My Journal during the Gettysburg
Today is the day Tuesday June 30th, 1863. Variable weather. There is sunshine and rain. On the 24th General Robert E. Lee leads the troops across the Potomac River headed towards Pennsylvania. General Lee is the Commander of the Northern Virginia Army. Major cities in the North such as Philadelphia, Baltimore and even Washington were under attack. We are preparing for what can be the best ore the worst. I was assigned as the aide to General Robert E. Lee. General Lee is known to be a hard general. He commanded the US Military Academy and in 1861 was made commander-in-chief of the Virginia forces. The Union Army of the Potomac under its very new and inexperienced commander, General George G. Meade, marched to intercept Lee. Not much has happened today it hasn't been bad and there wasn't really any casualties. This evening, there is much activity. Troops are withdrawn from all parts to march to Gettysburg. Reports that all ready there has been an engagement at Cashtown. The cooks are busy preparing rations for the next few days. Today I wrote my family a letter. I miss my son Gabriel and my wife Alicia. I'm glad to fight for my country America and I am more than willing to do anything to keep us toge
A fierce battle raged for an hour with much brutal hand to hand fighting, shooting at close range and stabbing with bayonets. Outnumbered Rebels finally began to give way and this great human wave that had been Pickett's Charge began to move back as the men drifted back down the slope. The supreme effort of General Lee's army had been beaten back, leaving 7,500 of our men lying on the field of battle. Its Friday it was extremely hot about 90 degrees or more. We woke up at about 4:30 am. The Rebels did not withdraw, but instead attacked the Federals around 8 a.m., vicious three-hour struggles with the Rebels charging time after time up the hill only to be beaten back. The Federals finally counter attacked and drove the Rebels off the hill and across Rock Creek. Around 11 a.m. the fighting on Culp's Hill stopped. The Confederate wounded was loaded aboard wagons that began the journey back toward the South. General Lee was forced to abandon his dead and for us (the army) to head back to Virginia. We had bread and rice for lunch today. There wasn't as much casualties around this time as there was yesterday. Who knows what will happen later on.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1252
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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