Battle Of Gettysburg First Day

One of the largest military conflicts in north american history begins this day when union and confederate forces collide at gettysburg pennsylvania.
Battle of gettysburg first day. In a reversal of the battle of fredericksburg where lee s forces held the high ground and won a great victory union general george meade held the high ground at gettysburg. The battle of gettysburg began on july 1 1863. Lee s forces were spread over an arc of seven miles. The first shot of the battle of gettysburg is said to have been fired by a union cavalry officer at 7 30 a m.
Hill s corps met up with unmounted union cavalry led by general john buford. On july 1 1863 along the chambersburg turnpike three miles west of the town. Lee s army of northern virginia. Early that morning confederate soldiers belonging to general henry heth s division of a.
The confederates were heading towards gettysburg looking for supplies. The gettysburg address was a speech given on november 19 1863 by u s. Union general john buford arrived in gettysburg with two cavalry brigades on june 30th 1863. The battle lasted for three days from july 1st to july 3rd 1863.
The southern column halted and threw forward skirmishers. When it was over more than 8 000 soldiers on both sides would be dead. Meade against the confederate army of northern virginia under general robert e. Abraham lincoln at the dedication of the national cemetery at gettysburg pennsylvania in and around where the battle of gettysburg was fought.
The epic battle lasted three days and resulted in a retreat to virginia by robert e. While the war did not begin until july 1st events were already transpiring that would lead to the opening actions of the first day of the battle of gettysburg. The townspeople were heavily involved in the battle and took on unexpected roles both during and after the battle. Burns became a national celebrity because of his deeds on the first day of fighting july 1st.
Gettysburg s civilian hero was john burns. Two months prior to gettysburg. The first day of the battle of gettysburg during the american civil war took place on july 1 1863 and began as an engagement between isolated units of the army of northern virginia under confederate general robert e. The battle of gettysburg begins.