The battle of Gettysburg took place on the 1st through the 3rd of July 1863. Prior to this, the confederate government had approved General Lee’s plan to invade the north. After the events at Winchester, Lee was able to move unchecked into the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania. General Lee approved a plan from J.E.B. Stuart a cavalry officer. His plan was to take three brigades of cavalry across the Blue Ridge Mountains in order to cut of the feds supply routes. Unfortunately Stuarts march encountered numerous delays and detours at the hands of an increasingly aggressive union force. Stuart would not be able to rejoin Lee until July 2. By June 28, Lee had moved two corps into Chambersburg and he had sent divisions of Ewells corps into York and Carlyle. Lee learned later that day that the federal army was at Frederick and that their commanding officer had been replaced. Lee decided to move his entire army east of the mountain and to attempt to engage the feds. At the same time, the Union officer General Meade was moving his army nort
The third day of the battle found Lee unshaken by the previous days events. Lee ordered a reinforced division led by Longstreet to continue the assault on the Fed left. At the same time he ordered General Ewell to storm Culps hill. The Feds were determined to hold their position and await Lee’s attack. General Meade also decided to drive Ewells forces out of the trenches surrounding Culps hill. At daylight the feds opened with artillery on Ewells position. While this was going on Lee discovered that his plans for the Fed left side had not been carried out and since he could not continue with a coordinated attack, he would press the main attack at the federal center, Cemetery Ridge. Lee’s plan was to initially bomb the fed positions with 140 cannon. Then, send in nearly 12,000 thousand men to smash the center. The artillery opened up at 1300 and met with a reply from the Unions cannon. The dual lasted over two hours at which time the infantry went forward. This has been known as Picketts charge. The attack met with cannon and
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