what lead to the battle of Battle of Gettysburg?

Answer 1

The Gettysburg Battle was an accident of two armies bumping into each other. Lee was invading the north without his eyes (Jeb Stuart's Cavalry) and heard from a spy that the Union army was getting close. His orders were to come together near Cashtown or the crossroads of Gettysburg. At the time, the Army of N. Virginia was spreadout from Harrisburg to south of Chambersburg. He had explicit orders not to engage the enemy until the whole army was in the field.

In the fog of war, however, Heth's Rebel Division moved toward Gettysburg looking for shoes. They ran into a cavalry pickett line under Gen. Buford. Heth brought up his whole division and buford held on until the Union Ist Corp came up.

Both sides brought up their armies piecemeal. On July 1, 1863, the Confederates beat back the Union and took control of Gettysburg and Semetary Ridge. Inexplicably, Gen. Ewell did not follow-up the victory with a charge up Culps Hill and Cemetery Hill. The high ground was therefore left in Union hands and the battle may as well have been decided on the 1st day.

Gen Lee was blamed for not giving specific orders to take the high ground ("if at all practicable" he said). Ewell was no Stonewall Jackson, and it showed.

The second day was almost won by the Rebs, with an assault on the Union left up Little Round top and Devil's Den. Two saviors of the day were Governor Warren who rushed troops to the undefended flank at the last moment and Col Chamberlains famous "fix bayonet" charge that stopped Gen. Hoods Texans from taking the flank. For his day at Little Round Top, (Chamberlain won the Cong. Med. of Honor)

The third day was a total blunder on Lee's part for ordering the sure death of proud Viriginians and North Carolinians, as 12,000 rebs attacked over open ground against entrenched infantry and massed artillery (AKA: Pickett's Charge).

The battle was the South's high water mark in the war, from then on they lost the strategic initiative in the war and were henceforth on the retreat.

Answer 2

There were both military and political aims that coincided to lead to Gettysburg. In the political realm, the Confederacy was never going to receive the respect of the world if it did not make a statement that it was viable and that it wasn't going to keep fighting these battles on Southern soil. Britain, especially, was waffling on if they would recognize the South (one wonders why, since Britain did not need the cotton and they hated slavery) and so the South felt if they could win a battle on northern soil, or at least take the battles to the North, then they had a great chance of being recognized.

As for the military, following the battle of Chancellorsville, the South was in the best shape it had been in for years and the time was ripe. The South needed to get armies away from their crops and cities and they needed the resources of the North. They hoped that people in Maryland would join their cause and the Army of N. Virginia with Lee at the command was in good shape. One might suggest as well that Lee knew his time was limited as the leader of a large and viable military force, the South's resources were running low, and it was now or never. There seems to be an almost desparation about the Confederate advance into Pennsylvania, without a clear purpose. They had to win. This was it. Now or never again. It is ironic that they met at the little town of Gettysburg, a place a few Confedrate forces went to find new shoes. Neither side wanted the battle here, but as author Bruce Catton said, once a war was begun it takes on a life of its own and it goes in directions that no one ever planned.

Answer 3

The Confederate government thought it could win the war if, by carrying the war to the north, it could demonstrate to Washington that the Confederacy would never be defeated on the field.

The Confederacy had won several victories in late 1862 and early 1863, culminating in the Battle of Chancellorsville. Richmond believed that one final push into Pennsylvania might bring President Lincoln to the negotiating table.

The death of General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson at Chancellorsville was, more than anything else, the cause of Lee's defeat at Gettysburg. Deprived of Jackson's tactical genius, the Confederate army spent itself on a futile frontal assault, charging up Cemetery Ridge. Following the disaster, the Confederate armies withdrew into a defensive war in Virginia, never again to attempt action in the north.

Answer 4

Shoes.

Henry Heth's Division went to Gettysburg to find shoes and ran into Union troops. The battle escalated from there.

Answer 5

Rather than solicit ill-informed and partial historical data from the masses, why not read this and see for yourself?