The Amazing Battle of Gettysburg

I remember from back when I was young, marching with the Union army, led by General John Buford. We had marched into the little town of Gettysburg, so small that it was only 12 blocks long and 6 blocks wide (Ashby). It didn't take long to see them, the Confederates.  Immediately after we spotted them our general sent a message requesting more troops. Later, we were led to high grounds and told to wait for more Union soldiers to arrive. Who would have guessed what would happen next, such a life changing moment nobody could ever forget?

By July 1, our side had 83,300 soldiers, while the rebels had only 75,100 soldiers (O'hern and Anderson). We were hiding behind the fences, as a Confederate general marched thousands of soldiers into the town. Once the Confederates spotted us, the loud ear piercing shots began to fire; I knew a battle had begun. As the smoke filled the air, I loaded my gun. Men and horses fell left and right. I tried to keep my focus on what was happening right in front of me. I tried to hold my hands still and keep them from shaking. I tried not to worry about my friends, if they were dead or if they were alive. All I wanted to do was focus on what was right in front of me; I was fighting for my country to be united as one; for the freedom of slaves; for my life. We fought up and down the streets, stepping over all the dead bodies, after only hours of fighting. Later that day, we retreated to higher ground, atop Cemetery Hill and Cemetery Ridge (O'hern and Anderson). There we waited and watched for the rebels. Finally, General Meade showed up. We held high ground compared to the Confederates.  This was a great advantage point for the Union, and it affected the course of the rest of the battle.

When July 2 came, it was another gruesome day of fighting. Our day had started out with the Confederates advancing right towards us.  We raced down the hill to defend our position.  I remember realizing that the likelihood of getting killed or injured was very high. My life could have ended at any moment, but I never backed off and I never let those rebels onto our territory. Attack after attack passed by in a blur. All the fighting in the peach orchard was brutal and terrifying. The Confederates had attacked so hard, that we had to retreat. There had been so many lives taken already and so many men injured. Even the strongest men were weak from the heat and hard work. All that seemed clear were the sounds of guns firing and the voices of the wounded soldiers moaning in pain. Back at camp, people were dying from infections and loss of blood after losing a leg, arm, or hand in amputation. It seemed that if you were injured, you were doomed for death, but no one gave up. The doctors were incapable of keeping a wound clean or stopping the blood from rushing out of even the smallest of wounds. Our doctors didn't have the spare blood like we have now a days. When you lost your blood you couldn't get it back. That day, the Confederates attacked again. At first we had been defeated, but then we turned around and charged right back with more courage than ever and attacked some more. We ended up pushing them into their trenches. As the second day flew by, night made its cover over the battlefields. The clueless Confederates didn't see more men arriving, and then bang, we hit them, right in their faces. The sound of the guns blasting furiously in the dark cover of the night fell over the land.

July 3 started out with a large bang, as the rebels attacked. Their cannons fired, making an excruciating sound.  Later on that day, the Confederates charged toward cemetery ridge, but we fired directly at them the entire time. There was so much time that we were able to hide ourselves to surprise them, attacking left and right. It had felt like we were unstoppable. Our attack marked supreme as the Confederates retreated. The Battle of Gettysburg was over. We defeated the rebels! I smiled with pride that day, as I walked off the battlefield. I remember all the bodies that we left behind in the sun, stinking up the fresh air of Gettysburg. This marked the beginning of the ended of the civil war, making all the things I was fighting for come true.  We became the United States of America!

What will happen to our newly united states? Will we actually unite together as one and resolve all our conflicts, or will there still be differences that separate us? Now that the slaves are free, what will happen to them? There isn’t any one who is there taking care of them anymore and they won’t be wanted. Most of the slaves don’t speak English and can’t read; will they return to their home country or stay in the United States of America? Will they be able to make something of themselves? What will happen to our newly United States?  I still live there as an old man with my wife and I visit those battlefields remembering what a battle it was and what it did for me and many others.

Bibliography
Ashby, Ruth. Civil War Chornicles Gettysburg. North Mankato, Minnesota: Smart Apple Media, 2003.

O'hern, Kerri and Dale Anderson. The Battle of Gettysburg. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: World Almanac Library, 2006.