Battle of Gettysburg Anniversary, July 1st 1863.

The first day of the Battle of Gettysburg only started getting a lot of attention very recently in historical scholarship, but strategically the fighting on the first day might have been the most important. The First and Eleventh Corps successfully prevented Hill and Ewell from gaining the heights south of town, though they pretty much sacrificed the entirety of their commands to do it. Combined they sustained just shy of 10,000 casualties while also inflicting about 6,500 casualties on the Confederates attacking them.

The first day wasn't a minor skirmish as depicted in Ken Burns's seminal documentary series. It was a major battle that saw a lot of men fall.

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The first day wasn't a minor skirmish as depicted in Ken Burns's seminal documentary series. It was a major battle that saw a lot of men fall.

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It's been years since I've seen this, but, it was very wrong of him to depict Day 1 at Gettysburg as a minor skirmish. That's how Union 3rd Corps commander Gen Sickles characterized it, but, nobody ever agree with him . . . except for Ken Burns, apparently.



I've long been of the opinion that Day 1 was the most important day of the battle, and I think we can support that when we consider that the CSA side wasn't able to get their Day 2 main attack going until 4:30pm, which was 3 hours before sunset.

Most successful military planners at the time would probably have told us that you'd best get your main offensive going at Dawn and have your attack forces waiting and ready to go before Morning Twilight.

Yes, I'm sure General Reynolds would like to discuss how minor of an engagement it was with Ken.

Would Lee have been sending infantry out ahead like that if Stuart weren’t detached from Lee?

You mean a win for those ignoring the founding fathers and pushing an all powerful central government that was never intended. The Southern boys were the true patriots!!

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Where did everyone poop?

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All over the town, the fields, the hills and the meadows of Gettysburg.

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The First and Eleventh Corps successfully prevented Hill and Ewell from gaining the heights south of town, t

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Ewell could’ve took the position in front of him he just didn’t. Lee gave him vague orders and he wasn’t accustomed to that having been under Jackson, who gave direct orders, before. It was Lee’s fault, he should’ve told him to directly take the hill and left out the “if practical” part.

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but strategically the fighting on the first day might have been the most important. The First and Eleventh Corps successfully prevented Hill and Ewell from gaining the heights south of town

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My memory is the Confederates just decided to stop because it was getting close to night. Whatever commander said something like hey the enemy is there. Let's go. We have them. But up command decided to sit for the night. That was probably the real potential for winning the battle. The 5th louisiana that my reenacting group represents I believe was there.

Let's keep in mind that at that point in the early evening of 1 July, Ewell had one Division of his three Divisions that was still marching on the way to the Battle. So, he had only Rodes and Early Divisions and both of these Divisions were fairly tired and had taken significant casualties.

As I've said, Lee did have Anderson's Division ready and waiting on the Battlefield at that point, but, Lee let it lay idle until the afternoon of Day 2.