps was in Carlisle and was commanded by Lieutenant General Robert S. Ewell, and the 3rd Corps was commanded by Lieutenant General Ambrose Hill that was stationed outside Cashtown.

Here are some of the distances that the Union Corps had to march on June 29th.

  • 1st and 11th Corps (blank icon) marched from Frederick to Emmitsburg – 23 miles
  • 2nd Corps marched from Monocacy to Uniontown – 26 miles
  • 3rd Corps marched from Woodsborough to Taneytown – 12 miles
  • 5th Corps marched from Frederick to Libertytown – 11 miles
  • 6th Corps marched from Hyattstown to New Windsor – 26 miles
  • 12th Corps marched from Taneytown to Frederick – 23 miles
  • Bufford’s Cavalry rode from Middletown to Fairfied – 8 miles
  • Gregg’s Cavalry rode from New Market to New Windsor – 21 miles
  • Kilpatrick’s Cavalry rode from Frederick to Littlestown – 31 miles

Newly appointed general of the Union Federal Army was Major General George Gordon Meade. He wanted the Union army to deploy between Middlestown to Taneytown to Manchester. He wanted to have strong fallback positions in northern Maryland. He wanted to protect Washington D.C. and Baltimore, and wanted to defend Mary-land, not Pennsylvania.

Uncategorized

June 27, 1863

Posted on By BD No Comments on June 27, 1863

The battle of Gettysburg is less than a week away. However, it’s only been less than 24 hours since Major General George Gordon Meade received orders that he is now the commander of the Army of the Potomac. Meade then directs and informs Major General Joseph Hooker of his relief from command.

George Gordon Meade is now the 5th man to command the Army of the Potomac in less than a year. General Meade learns that the Confederates are in southern Pennsylvania ransacking communities and terrifying citizens on the frontier. He commands the Union army to slowly drift north to see if they can draw the Rebels to fight them in Mary-land.

Courtesy of the novel – Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: III: Retreat from Gettysburg, page 266

His orders are to keep the Union army protecting Washington D.C. from the Confederates to the North.

Uncategorized

Battle of Chancellorsville

Posted on By BD No Comments on Battle of Chancellorsville

This battle that occurred in Virginia was considered one of General Robert E. Lee’s greatest battles. According to the historians, this was the fifth deadliest battle of the Civil War. However, even though this battle was a complete success against the Union, it came with a cost. General Stonewall Jackson, Lee’s right hand man, was mortally wounded by friendly fire on the evening of May 2nd.

Overall at Chancellorsville, the Union army had around 97,000 soldiers with 1700 being killed, 9700 wounded, and 6000 soldiers were missing. On the other hand, the Confederates had around 57,000 soldiers, approximately 1725 killed, 9200 wounded, and 2500 missing. Across this battlefield, there is more signage and wayside markers than monuments.

The grand plan that Lee and Jackson developed was to attack the Union’s right flank. Lee had approximately 13,000 soldiers and a huge artillery battalion, while Jackson had nearly 28,000 soldiers and had to march twelve miles out of view behind the Union lines.

Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson portrait taken at Nathaniel Routzahn’s photography gallery in Winchester in November 1862.

The attack began around 5 p.m. on the afternoon of May 2nd and attacked the 11th Corps, which was commanded by Union General Oliver O. Howard. As I have mentioned within the first day battle in Gettysburg, the 11th Corps were called the “Flying Dutchmen”. This is where they obtained that nickname. The 11th Corps were surprised attacked by the Confederates and fled more than 2 miles before General Hooker dug in and awaited the Confederates near the Chancellor’s House.

His amputated arm is buried at Ellwood Manor, Virginia

Darkness fell and around 8 p.m. General Stonewall Jackson and his commanders on horseback were possibly near enemy lines. They were unsure about their location of their troops and the enemy. The 33rd North Carolina skirmish line fires into the group. Jackson is hit three times: one in the right hand, the second in the left shoulder blade, and the other in the left elbow. Jackson’s horse runs off and Jackson is put into a stretcher and taken to a field hospital. During the shooting and the field hospital, Jackson would fall off the stretcher three times, and have bandages on his shoulder and elbow. His own physician, Hunter McGuire, would see Jackson in the field hospital. On the morning of May 3rd, his left arm was amputated. From the bullet that was taken out of his amputated arm, it was a smooth-bore bullet, which came from the 33rd North Carolina regiment. Around the same time, General Robert E. Lee learns that Stonewall Jackson was shot.

Robert E. Lee was quoted as saying, “He has lost his left arm, but I have lost my right.”

Confederate