Who was the union general at Gettsburg?

Question

Why did Gen Lee order the Picketts Charge? Why did not the Union army pursue Lee's army after the defeat?

Answer 1

Overall command of the Union forces at Gettysburg fell to Gen George Meade. There were several generals under Meade, of course.

Lee's forces had been repulsed on both the left and right flanks in fighting on July 1 and 2, so he decided that a charge directly at the Union center was his next option. Three Confederate divisions, under the overall command of James Longstreet, participated in the charge (it's commonly known as Pickett's charge because Gen Pickett's division was the lead formation in the assault). Longstreet had expressed grave concern to Lee about the plan for the assault - a frontal attack over more than a mile of open ground, and correctly predicted its failure. The Confederates had over 50% casualties as a result of the assault, yet some of them actually cleared the stone wall on Cemetary Ridge (not Seminary Ridge, as another responder has indicated). This advance was known as the "High Water Mark of the Confederacy" - although, an interesting point is that Lee's troops approached Gettysburg from the North...There's a marker on Cemetary ridge that commemorates the high-water mark.

Meade was known as a cautious general, and often missed opportunities to follow-through and completely route enemy troops. However, to be fair, the 3 day battle of Gettysburg was a major engagement, with thousands of casualties on each side, and while Meade may have been able to pursue, there have been questions raised about his ability to effectively engage the retreating Confederate forces with the troops available to him.

Answer 2

The Union army went through several generals as Lincoln wasn't pleased with each one's performance until he met Grant. He remained the commanding general throughout the remainder of the war.

The battle was a very costly one. It meant all the world to the Confederates, for if they have won, it would turn the tide of public opinion in the Union states, so that the North would grant the South their independence. Remember, Gettysburg is more north than Washington DC. Wouldn' t that make a strong impression?

Answer 3

George Gordon Meade was the primary Union commander
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gordon_Meade

I have been at Gettysburg along Seminary Ridge, and for the life of me, cannot answer the question. You only have to look at the battlefield for about a minute to realize how suicidal a frontal assault would be.
The only logical explanation is the stakes. If the Confederacy had won Gettysburg, they very well could have ended the war within weeks by suing for peace.

The Union had suffered 25,000 casualties (and killed about the same number) over three days. I don't blame them for being tired of battle.

Answer 4

1, George Meade lead the Union. 2, Lee made a ghastly mistake in a campaign where he made many. If had listened to Longstreet could have won a great victory. Longstreet wanted to maneuver & force Union to attack. 3. Meade infuriated Lincoln by being pleased with merely driving Lee from Union soil vs destroying his army. No excuse for not following up at all.

Answer 5

General Meade was in overall command of the Union Forces at Gettysburg

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Wasn't it McClellan? The guy Lincoln eventually dismissed and named Grant to the position.