What were the battle tactics in the Battle of Gettysburg?

Answer 1

This question could be answered in a couple of different ways, but I believe the best answer would be to say that the campaign containing the battle of Gettysburg was Lee's proposed invasion of the North.

In the Summer of 1863, the South is starving. Virginia has been the setting for most of the major battles fought thus far, and her farms have been supporting, in some cases, two armies. Aside from the depletion of Virginia's crops, much of the landscape has been destroyed by constant battle. There has been no break in the action for Virginians to rebuild their land. Also, many of these people are starving because of the lack of food.

Robert E. Lee is mindful of this. He knows that if the focus is not taken off of Virginia soon, the starvation could eventually result in forcing his army to surrender. The focus must be taken off of Virginia, and the war must be brought to the North.

He also sees the wavering support for the largely unsuccessful Union army, and knows that if he can win a major victory on Northern land, the government will have to come up with some sort of peace treaty, which would mean recognition as a country for the Confederacy. Indeed, any sort of negotiations would mean that the North recognized the South as a separate government. This is Lee's goal in his invasion.

As soon as he moves into Pennsylvania, his starving army begins to revitalize, as it feeds off of the abundance of the rich farming state. They stock up on supplies, getting new clothes and shoes, as well. Going into the battle of Gettysburg, Lee's army is in the best shape it has been in since the start of the war. Henry Heth, believing Buford's Union cavalry to be militia, ignores orders by Lee to avoid engagement, and soon after Reynolds's Union infantry joins the battle, and the armies become entangled just west of Gettysburg.

George Gordon Meade, after taking command of the Northern Army of the Potomac from Joseph Hooker, realizes that he needs to make some serious miles from Maryland to catch Lee and close off his open road to Washington. He marches his men up to 35 miles a day to the area of the Confederates. Gettysburg happens to be near the border of Maryland, and Meade had his sights set on choice ground in Maryland, where a stream cut across the landscape and he could mount a great defensive position. He sent General Reynolds's corps in advance to Pennsylvania with orders to fall back when engaged, drawing the Confederate army back to the position held by Meade in Maryland. For some reason, Reynolds gets tangled up at Gettysburg, leading us to believe he saw something vitally important there. Word gets back to Meade, who must march right on through is intended position and move into Pennsylvania to support Reynolds. Thus, the battle of Gettysburg begins, almost entirely by accident.

I hope that was the answer you were looking for.

Answer 2

Meade's strategy was to hold his defensive position and force Lee to expend his forces in futile frontal assaults. Unable to maneuver or outflank Meade, Lee hoped an overwhelming frontal assault would open a hole in the Union line to create the conditions for a Battle of Penetration, but Lee did not have enough troops to force the breech.

Answer 3

The battle was fought because the Union (North) believed that the South was trying to take over the hills and attack when they really were only traveling to the town for "shoes."

Answer 4

they used good weapons and good artillery.


Northern troops defended their positions on the high ground, forcing the Confederates to attack uphill in the open.