NATIONAL MILITARY PARK • the Confederate cavalry, during a long, cir­ flank of the Union line on McPherson Ridge. on the crest of the ridge. Four hours of des­ Spring, comparative quiet followed, except cuitous tour around the rear of the Union The opportune arrival of Early's Confederate perate struggle had broken for casual skirmishing and the intermittent Army, had deprived Lee of information con­ division on the Harrisburg Road broke the salient, left the Wheatfield strewn with dead sniping of sharpshooters. Presently, at 1 cerning the movements of the enemy. The Union line north of , forcing the and wounded, and the base of Little Round o'clock, 138 Confederate guns in line from , moving due northward from Union troops to retreat southward through Top a shambles. the Peach Orchard to the Seminary let loose Fredericksburg had thus reached Frederick, the streets of the town. The Union flank on At the same time, Ewell, on the Confed­ a terrific cannonade. Eighty Union guns on Md., before Lee, across the mountains at the northwest and west was left exposed. It erate left, was expected to attack the Union responded in a duel which Chambersburg, Pa., learned on June 28 of its soon collapsed, and its fragments fell back position on Culp's Hill and . lasted nearly 2 hours. near presence. through Gettysburg to Cemetery Hill. The plan did not work perfectly, however, Then, with Pickett's division as a spear­ Lee at once altered his plans. He aban­ The unexpected encounter of July 1 pre­ and the attack came a little late. Seldom, if head, more than 15,000 Confederates ad­ doned his proposed movement on Harris­ sented to Lee unforeseen advantages. The ever, surpassed in its dash and desperation, vanced in magnificent array. On nearing the CreHyshurg greater part of the Confederate Army was at burg, and directed a concentration of his this assault lacked the culminating fury of Union line at the stone wall on Cemetery entire force at the eastern base of the South hand. While the Union line was forming in concerted action. Some of the Confederates Ridge, the Confederates charged into the Mountains, 8 miles from Gettysburg. the shape of a great hook, extending from stopped on the slopes of Culp's Hill, near withering fire of double canister and concen­ NATIONAL MILITARY PARK Meade needed information. Buford's cav­ Spangler's Spring to Cemetery Hill and Spangler's Spring. Early's men reached the trated infantry volleys. From the front and alry division, with the infantry corps of southward toward , Lee was crest of , only to be forced flank fire, the advancing lines crumbled, re­ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, /. A. Krug, Secretary Reynolds and Howard following close at preparing his battle line on back. Rodes' troops did not attack. Darkness formed, and again pressed ahead. Only a hand, reached Gettysburg on June 30 to make and eastward through the streets of Gettys­ brought an intermission to the bloody combat. hundred men crossed the stone wall at the NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, Newton B. Drury, Director a reconnaissance. On the morning of July 1 burg. Lee, encouraged by partial success, deter­ Angle on Cemetery Ridge. The remnants of Buford moved to the ridge west of the town. The forenoon of July 2 wore away. Then mined to attack the Union center. The dawn the division of Pickett, Heth, and Pender Scene of the decisive , marking the turning point of the American Here, at 8 o'clock, he encountered Heth's at 3:30 o'clock in the afternoon Longstreet's of July 3, however, broke with the thunder of staggered back toward Seminary Ridge. The Civil War, and place where made his celebrated Confederate division which was approaching batteries on the Confederate right broke the Union guns on the Union right in the area of repulse of the attack became known as the Gettysburg from the west. Reynolds directed silence. A Confederate division struck at Spangler's Spring and Culp's Hill. Seven High Watermark where the tide of the Con­ GETTYSBURG is the field of one of the great­ the preceding months, the military spirit of his troops into the struggle and ordered for­ Little Round Top. Failing there, the attack hours of furious fighting found the Union federacy had "swept to its crest, paused, and est battles ever fought on American soil. The the Confederacy was at "high noon." By a ward also those of General Howard. At this spread to Devil's Den and the Wheatfield. troops again in possession of their earthworks receded." outcome affected the destiny of a nation. We daring thrust into Northern territory and a juncture Reynolds was killed. Heth's divi­ In the meantime, other Confederate troops at Spangler's Spring. The Spring, whose Lee's final great effort at Gettysburg had now know that those who perished there on defeat of the Union Army on its own soil, sion, momentarily forced back, received rein­ swept through the Peach Orchard and drove waters had for a time served Confederate spent itself. Late on the afternoon of July 4, the field of battle did not die in vain. The Southern leaders felt that the strained bonds forcements, but the Confederates were losing Sickles' Union line from its advance position wounded and thirsty, had again become a he began an orderly retreat southwestwardly field of Gettysburg ever will remain a place holding the North to the task of preserving ground when Rodes' division, hastening back to the foot of Cemetery Ridge. Confed­ Union possession. over the Hagerstown Road, and on the night of pilgrimage for Americans. On it their the Union could be severed, the war ended, southward on Oak Ridge, struck the right erate troops gained a foothold momentarily With the struggle ended at Spangler's of July 13 crossed the Potomac into Virginia. Nation was tested. The Nation has endured. and peace established on the basis of South­ The name of Gettysburg is immortalized ern independence. Big and Little Round Tops as seen from Confederate battle line Lincoln's Gettysburg Address Memorial Eternal Light Peace Memorial not only by the heroic feats of arms which At Gettysburg on July 1, 2, and 3, 1863, were performed there, but by Abraham Lin­ the Confederate Army, commanded by Gen. coln's noble address delivered a few months Robert E. Lee, attempted to destroy the Union after the battle when he came to Gettysburg Army of the Potomac, commanded by Gen. to dedicate a portion of the field as the burial George G. Meade, on its own soil. This battle ground of those who fell in the struggle. has become known as the High Watermark Lincoln's words have perpetuated in the of the Confederacy. It marked the turn of the minds and hearts of our people the high pur­ tide in the war. pose of the brave men who died at Gettys­ Using the Shenandoah Valley as an avenue burg. The spot on which the martyr President of approach into Pennsylvania, Lee's army uttered his immortal words is now appropri­ began moving northwestward from Freder­ ately marked by the Soldiers' National Mon­ icksburg on June 3, crossed the Potomac ument in the Gettysburg National Cemetery. River at Williamsport and Shepherdstown, and proceeded toward Harrisburg. Unfore­ Battle of Gettysburg seen circumstances between June 25 and 29 deprived Lee of nearly every advantage he In June 1863, as a result of victories at expected to gain by his daring march into the Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville during North. The absence of Stuart, commanding Notes on the Battle of the park superintendent. A complete, guided tour of the park, which covers the At Gettysburg, 18 States were represented battleground of July 1, north and west of in the Union Army and 12 in the Confeder­ Gettysburg, and of July 2 and 3, south of ate. Maryland contributed military units to the town, requires approximately 2 hours and both armies. In the battle, 75,000 Confeder­ the guide fee is $3. A special tour, covering ates were pitted against 88,000 Union troops. the main points of interest and requiring Lee lost, in killed, wounded, and captured, about 1 hour, is available at a fee of $2. a total of 28,000, as against a Union loss of The , a painting of the battle­ 23,000. The bodies of approximately 7,000 field on which is shown Pickett's Charge, is men of both armies, given temporary burial located on Street near the National on the battlefield, were later removed. Of Cemetery. This magnificent painting by these, 3,704 Federals were interred in Gettys­ Philippoteaux, which was acquired by the burg National Cemetery and 3,320 Confeder­ National Park Service in 1942, is 370 feet ates were transferred to Southern cemeteries. in circumference and 30 feet in height. The An unknown additional number, totaling admission charge for adults is 27 cents, plus possibly 3,000, were reburied in home ceme­ 5 cents tax, but no charge is made, except 5 teries. cents tax, for groups of school children 18 years of age or under or for children under The Park 16 when accompanied by adults. Field exhibits, consisting of a map of the In 1895, the battlefield of Gettysburg was battlefield and wartime photographs, are lo­ made a national military park by act of Con­ cated at important points in the park for the gress. In that year the use and interest of the public. Memorial Association, which was founded a few months after the battle, transferred its holdings of 600 acres of land, 17 miles of How to Reach the Park avenues, and 320 monuments and markers, Gettysburg National Military Park and to the Federal Government. Today the park National Cemetery are accessible by highway contains approximately 2,463 acres of land, over U. S. No. 30 from the east and west; 26 miles of paved avenues, and more than U. S. No. 15 from the north and south; U. S. 2,000 monuments and markers. No. 140 from Baltimore; State No. 34 from Carlisle; and State No. 116 from Hagers- Service to the Public town, Md., and Hanover, Pa. Greyhound Information and free literature concerning Bus Lines operate over U. S. Nos. 30 and the park may be obtained at the National 140; the Blue Ridge Lines over U. S. No. Park Service Museum in the Post Office 15 from the south; and the Gettysburg-Har- Building, at the office of the National Ceme­ risburg Bus Line over U. S. No. 15 from tery, at the park entrance stations, and during Harrisburg. the summer season at Little Round Top, where a ranger historian is stationed. The Administration services of park historians are also available for tours with educational groups. A 16-page Gettysburg National Military Park is a booklet relating to Gettysburg National Mili­ part of the National Park System owned by tary Park may be obtained from the park the people of the United States and admin­ Drawn by Jchn J Black February 19-8 NMP GET 7009 superintendent or from the Superintendent istered for them by the National Park Serv­ of Documents, Government Printing Office, ice of the United States Department of the Cover: Field of Pickett's Charge, with his attack on the Union position at Washington 25, D. C, at 10 cents a copy. Interior. Communications should be ad­ , in the foreground. From the Philippoteaux painting in the NATIONAL MILITARY PARK • Pennsylvania Battlefield guides, licensed by the National dressed to the Superintendent, Gettysburg . Park Service, operate under the supervision National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pa.

Revised 1948 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1918—O-796029