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Confederate General Robert E. Lee aimed to break the heart of the North. He determined that a decisive Southern Victory on Northern territory might do so. Lee began to march his army north. In early May of 1863 Lee clashed forces with Union General Joe Hooker at Chancellorsville, Virginia. He was successful here, but still wanted to proceed northward and get a victory on Union soil. Lee marched his men through Maryland and into Pennsylvania. Union General George G. Meade had been following Lee and was waiting for him at Gettysburg. .
How It Started .
Lee came to Gettysburg with about 75,000 men. He was low on supplies, and didn't know about the awaiting opponent forces. He sent an advance search party into town to find shoes. Instead of finding shoes, they were greeted with gunfire from John Buford's Union Cavalry. Meade had about 90,000 men altogether at Gettysburg. Later that day, reinforcements from Union General John Reynolds came in to assist Buford. .
Lee instructed Confederate General Dick Ewell to take Culp's Hill "If at all possible". This task was not accomplished. Lee had not anticipated Ewell's hesitation. He had lost General "Stonewall" Jackson at Chancellorsville just two months earlier. To Lee this was a great loss. Ewell was a much more hesitant leader. He had a temporary mind paralysis that caused him to survey the situation and do nothing. Ewell did not even make an attempt at Culp's Hill. Lee was displeased. .
The meeting at Gettysburg was an accident, but the first day's skirmish was only the beginning. Lee did not even want to fight at Gettysburg. But with his forces already engaged, he sent in his entire Confederate line. .
The Second Day .
The morning of the second day yielded Union forces in a "fish-hook" shape surrounding the town. The two-mile line ran from Culp's Hill, curving on Cemetery Hill, running along Cemetery Ridge and Taneytown Road and up through Devil's Den, Little Round Top, and Big Round Top.
