nd go on the offensive, General Robert E. Lee ponderedthe best way to carry it out. From the close of the first day’s fightinguntil late that night he discussed battle plans with his generals. Heheld no council of war, nor time, even informally. Instead he himselfrode out to consult with each corps commanders and his chiefsubordinates, and he saw other officers individually or in groups at hisheadquarters.” (Coddington, 363) General Robert E. Lee orderedseveral brigades to travel east to check their location and to search forsupplies for his troops. Northwest of the town of Gettysburg they met. A skirmish ensued and as the battle heated, word was sent back toboth commanders that the enemy was found and reinforcement troopsproceeded to the area. Over the next two days General Robert E. Lee’s army converged onto Gettysburg from the west and north whileGeneral George Meade’s army arrived from the south and southeast. Thus a battle never planned occurred simply by circumstance. Although, the Confederates won the day, General Ewell made themistake of not allowing General Hill to force the Union troops withhigher ground, and this the conclusion of day one.As Southern forces continued a relentless attack against the entrenchedUnion troops, the additional arriving Confederate forces launched anall-out offensive which drove the Union forces through the streets ofGettysburg, Pennsylvania, to a defensive line south of town. Thus,after the first day of battle the five mile Confederate line traveled fromSeminary Ridge on the west side of the town of Gettysburg, throughthe town and eastward toward the area called Culp’s Hill.On the following day, July 2, 1863, a series of uncoordinated andfragmented Confederate attacks on the Union defensive position southof the town. While simultaneous attacks were supposed to haveoccurred on Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Ridge, the attacks took plac...
