July 03, 2006

Gratuitous Civil War Posting

Pickett Charge.jpg

Today is the anniversary of Pickett's Charge on the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, sometimes romantically known as the "High Tide of the Confederacy".

The attack never had a chance. Apart from the issue of simple geography (charging straight up hill over a mile of open ground against fortified positions), the fact is that the Union Army was simply too well organized and generalled to be broken.

Personally, I've long thought that Lee was well aware of the risk when he ordered the charge, but felt that he had no choice in the matter. He could not very well withdraw without causing enormous damage to the spirit of his army, not could he easily manuever against either flank of the Union position without dangerously exposing his own forces to flank attack. I believe that Lee reckoned his best chance lay with shock and awe: perhaps a hammer blow to the center would buffalo the Union commanders and cause them to panic. In that case, Lee's greatest miscalculation was in underestimating the Union generals, in particular Winfield Scott Hancock. Given their rather dismal performances during his previous battles against them, this is at least somewhat understandable.

UPDATE: Oh, for you Gettysburg movie fans out there, I wanted to mention this tidbit: In the movie, Gen. James Kemper (who commanded one of Pickett's brigades) is depicted lying mortally wounded on a stretcher after the charge, urging Lee to treat his men honorably. However, he actually survived the wound after all. Being so badly hurt, Kemper was left behind when the Confederates retreated and was captured by Union troops. After the war, he went back into politics and was elected Governor of Virginia in 1874.

UPDATE DEUX: Here's some coolness - the Library of Congress has a whole searchable database of Civil War photographs, most of them by Matthew Brady. Go on over and browse.

Posted by Robert at July 3, 2006 09:20 AM | TrackBack
Comments

Oh, and good job with the Civil War posts.

I've never seen the movie Gettysburg. Is it worth it?

Posted by: rbj at July 3, 2006 11:35 AM

Yes, I believe it is. But you have to go into it braced for the usual sort of thing that comes with costume drama - some goofy rhetoric, some suspiciously staged tableux and the like. And the movie, as was the book, is very pro-Longstreet in its viewpoint of What Lee Should Have Done.

But for all that, it is entertaining and modestly educational. While, as I say, it does not paint the whole story of the battle, it also doesn't contain any really glaring errors either.

Posted by: Robbo the LB at July 3, 2006 11:54 AM

I'm certain any Ole Miss alums visiting would want to call everyone's attention to the role of the University Greys in Pickett's Charge - a sad little sidenote to the whole affair.

Posted by: Master Tang at July 3, 2006 02:32 PM

I had the opportunity to visit Gettysburg with my son a few years ago. We stood on Seminary Ridge and looked across that huge open field to the angle of the stone wall where the Union forces were waiting.

I don't know how any of Lee's army made it back alive. Courage? Yes. Foolishness? Certainly.

Posted by: Yolo Cowboy at July 3, 2006 04:18 PM

When I was a kid I worked in our town library for a bit. There on the shelves I found a fabulous twelve(?) volume set of photos from the civil war: pictures, pictures, pictures, and very little text. I can't remember what the set was called and I have seen nothing like it since, but I would buy it in an instant if it were ever reprinted.

Posted by: chuck at July 3, 2006 08:43 PM

Husband participated in the reenactment of Pickett's Charge back in '98. It was emotional to watch, and Husband said it was spooky to actually be on the field. They were only about 300 men short of the actual number of Confederates that were in Pickett's Charge.

Gettysburg is a good movie to watch, I think, fake facial hair aside. Yes, it glosses over some stuff...but I still watch it every year.

I still say...Husband and I will give tours! In period dress if you want! For a dollar!!! (I just love to go there.)

Posted by: GroovyVic at July 4, 2006 07:48 AM