Why did the Union Forces win the Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg, fought on July 1-3, 1863, was a decisive victory for the Union forces led by Major General George Meade. The Confederate General Robert E. Lee had launched an unsuccessful Maryland Campaign to draw the Union Army away from Washington D.C., and his march towards Pennsylvania culminated in this battle near Gettysburg. The Battle of Gettysburg began when Confederate forces under General Lee invaded the north in early May of 1863. This invasion was part of Lee’s plan to win a great victory for the Confederacy by entering into Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. With each day of fighting becoming more brutal and intense, Lee's army was eventually pushed back by Meade's reinforcements from Washington D.C., forcing them into a retreat back to Northern Virginia on July 4th.
The Union forces won the Battle of Gettysburg for a variety of reasons. First, the Confederate’s had chosen to take a defensive stance at Gettysburg, whereas the Union forces had more military objectives in mind. General Meade had assembled an army of nearly 90,000 men while General Lee was able to field only 75,000 troops; this disparity in numbers served as one major factor that led to victory for the Union armies. President Abraham Lincoln had declared martial law just before the battle and imposed a draft which increased Union power further by increasing their population advantage over the Confederates.
Although General Lee was able to use his defensive advantages in a complementary way during certain parts of battle such as Little Round Top and Culp’s Hill; ultimately these tactics were not enough to overcome Grant’s superior numbers and strategic planning.
This defeat ended any hope for a successful invasion into the North for the Confederates and marked an important turning point in the Civil War as it signified that the Union would eventually prevail over their southern adversaries in this conflict.
There were five key factors that swayed the battle towards the Union side.
Strong defensive position
The Union forces had a strong defensive position on Cemetery Hill, Cemetery Ridge, and Culp's Hill, which made it difficult for the Confederate forces to attack and take the high ground.
Skilled leadership
The Union forces were led by General George G. Meade, who was a skilled and experienced commander. Meade made good decisions during the battle, such as reinforcing the center of his line and ordering a counterattack that pushed the Confederates back.
Effective use of artillery
The Union forces had more artillery and used it effectively to support their troops and weaken the Confederate attacks.
Confederate mistakes
The Confederate forces made several mistakes during the battle, such as attacking the center of the Union line on the third day, which was well-defended, and failing to coordinate their attacks effectively.
Union reinforcements
The Union forces received reinforcements during the battle, which helped them to withstand the Confederate attacks and eventually push them back. The Union forces under General Meade had more men and supplies than the Confederate army and were better organized. The Union reinforcements during the battle helped turned the tide in the Union's favor.
Each of these elements led to the Confederate defeat. In a sense, all of these failures led to the disastrous Pickett's Charge on the the 3rd and final day of Gettysburg. The outcome permanently forced the Confederate Army back into the South and changed the Civil War. Pickett's Charge was a major Confederate assault on the final day of the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. It is widely considered to be one of the biggest and bloodiest military failures in American history.
Pickett's Charge
After two days of fighting, with both sides suffered heavy casualties and losses. In an effort to tip the battle in his favor Lee ordered General Pickett's troops to attack the center of the Union forces. Lee's gambit backfired spectacularly. His attack on the Union troops was doomed by multiple mistakes and oversights. Lee failed to realize that Pickett would be forced to attack the strongest part of the Union lines.
The Union forces had taken up strong positions at Cemetery Ridge. Their positions were higher than the Confederates and defensible. They also benefitted from having a clear view of the battlefield. In anticipation of an attack, Union soldiers spent several days preparing their defenses which included building barricades and entrenchments which gave them an extraordinary advantage.
Pickett's forces also lacked support from Confederate artillery or additional troops. When they began their charge they lacked backup and they were slaughtered. During the attack, several Confederate officers were killed and wounded. The lack of officers led to chaos in the Confederate lines. Brigadier General Lewis Armistead led his men over the Union barricades before being mortally wounded. After his death the Confederate troops broke.
Overall, Pickett's Charge was a desperate and poorly conceived assault that suffered from multiple strategic and tactical failures. The Confederate Army suffered heavy losses and was unable to break the Union defenses, effectively sealing its fate in the Battle of Gettysburg and, ultimately, the American Civil War. Overwhelmed by superior numbers, General Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia was forced to retreat back to Virginia after just three days at Gettysburg; the Confederate’s defeat marked a turning point in the Civil War as it was their greatest loss up until that point.
Conclusion
Overall, the combination of strong defensive positions, skilled leadership, effective use of artillery, Confederate mistakes, and Union reinforcements all contributed to the Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg. Confederate General Lee underestimated Meade’s ability to respond quickly to his advances from Virginia and he had not accounted for how difficult it would be for his forces to march several days before engaging in battle. The Battle of Gettysburg was fought from July 1–3, 1863 and is widely regarded as the most important battle of the American Civil War. Lee’s invasion of the north had reached its climax at Gettysburg and it was unsuccessful.
Cited Sources
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/05/27/6-simple-reasons-union-won-civil-war.html
https://www.wondriumdaily.com/american-civil-war-the-battle-of-gettysburg-and-its-significance/
https://ohiohistorycentral.org/index.php?title=Battle_of_Gettysburg&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop
https://www.history.com/news/battle-gettysburg-turning-point-civil-war
https://www.gettysburgpa.gov/history/slideshows/battle-history
https://billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/gettysburg-and-vicksburg-july-4-1863
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg
https://www.nps.gov/gett/learn/historyculture/gettysburg-overview.htm
https://www.historyhit.com/why-was-the-battle-of-gettysburg-so-significant/
https://www.gilderlehrman.org/news/battle-gettysburg-ends-day-july-3
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/gettysburg