155 years ago today.....

[pmclaine]

The Army of the Potomac finally was able to prove it could arrange more than a circle jerk and when given good fortune by fate they would not squander it.

Lee learned that he had lost his right arm at Chancelorsville and his tactics of divide and conquer would not work unless his commanders were aggressive and timely.

Pickett would never see the world the same again.

 

[Redmanss]

Fighting at Gettysburg actually ended on the 3rd, both sides consolidated and watched each other that night and the following day, and Lee's retreat began night of the 4th. It was the day after Meade beat Lee, on the 4th, that Grant's Army of Tennessee was victorious at Vicksburg (also in 1863) against Pemberton's Army of Mississippi.

Meade's lack of aggression following his victory in pursuit of Lee likely prolonged the war by a year and lead to the brutal Sieges of Petersburg/Richmond, hence him having to later "command" in Grant's shadow and close supervision throughout those campaigns, while Sherman proved himself to be one of the most ruthless and aggressive commanders in US Military history with his march to the sea and then north.

All in all, many a fine American were lost on both sides. I hope we never see such a war in our borders again.

 

[Maggot]

All in all, many a fine American were lost on both sides. I hope we never see such a war in our borders again.

Amen.

 

[pmclaine]

They say on the eve of the 3rd into the 4th the skies opened with rain.

A little bit of relief from the heat but adding another level of misery to the biological waste zone the battlefield had become.

Saw someone positing on why it seems during many battles they seem to be followed by a rain storm theorizing that the cannon fire seeds the clouds or such.

For a great read about after the batle read "A Strange and Blighted Land" about the aftermath of 160K guys shitting, pissing, bleeding, dying, tossing gear, leaving limbs around as well having a similar number of horses so butchered. Amazing read.

Gettysburg is an American Mecca.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Imagine what would happen in American Politics today if we had a battle in which 18,000 died (or went missing... which is another word for vaporized or buried un-identified... so bloated that noone could recognize you...) and another 30,000 were wounded.

Then again, compared to Flanders and a few other places, twas but a scratch.

Possibly the most important three days in American history prior to D-Day. And arguably, including D-Day.

Hard men. Hard Americans. Hard times.

Hope our generation(s) can earn the sacrifices they made. I sometimes have my doubts.

Sirhr

 

[Threadcutter308]

Imagine what would happen in American Politics today if we had a battle in which 18,000 died (or went missing... which is another word for vaporized or buried un-identified... so bloated that noone could recognize you...) and another 30,000 were wounded.

Then again, compared to Flanders and a few other places, twas but a scratch.

Possibly the most important three days in American history prior to D-Day. And arguably, including D-Day.

Hard men. Hard Americans. Hard times.

Hope our generation(s) can earn the sacrifices they made. I sometimes have my doubts.

Sirhr

God bless them all.

 

[MtnCreek]

And so began the downfall of our second war for independence. The people that use the power of the federal government to force their will on the people deserve to die a horrible death.

 

[W54/XM-388]

So much useless death stirred up by a handful of people that could have been avoided had everyone been willing to take a chill pill for about a decade & talk things out.

 

[MtnCreek]

^ Same can be said for those rebels that desolved their relationship with the crown in 1776. DEO VINDICE.