RST: Gettysburg 150 Day Three July 3, 1863
Radio Smart Talk for Wednesday, July 3:
Photo by Scott LaMar/witf
12000 Confederate soldiers crossed this field during Pickett’s Charge July 3 1863
Radio Smart Talk broadcast live from the American Civil War Wax Museum and focuses on July 3, 1863 — day three of the Battle of Gettysburg.
The third day of the Battle of Gettysburg is when Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee ordered a massive assault on the Union’s front at Cemetery Ridge, which became known as Pickett’s Charge.
Gen. Lee’s target was the Union line here.
After a thundering artillery barrage that was designed to soften the Union center but didn’t have much impact because it was off target, twelve thousand Confederates, led by Gen. George Pickett marched across an open field toward the union lines. The Rebels were cut down as they walked and only 600 actually reached the Union line. In less than an hour, there were 6,800 casualties.
The failure of the frontal assault essentially ended the battle. Lee’s wounded army headed south.
President Abraham Lincoln wanted Union commander Gen. George Meade to pursue the enemy but Meade’s army was tired too and he didn’t press the pursuit.
There’s still controversy about whether Meade could have moved faster and trapped the Confederates on the northern side of the Potomac River thus ending the war.
That will be part of Wednesday’s discussion with Ben Neely of the Adams County Historical Society, Dr. Allen Guelzo, the director of the Civil War Studies at Gettysburg College and author of the new book, Gettysburg: The Last Invasion, and Gen. Robert E. Lee himself.
Listen to the program:
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