Cemetery Ridge is a geographic feature in
Gettysburg National Military Park
The Gettysburg National Military Park protects and interprets the landscape of the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. Located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the park is managed by the National Park Service. The GNMP propert ...
, south of the town of
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg (; non-locally ) is a borough and the county seat of Adams County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg (1863) and President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address are named for this town.
Gettysburg is home to th ...
, that figured prominently in the
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...
, July 1 to July 3, 1863. It formed a primary defensive position for the
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
during the battle, roughly the center of what is popularly known as the "fish-hook" line. The
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
launched attacks on the Union positions on the second and third days of the battle, but were driven back both times.
Description
The
ridge
A ridge or a mountain ridge is a geographical feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for an extended distance. The sides of the ridge slope away from the narrow top on either side. The line ...
rises only about above the surrounding terrain and is under long. The northern end rises to become
Cemetery Hill, the southern descends to low, wooded, and sometimes marshy ground just north of
Little Round Top
Little Round Top is the smaller of two rocky hills south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—the companion to the adjacent, taller hill named Big Round Top. It was the site of an unsuccessful assault by Confederate troops against the Union left fla ...
. At the northern end of Cemetery Ridge is a copse of trees and a low stone wall that makes two 90-degree turns; the latter has been nicknamed ''
The Angle
The Angle (Bloody Angle colloq.) is a Gettysburg Battlefield area which includes the 1863 Copse of Trees used as the target landmark for Pickett's Charge, the 1892 monument that marks the high-water mark of the Confederacy, a rock wall, and seve ...
'' and is also referred to as ''the
High Water Mark of the Confederacy
The high-water mark of the Confederacy or high tide of the Confederacy refers to an area on Cemetery Ridge near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, marking the farthest point reached by Confederate States of America, Confederate forces during Pickett's Cha ...
''. This area, and the nearby Codori Farm on Emmitsburg Road, were prominent features in the progress of
Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge (July 3, 1863), also known as the Pickett–Pettigrew–Trimble Charge, was an infantry assault ordered by Confederate General Robert E. Lee against Major General George G. Meade's Union positions on the last day of the B ...
during the third day of battle, as well as
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Richard H. Anderson Richard Anderson (1926–2017) was an American actor.
Richard, Rich, Richie, or Dick Anderson may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Richard Dean Anderson (born 1950), American actor
* Richard L. Anderson (sound effects editor) (1977–2013) ...
's division assault on the second.
American Civil War
![Gettysburg Battle Map Day3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Gettysburg_Battle_Map_Day3.png)
On the
first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Cemetery Ridge was unoccupied for much of the day until the Union army retreated from its positions north of town, when the divisions of Brig. Gen.
John C. Robinson and Maj. Gen.
Abner Doubleday
Abner Doubleday (June 26, 1819 – January 26, 1893) was a career United States Army officer and Union major general in the American Civil War. He fired the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter, the opening battle of the war, and had a pi ...
from the
I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to:
France
* 1st Army Corps (France)
* I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...
were placed on the northern end of the ridge, protecting the left flank of the
XI Corps 11 Corps, 11th Corps, Eleventh Corps, or XI Corps may refer to:
* 11th Army Corps (France)
* XI Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* XI Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army
* ...
on
Cemetery Hill. After the
XII Corps 12th Corps, Twelfth Corps, or XII Corps may refer to:
* 12th Army Corps (France)
* XII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* XII (1st Royal Saxon) Corps, a unit of the Imperial German Army
* XII ...
arrived, Maj. Gen.
John W. Geary's Second Division was sent to the southern end of the ridge near
Little Round Top
Little Round Top is the smaller of two rocky hills south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—the companion to the adjacent, taller hill named Big Round Top. It was the site of an unsuccessful assault by Confederate troops against the Union left fla ...
; Brig. Gen.
John Buford
John Buford, Jr. (March 4, 1826 – December 16, 1863) was a United States Army cavalry officer. He fought for the Union as a brigadier general during the American Civil War. Buford is best known for having played a major role in the first day ...
's cavalry division formed a skirmish line in the fields between Cemetery Ridge and
Seminary Ridge
Seminary Ridge is a dendritic ridge which was an area of Battle of Gettysburg engagements in July 1863 during the American Civil War (1861–1865), and of military installations during World War II (1941–1945).
Geography
Seminary Ridge is ...
. The
III Corps arrived about 8 p.m. and replaced Geary's division (which was sent to Culp's Hill); the
II Corps arrived about 10:30 p.m. and camped immediately behind the III Corps.
During the morning of the
battle's 2nd day (July 2),
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...
commander Maj. Gen.
George G. Meade
George Gordon Meade (December 31, 1815 – November 6, 1872) was a United States Army officer and civil engineer best known for decisively defeating Confederate General Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War. H ...
shifted units to receive an expected Confederate attack on his positions. The II Corps was placed in the center of Cemetery Ridge, with Brig. Gen.
Alexander Hays
Alexander Hays (July 8, 1819 – May 5, 1864) was a Union Army general in the American Civil War, killed in the Battle of the Wilderness.
Early life and career
Hays was born in Franklin, Pennsylvania, the son of Samuel Hays, a member of Congress ...
's division on the corps' right,
John Gibbon
John Gibbon (April 20, 1827 – February 6, 1896) was a career United States Army officer who fought in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.
Early life
Gibbon was born in the Holmesburg section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the fourt ...
's division in the center around the Angle, and
John C. Caldwell's division on the left, adjacent to the III Corps; Robinson's division of the I Corps was placed in reserve behind the XI Corps. The
V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to:
France
* 5th Army Corps (France)
* V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Ar ...
was formed in reserve behind the II Corps. In the late afternoon, the end of the Confederate Maj. Gen.
Lafayette McLaws
Lafayette McLaws ( ; January 15, 1821 – July 24, 1897) was a United States Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He served at Antietam and Fredericksburg, where Robert E. Lee praised his defense of Marye's Heights, ...
's assault drove portions of Maj. Gen.
Daniel Sickles
Daniel Edgar Sickles (October 20, 1819May 3, 1914) was an American politician, soldier, and diplomat.
Born to a wealthy family in New York City, Sickles was involved in a number of scandals, most notably the 1859 homicide of his wife's lover, U. ...
's III Corps line back to the southern end of Cemetery Ridge, and Brig. Gen.
Ambrose Wright's Confederate brigade temporarily captured the southern end of the Angle before being driven back to Seminary Ridge by the
Philadelphia Brigade
The Philadelphia Brigade (also known as the California Brigade) was a Union Army brigade that served in the American Civil War. It was raised primarily in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the exception of the 106th regiment which cont ...
.
The Confederate artillery bombardment preceding
Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge (July 3, 1863), also known as the Pickett–Pettigrew–Trimble Charge, was an infantry assault ordered by Confederate General Robert E. Lee against Major General George G. Meade's Union positions on the last day of the B ...
on July 3 battered Cemetery Ridge, and Union artillery on the ridge counterfired to
Seminary Ridge
Seminary Ridge is a dendritic ridge which was an area of Battle of Gettysburg engagements in July 1863 during the American Civil War (1861–1865), and of military installations during World War II (1941–1945).
Geography
Seminary Ridge is ...
. Thirty-four Union cannons were disabled, but the three Confederate divisions of the subsequent infantry assault (
Pickett's of the
First Corps and
Pettigrew's and
Trimble's of the
Third Corps), attacked the Union II Corps at the "stone fence" at the Angle. Heavy rifle and artillery fire prevented all but about 250 Confederates led by
Lewis Armistead
Lewis Addison Armistead (February 18, 1817 – July 5, 1863) was a career United States Army officer who became a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. On July 3, 1863, as part of Pickett's Charge during ...
from penetrating the Union line to the
high water mark of the Confederacy
The high-water mark of the Confederacy or high tide of the Confederacy refers to an area on Cemetery Ridge near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, marking the farthest point reached by Confederate States of America, Confederate forces during Pickett's Cha ...
. Armistead was mortally wounded. Two brigades of Anderson's Division, assigned to protect Pickett's right flank during the charge, reached a more southern portion of the Union line at Cemetery Ridge soon after the repulse of Pickett's Division, but were driven back with 40% casualties by the
2nd Vermont Brigade
The 2nd Vermont Brigade was an infantry brigade in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.
Composition and commanders
The brigade was composed of the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th Vermont Infantry regiments, all nin ...
.
Postbellum history
The
Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association
The Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association (GBMA) was an historic preservation membership organization and is the eponym for the battlefield's memorial association era. The association was chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on ...
purchased rights-of-way for an avenue and monuments along the ridge, and the 1884
Round Top Branch
The Round Top Branch was an extension of the Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railroad from the Gettysburg borough across the Gettysburg Battlefield to Round Top, Pennsylvania. The branch ran southward from the terminus of the railroad's main line ...
steam railroad was built across the southern end of Cemetery Ridge. The 1893
Gettysburg Electric Railway
The Gettysburg Electric Railway was a borough trolley that provided summer access1991 Gettysburg Times to Gettysburg Battlefield visitor attractions such as military engagement areas, monuments, postbellum camps, and recreation areas (e.g., ...
was built across the north end of the ridge, and several
Gettysburg Battlefield camps after the American Civil War
Gettysburg Battlefield camps after the American Civil War were used by the Pennsylvania National Guard, Civil War veterans, the US Marine Corps, the Civilian Conservation Corps, the US Army, and the Youth Conservation Corps
The Youth Cons ...
used the ridge's west slope at the Angle (e.g., for Eisenhower's 1918
Camp Colt
Camp may refer to:
Outdoor accommodation and recreation
* Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site
* a temporary settlement for nomads
* Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...
and during the
1938 Gettysburg reunion
The 1938 Gettysburg reunion was an encampment of American Civil War veterans on the Gettysburg Battlefield for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. The gathering included approximately 25 veterans of the battle with a further 1,3 ...
). The 1962
Cyclorama Building at Gettysburg
The Cyclorama Building at Gettysburg was a historic modernist concrete and glass Mission 66 building dedicated November 19, 1962 by the National Park Service (NPS) to serve as a Gettysburg Battlefield visitor center, to exhibit the 1883 Paul P ...
with observation deck replaced the 1896 observation tower at the ridge's
Zeigler's Grove
The Gettysburg Battlefield is the area of the July 1–3, 1863, military engagements of the Battle of Gettysburg within and around the borough of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Locations of military engagements extend from the site of the first shot ...
, but was closed in 2008.
See also
*
Cemetery Hill — ''also on the battlefield''.
*
1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry
Notes
References
*
Haskell, Frank Aretas. ''The Battle of Gettysburg''. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2006. .
* Imhof, John D. ''Gettysburg: Day Two – A Study In Maps''. Baltimore, MD. Butternut & Blue, 1999. .
* Martin, David G. ''Gettysburg July 1'' (rev. ed.). Conshohocken, PA: Combined Publishing, 1996. .
* Pfanz, Harry W. ''Gettysburg – The Second Day''. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1987. .
*
Wert, Jeffry D. ''Gettysburg: Day Three''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. .
External links
National Park Service: GettysburgNational Park Military Service
{{Gettysburg Campaign
Gettysburg Battlefield
Ridges of Pennsylvania
Historic district contributing properties in Pennsylvania
Landforms of Adams County, Pennsylvania
National Register of Historic Places in Adams County, Pennsylvania