The History of~The American Civil War (Part 4: The Tide Finally Turns)

The American Civil War; the bloodiest conflict in US Military history. It was a deadly time for the United States, but it gave the nation a new definition for the nation and it's people.

This is part 4 of this 6-page wiki page series of The American Civil War. In this part, we will talk about how a huge battle in a small farming village in Pennsylvania called "Gettysburg" will decide not just the outcome of the war, but also the destiny of the United States of America.

## The Tide Finally Turns

It has been over 2 years since the war began with the attack on Ft. Sumter, and despite Union gains in the west, the war remains undecided and it's still anybody's conflict.

Just like in the Inspector Gadget episode; "Basic Training" where Gadget has to stop his arch-nemesis Dr. Claw from stealing a freight train containing computer parts.

The war is like the part where Gadget was in an elevator and his niece; Penny and Claw were in a deadlock on trying to control the elevator, and Gadget was left more shaken than James Bond's favorite Vodka Martini.

But come 1863, there will be a huge battle that will determine not just the outcome of this already bloody war, but the entire destiny of America.

But first, a watershed moment.

As the war continued with no clear winner on the horizon, and with morale in the Union States at an all-time low. It seemed that the nations in Europe (namely Britain and France) were going to aid the Confederacy. This worried President Abraham Lincoln, in fact so much so that he had to change his strategy on keeping the nation United. It was no longer about preserving the United States as it was, now it was to make it start with a clean slate and change the very definition of the nation, one that truly fits the line "All men are created equal".

On September 22, 1862, Lincoln would create one of most iconic executive orders in the history of the American Presidency; The Emancipation Proclamation. This order was to not just abolish the practicing of slavery, but outright make it illegal throughout the entire nation. The order went into full effect on New Year's Day in 1863.

But this would not stop the Confederacy as they're still determined to break away from the rest of the United States.

Confederate General Robert E. Lee was still a thorn on the Union's side, and after the CS won the Battle of Chancellorsville (at the cost of the death of Stonewall Jackson by friendly fire), he now makes another attempt at invading Washington DC. But, trying to use the front door would be suicide, so Lee decides to try to see if there was a "back door" to DC. But getting there will not be easy, his forces would have to go through neutral Maryland and Union Pennsylvania to do so. But after he claimed yet another victory at the Second Battle of Winchester, this is when he makes his bold move on Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863, and his forces invade a small farming town in the valley of the Appalachian Mountains, this town was called "Gettysburg".

### The Battle of Gettysburg

It was a hot, steamy morning on July 1, 1863 when Lee's forces came into the town. A small Union force led by Union General "John Buford" saw the invading Confederate forces, with their Sharps Carbine guns, Buford's men fended off Lee's forces, that is until they were overrun by Confederate reinforcements and fell back into the town, it wasn't until later that day when Union reinforcements arrived which included forces led by union General "George Meade" who will play a viable role in this battle. On July 2, the 2 armies would clash once again with forces on both sides fighting in key areas around the town and its environment, places like "Little Round Top", "Devil's Den", as well as the surrounding wheat fields and a Peach Orchard. General Meade set his forces in a fish-hook like pattern on some of the high points surrounding the town, and after Confederate forces tried an all-out offensive in places like "Culp's Hill", and "Cemetery Hill" (well that's how we call it now), and fighting would continue onto July 3.

This is when Confederate General "George Pickett" suggested to Lee that they should break the Union lines by using the old-fashioned "charge" with the soldiers using their bayonets and charge to break the Union lines. Seeing no better idea, Lee allows Pickett to go ahead with his suggestion, Pickett's men would charge up Cemetery Hill, but things didn't go as planned for the Confederate officer, the Union (with their Sharps Carbines and Gatling guns) massacred Pickett's "charging" men. This was enough here Lee saw no choice but to retreat from the town and head back to Confederate Virginia.

Every American knows that the union victory at Gettysburg is legendary. The 3-day long battle has left over 50,000 casualties.

### Elsewhere

But the Union's victory at Gettysburg wasn't alone in helping to turn the tide of the war in their favor. Out west, Grant's seemingly invincible forces have won the 2-Week long siege of Vicksburg (in Mississippi) now the Union has total control over the Mississippi River Valley and virtually cutting off Texas from the rest of the CS

Just in time for the Independence Day festivities, no doubt.

Back in Gettysburg, 4 months after the battle that would see the Union now tightening its grip on the war. Lincoln decides to visit the town and even surveyed the battlefield, and Lincoln himself would declare the environment around Gettysburg "sacred ground", and would give off a speech, an address that will remind everybody about not just the brave men who died, but also what the America truly stands for.

"Four score and 7 years ago. our forefathers brought fourth upon this continent a new nation. Conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. We are engaged in a great Civil War, testing this nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate this portion of this field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives so this nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, on a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here. But it can never forget what they did here. It is us for the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored we take increased devotion to that cause which they gave the last full measure of devotion, that were highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom, and that Government of the People, by the people and for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."

Though, the Union might now have a good grip on this war as things now are coming up Union, but the war is far from over. The Confederates would continue to win battles (especially the Battle of Chickamauga, in Tennessee) as 1863 wore on, but the Union would also continue to win more battles such as the Battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, also in Tennessee) and now it seems that the Union is poised to invade deep into Confederate territory, but only time will tell on how far they're going to go.

That'll do it for this part. In the next part (click here) we will talk about how the war is now shaping up to be a sure win for the Union. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.