Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

The battle of Gettysburg took place on the 1st through the 3rd of July 1863. Prior to this, the confederate government had approved General Lee’s plan to invade the north. After the events at Winchester, Lee was able to move unchecked into the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania. General Lee approved a plan from J.E.B. Stuart a cavalry officer. His plan was to take three brigades of cavalry across the Blue Ridge Mountains in order to cut of the feds supply routes. Unfortunately Stuarts march encountered numerous delays and detours at the hands of an increasingly aggressive union force. Stuart would not be able to rejoin Lee until July 2. By June 28, Lee had moved two corps into Chambersburg and he had sent divisions of Ewells corps into York and Carlyle. Lee learned later that day that the federal army was at Frederick and that their commanding officer had been replaced. Lee decided to move his entire army east of the mountain and to attempt to engage the feds. At the same time, the Union officer General Meade was moving his army nort