After a groundbreaking victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville‚ Confederate General Robert E. Lee hoped to continue that momentum and end the war with a decisive victory in an invasion of the North. Unlike the militarily indecisive Battle of Antietam in September 1862‚ when Lee had invaded the north for the first time‚ the Confederate commander led his troops into Pennsylvania to destroy a Union army under General Joe Hooker.   Victory Goes to the Union An image of Union troops (left) charging during the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3‚ 1863‚ via Voice of America (VOA)   The largest battle in the American Civil War – sparked by the Confederacy’s bombardment of Fort Sumter two years earlier – was won decisively by the Union and ended any further attempts by the Confederacy to incite panic by invading the North. On July 4‚ 1863‚ the Confederate army led by General Robert E. Lee retreated back to Virginia‚ with the date perhaps heralding the eventual victor in the war. In the Battle of Gettysburg‚ Confederate troops‚ despite being outnumbered after the first day of three‚ engaged in full-frontal assaults that were very costly in terms of casualties. Ultimately‚ a final full-frontal attack by the Confederacy failed to break through Union lines on July 3‚ resulting in Lee’s decision to retreat.   However‚ similar to the Battle of Antietam the previous September‚ the battle ended with a successful Confederate retreat‚ upsetting US President Abraham Lincoln. The victorious Union army‚ the Army of the Potomac‚ did not pursue Lee’s retreating Army of Northern Virginia. As a result‚ the Confederates were able to re-establish their firm defense of their capital city of Richmond‚ Virginia‚ and the war continued for almost two more years. The steep losses at Gettysburg were considered irreplaceable for the South and caused Confederate morale to sink. Conversely‚ Union troops enjoyed a morale boost due to the victory and were eager to press on and win the war.   Timeline of the Battle of Gettysburg A map and time of important American Civil War battles during the third year of the conflict (April 1863 – April 1864)‚ including the Battle of Gettysburg‚ via the Library of Congress   In late June 1863‚ Confederate troops under Robert E. Lee invaded the North‚ heading into Pennsylvania. Similar to Antietam the previous autumn‚ the goal was to surprise and intimidate the North into accepting a peace settlement. For days at the end of June‚ neither army (the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia or the Union Army of the Potomac) knew exactly where the other was.   On June 30‚ however‚ a Confederate brigade near Gettysburg‚ Pennsylvania spotted Union cavalry heading toward the town. The next day‚ July 1‚ the Confederates engaged the Union cavalry. Swiftly‚ other units on both sides arrived‚ increasing the size of the battle.   A map showing movements of Union and Confederate armies during the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863‚ via the American Battlefield Trust   Robert E. Lee’s forces arrived in the middle of the afternoon on July 1‚ and Union forces retreated. By the end of July 1‚ despite the temporary retreat‚ Union general George Meade ordered all Union troops available into the battle‚ giving the North a significant numerical advantage.   The next morning‚ July 2‚ Lee ordered another attack on the Union forces‚ but the attack on the two separate flanks was not simultaneous and did not strike a crushing blow. The Union lines held.   The third day‚ July 3‚ saw Lee’s biggest gamble: an attack on the center of the Union lines‚ where it was likely to be least expected. The Union attacked with an artillery barrage before dawn‚ and the Confederates responded with their own artillery in the early afternoon before engaging in a full-frontal charge.   The massive charge was unsuccessful‚ with Union artillery knocking huge holes in the Confederate lines‚ and Lee eventually ordered a retreat from Gettysburg beginning on the evening of July 4.   What Caused the Battle of Gettysburg? An image of Confederate General Robert E. Lee after his victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville during the spring of 1863‚ via the WGBH Educational Foundation‚ PBS   The South’s greatest military victory during the war came in the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863. Robert E. Lee and “Stonewall” Jackson successfully surprised and attacked the much larger Union force under Joseph Hooker‚ inflicting tremendous losses for the North. However‚ although the Confederacy won the battle‚ it lost vaunted general “Stonewall” Jackson to friendly fire. Jackson was struck by a bullet and died days later from pneumonia‚ depriving the South of one of its best military commanders. Hooker’s defeat by May 3 and hasty retreat to Washington DC was a humiliation for the Union.   Hoping to capitalize on his victory and positive momentum‚ Lee chose to remain on the offensive. He assembled some 75‚000 experienced troops around Fredericksburg‚ Virginia and began to move out a month after Chancellorsville. On June 9‚ skirmishes between Union and Confederate cavalry began. By the middle of June‚ the large Confederate army had moved west through the Blue Ridge Mountains‚ somewhat screened from Union defenders. However‚ Union cavalry had followed and were able to send word to Washington DC of the Confederate offensive. On June 30‚ Confederate troops set off for the nearby town of Gettysburg‚ Pennsylvania to search for supplies. It found Union troops instead‚ and both armies converged near the small town.   Why Was the Battle of Gettysburg Significant? The remains of a stone wall where Confederate troops fought Union defenders during Pickett’s Charge‚ representing the “high water mark” of the Confederacy‚ via the National Park Service   The Battle of Gettysburg‚ which occurred between July 1 and July 3 of 1863‚ was the largest single battle of the American Civil War. Lee chose to make an aggressive stand at Gettysburg‚ despite not having his entire army ready at the moment. At 5:30 AM on July 1‚ he launched his first attack‚ and was successful…but only because the Union did not have its entire army present either. Lee faced a new opponent‚ General George Meade‚ who had been promoted to command the Army of the Potomac only days before.   On July 2‚ the entirety of both armies arrived at the battle. Again‚ Lee had the Confederate forces attack‚ ending the day in an exhausted draw. On the third and final day‚ Lee launched a final attack after a lengthy artillery duel with the North. This full-frontal assault was ultimately unsuccessful and cost the South some 5‚000 soldiers dead or wounded in a single hour. Although isolated units briefly broke through Union lines‚ the Confederacy was defeated. The sheer loss of manpower at Gettysburg meant the South could never again invade the North in force‚ rendering it on the defensive for the remaining two years of the war.   5 Facts About the Battle of Gettysburg A painting of Pickett’s Charge on July 3‚ 1863 by Confederate troops (pictured)‚ considered the most famous single attack during the American Civil War‚ via Virginia Humanities   1. Casualties There were over 51‚000 casualties at Gettysburg‚ making it the bloodiest battle in the war. However‚ because the battle occurred over three days‚ it did not replace Antietam as the bloodiest single day. As a result of its full-frontal attacks‚ the Confederacy suffered higher casualties‚ with 750 more battle deaths and over 4‚000 more injuries. Both armies suffered about 5‚400 missing and captured troops. Suffering some 5‚000 more casualties (dead‚ wounded‚ missing‚ and captured) than the North was a tremendous blow to the South‚ which lacked the capacity to replace the lost soldiers and equipment.   2. Commanders The Union commander was George Meade‚ a West Point graduate who had served briefly in the Indian Wars before retiring. In 1842‚ he returned to the Army and served during the Mexican-American War‚ along with most other future Civil War generals. On June 28‚ 1863‚ only days before the Battle of Gettysburg‚ Meade replaced Joseph Hooker as commander of the Army of the Potomac. Partially as a result of failing to pursue Lee after winning the battle‚ Meade was eventually replaced by Ulysses S. Grant in early 1864. Therefore‚ the popular imagery of Robert E. Lee versus Ulysses S. Grant did not include the Battle of Gettysburg.   Robert E. Lee was the commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Lee had invaded the north once before‚ leading to the Battle of Antietam in September 1862. He was considered an excellent military tactician and was popular with his troops; he came from a military family (his father was a Revolutionary War hero) and was actually offered command of the most powerful Union army in the spring of 1861‚ shortly before the beginning of the civil war. Instead‚ Lee resigned when his home state of Virginia seceded and joined the Confederacy as its top commander.   3. Number of Forces Involved Gettysburg was a titanic battle that saw some 93‚000 Union troops engaged against almost 72‚000 Confederate soldiers. Added together‚ the total number of troops is greater than that of the preceding Battle of Chancellorsville. The huge number of troops‚ combined with the frontal assault tactics‚ resulted in Gettysburg being the battle with the greatest number of casualties during the American Civil War. There were more than twice as many casualties compared to Chancellorsville (24‚000) or Antietam (22‚700). To the engagement‚ Lee brought three infantry corps and a cavalry corps‚ compared to Meade’s seven infantry corps‚ a cavalry corps‚ and an artillery reserve corps.   4. Visiting Gettysburg Visitors today can explore Gettysburg National Military Park near the town of Gettysburg‚ Pennsylvania. As the site of America’s largest battlefield‚ the National Park Service hosts guided tours and many different history-related activities. The visitor center and museum is owned and operated by the Gettysburg Foundation‚ which also offers many history-related activities and events. Many tourists stay in the nearby town‚ which also hosts non-battle related events for tourists.   5. Trivia: Most Famous Single Attack of the War The climax of the Battle of Gettysburg‚ on its third and final day‚ was the famous Pickett’s Charge. After a one-hour artillery barrage beginning at about 1:00 PM on July 3‚ some 12‚000 soldiers led by Confederate general George E. Pickett marched across an open field to engage some 5‚000 Union troops. The dramatic scene has been memorialized in art and film‚ and is famously known as the “high water mark” of the Confederacy due to it being the last organized Confederate offensive on Northern soil.   Unfortunately for Pickett’s men‚ their artillery barrage had been unsuccessful in destroying the Union artillery on the other side of the field‚ resulting in the Confederate troops being decimated during their charge. When the two sides met‚ they engaged in intense‚ hand-to-hand combat. Pickett’s aggressive–many would say unwise–strategy led to a 42 percent casualty rate among his troops. Ultimately‚ Pickett’s charge failed and the Union had won the Battle of Gettysburg.   The Aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg An image showing US President Abraham Lincoln giving his now-famous Gettysburg Address months after the battle‚ via the National Geographic Society   The costly battle had saved the Union by ruining the South’s chances of mounting any future major offensives against the North. Any chance of capturing Washington DC by force or panicking the North into submission was over. Although the war would continue‚ the Confederacy only had the means to maintain a defensive posture. Months after the battle‚ on November 19‚ 1863‚ Union President Abraham Lincoln delivered at the battle site one of the most famous speeches in American history: the Gettysburg Address.   Lincoln’s speech was very brief‚ but extremely powerful. While dedicating a portion of the battlefield as a national cemetery‚ the president reminded Americans of the uniqueness of their nation’s founding and reiterated that all men are created equal. He urged citizens to remain focused on the “great task remaining before us” so that the dead “shall not have died in vain.” The speech underlined Lincoln’s resolve to win the war and end the Southern secession‚ and reinforced public support behind him. He would go on to win re-election in 1864.

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The Origin of Cooking with Fire. The exact origins of cooking are not known‚ but early humans did‚ at some time in the distant past‚ master fire and begin using it for food preparation. We know from archaeological evidence that When Did People Start Cooking With Fire?

Google Earth’s history tool shows what appears to be hundreds of mass graves on Epstein’s pedophile island that were dug shortly before his arrest in 2006. In September of 2002‚ in the center of Epstein’s [...] The post Google Images Show Mass Graves of Hundreds of Children on Epstein Island appeared first on The People's Voice.

According to newly released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics‚ over one million women have become severely disabled since the rollout of the mRNA jabs. Historically‚ employed Americans were among healthiest group of [...] The post U.S. Gov’t Admit mRNA Jabs Have Caused 55% Increase in Severe Physical Disabilities appeared first on The People's Voice.

Not since 1841 has a politician killed the audience like Donald Trump in Iowa. William Henry Harrison’s inaugural speech went on for 115 minutes‚ and it killed him. There are many ways to die‚ but death by blather has got to be among the most inhumane. The last—only—time I attended a rally for Donald Trump was on November 30‚ 2015‚ in Macon‚ Georgia. I remember the press corps‚ because I was one of them‚ sitting in a pen like a petting zoo‚ not allowed “outside” until the very end. Rally-goers could leave anytime‚ but the press‚ other than a few lucky photographers‚ could not. I believe CNN reporter Jeremy Diamond was on the campaign trail with Trump in those days; he’s now the network’s White House correspondent‚ but is on assignment serving on the ground embedded with the IDF in Gaza. Given the choice between daily war and horrific scenes of death‚ or attending another Trump rally‚ I believe‚ if asked‚ Jeremy would not hesitate to prefer the former. Matt Taibbi attended the Sioux City rally‚ held on January 6th‚ though the significance of that date was really a theme. A typical Trump rally is an hour of insult comedy‚ interspersed with proclamations of victimhood‚ doomsaying about our country’s current course‚ and sometimes tidbits of relevant news. Sioux City was typical. Taibbi‚ sick with the ’Rona‚ thought the act was hilarious. Listening to this stuff is like watching a Pope throw open the Vatican door with his balls hanging out. The brain screams to laugh at the situation‚ but everyone pretends it’s not funny. In a related note Trump went after the “fake news media” five or six times. “Is there anybody in this room that’s not going to vote for Trump?” he asked at one point‚ before quickly interjecting: “Don’t raise your hand. It could be dangerous. They’re going to say‚ ‘He incited an insurrection!’” Pointing at us now: “These stupid bastards! ‘He incited an insurrection!’” The hall again filled with laughs‚ like the set of a Don Rickles roast. It’s all funny‚ until Mark Meadows repeats those words from the witness stand‚ with Trump sitting at the defendant’s table. Trump’s comedy goldmine is salted with his own legal troubles‚ and whistling past many graveyards—Access Hollywood‚ Paul Manafort‚ Roger Stone‚ Mike Flynn—is a feature of the campaign‚ not a bug. As it’s been proven for nine years now‚ where‚ say‚ Nikki Haley gets pilloried for suggesting the Civil War was not about slavery (then backtracking‚ not lost on Trump)‚ Trump can call the worst people his best friends and his fans eat it up. Trump called Haley a “birdbrain” in Sioux City; it’s his new nickname for Nikki. Taibbi thinks Trump is funny. If Trump wins another term in November‚ it will all be “funny like a clown?”  The act‚ like Rodney Dangerfield’s “I get no respect‚” has not changed since 2015. Just the names and the insults have changed. Instead of Ben Carson “pathological‚” Lindsey Graham‚ Rick Perry‚ Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz‚ all of whom were swatted‚ backhanded‚ from the race in 2016‚ now Trump only has to deal with Ron DeSanctimonious and Haley. Easy pickin’s for him in Iowa. He wears out an audience like Muhammad Ali wore out opponents in the ring. In an hour and fifteen minutes‚ Trump said essentially nothing new‚ and he said it almost incoherently.  It was like listening to my crazy uncle talk about buying his Mercedes with paper bags filled with cash.  Crazy uncle Donald‚ except more boring. “Boring” is exactly how one 19-year-old attendee described it to me.  Even dyed-in-the-wool supporters packed it in early when Trump busted through the one hour mark with no sign of wrapping up. I wrote that in 2015. Taibbi had nothing to add in 2023‚ except to say that Bush was worse and Obama even worse than that. “It’s too bad we’ll be in civil war and stabbing each other for shelter before it’s appreciated‚” Matt wrote‚ “but Trump’s story is the great comedy of our time.” After reading Taibbi’s take‚ one reader opined on Substack Chat‚ “I want to caution you about invoking easy equations like ‘job starved’ because the darker truth from my little corner of reality‚ is that if (a big if) Trump could actually govern to provide jobs for these men‚ they are now so feral and resistant to a hard days work‚ they’d run for the exits.” This is true in many ways‚ about the Millennials disappointed that the world they were promised is like a buffet where you’re last in line and the food has run out. The older generation of white‚ middle class workers laments its loss of social power. “They want status‚” the reader posted about the young‚ obese‚ unemployed in her town “dotted w/Trump signs and Confederate flags.”  “They want camo gear to hide the ugly truth that they don’t have the goods to actually participate in the American Dream. They just want the perks.” The Democrats have their own version of these. Perhaps Antifa did participate in the January 6th riot‚ just not the left’s version. I do know that Antifa is not funny‚ the people who “occupied” Atlanta’s “Cop City” were not funny when they shot at police‚ and the people who stormed the Capitol on January 6th were not funny. I’m not used to Matt Taibbi being mealy-mouthed and starting pillow fights‚ but his closing paragraph is what my old English teacher would call a “Waffle” — the only grade worse than an F. Trump and his opponents probably share responsibility for turning American politics into a joke‚ but only one of the two parties is trying to tell us it’s not funny. And “that’s not funny” is a losing political slogan.  That’s bullcrap and he knows it. There are serious people in both parties who won’t put up with the comedy fronting for cruelty. I hope the serious folks will show up to the caucuses and then in New Hampshire‚ they’ll show up at the polls. Whether we laugh or not—and a little laugh isn’t a bad thing—we can’t afford to just chalk things up to comedy‚ say everything’s fixed anyway‚ and submit to Soviet style fatalism. If things suck it’s because we made them suck. Sorry‚ Matt‚ but death by blather is not funny anymore. Follow Steve on Twitter @stevengberman. The First TV contributor network is a place for vibrant thought and ideas. Opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of The First or The First TV. We want to foster dialogue‚ create conversation‚ and debate ideas. See something you like or don’t like? Reach out to the author or to us at ideas@thefirsttv.com. 

Following on from their dates with Fall Out Boy last year‚ PVRIS will launch a headlining world tour this spring

At the close of their Slippery When Wet world tour‚ Bon Jovi found themselves in the same Tokyo hotel as Michael Jackson and his entourage. Events took a strange turn