ipl-logo

How Did Hancock's Decision To Stay At The Battle At Gettysburg

1755 Words8 Pages

Hancock at Gettysburg
In The Killer Angels, Colonel Joshua Chamberlain describes Hancock as a “Picture-book soldier: tall and calm, handsome, magnetic” (Shaara 304). Winfield Scott Hancock was an officer in the Union army during several wars, but most notably the Civil War. He was an important leader in several battles of this war, but is best known for his actions at Gettysburg (History.com, “Winfield”). Major General Winfield Scott Hancock was essential to the Union’s victory at the Battle of Gettysburg, making the decision for the Union to fight at Gettysburg and then organizing troops on the first day, defending the Union’s left flank and center on the second day, and repelling Pickett’s Charge on the third day.
Hancock was born on 2/14/1824 …show more content…

Having great faith in Hancock’s judgement, General George Meade sent him ahead to decide whether the Union should keep its position at Gettysburg and fight, or move to Pipe Creek, the original plan. Hancock’s decision to stay at Gettysburg was significant to the battle, as it may have been fought at a different location, or not at all. When he made his choice, he said that the Union had “‘the strongest position by nature upon which to fight a battle that I ever saw’” (Jordan 84). This was because of the terrain at the Union’s disposal, including Culp’s Hill, Cemetery Hill, Cemetery Ridge, and Little Round Top. The position also gave the Union the advantage of having interior lines. If he had chosen to withdraw the soldiers, the Confederates would have been allowed to continue pushing into the North, just what they wanted in order to get foreign assistance and expand the peace movement (“Battle of Gettysburg Ends”). Additionally, the Pipe Creek plan would have been demoralizing to the Union army, as it meant retreating quite some distance (Jordan 80). Gettysburg was “the most decisive battle of the American Civil War”, as well as the “turning point” for the Union. (“Battle of Gettysburg Ends”). Had Hancock chosen not to fight there, the outcome of the war could have been much

Show More
Related

Joshua Chamberlain's Efforts At The Battle Of Gettysburg

1397 Words | 6 Pages

Joshua Chamberlain’s efforts at Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg led to the Union victory at Gettysburg and the turning point of the Civil War. After the Civil War, Chamberlain received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the defense of Little Round Top, during the battle. Joshua Chamberlain was considered a hero at the Battle of Gettysburg because of his actions at Little Round Top where he and his regiment successfully protected the Union line. Chamberlain was a crucial part of the Civil War, especially for his performance at the Battle of Gettysburg, the defense at Little Round Top, and his role at the Appomattox Court House, where Robert E. Lee signed the Letter of Surrender, that ended the Civil War.

Read More

Daniel Sickles Research Paper

1642 Words | 7 Pages

Daniel Sickles was a man who committed murder, and got away with it and almost lost the U.S. the Battle of Gettysburg, and an outspoken politician. Sickles murdered his wife’s lover and pleaded that he was insane, and he got away with it. He was also a very bad general and cost the Union military in the Battle of Chancellorsville and almost lost them the Battle of Gettysburg. As a politician Sickles would be the military of governor of South Carolina during Reconstruction and preserved the Gettysburg battlefield and established it as a National Military Park. Background Information George Garrett Sickles and Susan Marsh Sickles gave birth to Daniel Edgar Sickles on October 20, 1819 in New York City.

Read More

Who Is Gouverneur Kemble Warren A Good Leader

971 Words | 4 Pages

Gouverneur Kemble Warren, also known as the “ Hero of Little Round Top”, was a crucial factor in the victory for the North in the Battle of Gettysburg because of his strong and careful leadership, his extensive knowledge of war tactics and military training, not to mention his past experience and how much he has matured as a leader. Gouverneur Warren, born on January 8, 1830 in Cold Springs, New York, second in his class to graduate from the United States Military Academy in 1850 , and a respected Chief Engineer. In retrospect, Warren was easily the most qualified Brigadier General for the Civil War. This is true because he was not only very bright, but he was very familiar with the land that the Battle of Gettysburg was taking place. “When

Read More

Summary Of Lincoln's Letter To Meade

558 Words | 3 Pages

Lincoln’s letter proposed what he could have done if he wanted, not necessarily should have done. Instead, Meade felt that if he counterattacked Lee’s army, he would have made the same military mistake that Lee made by assuming the status of the opponents army without any concrete proof of its status (McPherson,

Read More

Robert E. Lee's Defeat At The Battle Of Gettysburg

236 Words | 1 Pages

“Robert E. Lee (1807-70) served as a military officer in the U.S. Army, a West Point commandant and the amazing general of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War 1861-1865. In June 1861, Lee gained command of the Army of Northern Virginia, which he would lead for the rest of the war. Lee and his army achieved great success during the Peninsula Campaign and at Second Bull Run and Fredericksburg, with his greatest victory coming in the bloody Battle of Chancellorsville. In the spring of 1863 Lee invaded the North only to be defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg. With Confederate defeat a near blowout, Lee continued on, battling Union General Ulysses S. Grant in a series of battles in Virginia in 1864-1865 before he finally surrendered

Read More

Gettysburg Dbq Essay

459 Words | 2 Pages

First of all the geography forced the Confederates to switch from offense to defense. The Battle of Gettysburg was the first and last battle fought in the North. All the other battles were fought in the South so the Confederate’s people and towns were constantly in danger. Document A illustrates that the General Lee were tired of being on the defense and wanted to be on the offense for a change. Document A states that even though the Confederates tried their hardest they were pushed back onto the defensive and ultimately lost the war (273).

Read More

Gettysburg A Turning Point Dbq Analysis

310 Words | 2 Pages

However, his attempt was unsuccessful because the confederates lost and were now outnumbered. (Document A) This is why geography contributed to Gettysburg being a game changer in the Civil War.

Read More

Winfield Scott Hancock: The Outbreak Of War

1631 Words | 7 Pages

During the outbreak of the Mexican-American war, Winfield tried to acquire himself in the frontier. His superior was relentless to let him go because he was great at recruiting soldiers in Kentucky. By July 1847, however, Hancock was granted to

Read More

Gettysburg: Turning Point Battle During The Civil War

409 Words | 2 Pages

During the Civil War, there were many major battles that have happened during the war period, one of the major battles was the battle of Gettysburg. The Gettysburg battle was considered as the turning point battle in the Civil War. The significance of this battle was a Union victory that stopped the Confederate General Lee’s second invasion of the North. This battle was reviewed as the most important engagement of the American Civil War. This fight happened because of General Lee wanted to invade the North but failed.

Read More

Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Battle Of Antietam

1181 Words | 5 Pages

What led to this battle, was General Robert. E. Lee, was leading his army to Pennsylvania, to try to gain a food advantage over the North. Unbeknownst to both sides, this would be the first battle in the North. Lee had hoped that with a northern victory, external countries would view the south as an organized country, and not a group of “rag tag bandits”, as some northerner’s called the south. He also hoped that a northern victory would finally make the Union allow the South to become its own country.

Read More

John Buford

607 Words | 3 Pages

Buford had a talent for finding the perfect ground for the Union’s position of the Battle of Gettysburg. This is one key factors that is needed in order to define the Union’s defensive position. Wittenberg points out, “...the North owes to the soldierly

Read More

Battle Of Chancellorsville Essay

1099 Words | 5 Pages

The Union Army attack the Confederate Army supply routes making it difficult for them. General Hooker designed a plan to attack General Lee forces and have them retreat. The Union plan was sneak up on the opposite side of where is unite was engaging were engaging the Confederate Army. The Union was hoping that engagement would keep the leadership of Confederate focus on one location. Gen Hook felt his plan was perfect.

Read More

Why Was The Battle Of Gettysburg A Turning Point Essay

746 Words | 3 Pages

The Union pushed back the Confederates, there were many lives lost and soldiers wounded and even missing, the confidence of soldiers and generals were gained and lost. They both had their own advantages for the battle and each knew that the higher ground was better, but one side came out with the victory and that was the Union. Let's find out more about why the Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point of the war. The first reason that this battle was a turning point, according to (Doc. A) was that the Union pushed back the Confederates and won this battle.

Read More

Battle Of Gettysburg Research Paper

670 Words | 3 Pages

Lee was so fearless he determined to invade the North reiteratively. Robert E. Lee strategy was to drift the fighting away from Virginia and into the Union Territory. He wanted to move the fighting, because the Confederate were under siege in Virginia. Lee hoped to gain recognition from Britain and France for the Confederacy. Joesph Hooker,the Union commander, was exposed to the worst defeat of the Army of Potomac in the Battle of Chancellorsville.

Read More

Battle Of Gettysburg Essay

699 Words | 3 Pages

The most important battle during the Civil War was the Battle of Gettysburg. This was a battle that took place over three days in the small Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. This battle was the turning point of the civil war which successfully stopped the Southern Confederate Armies led by General Robert E. Lee from taking over the north. The Battle of Gettysburg was the most important battle of the Civil War because it was the largest of the civil war battles, successfully pushing back southern armies away from the north, and was the major defeat of the south. The battle of Gettysburg is still considered to historians to not only be the most important battle of the Civil war but the deciding factor towards victory.

Read More

More about How Did Hancock's Decision To Stay At The Battle At Gettysburg

Related Topics

Open Document