Download Gettysburg Play Dough Assignment Directions: The Battle of

Gettysburg Play Dough Assignment
Directions:
The Battle of Gettysburg was a crucial turning point in the Civil War. The landscape and
geography of the region played a large role in shaping the outcome of the attack.
To better help you understand how both sides attempted to use the terrain to gain an
advantage, you will be creating 3 different mock battlefields (1 for each day of the battle)
using play dough.
You will need to look at 3 different sources of information to recreate this accurately.
1. Map included in this packet
2. Notes taken in class
3. Detailed explanation on the backside of this sheet
After studying this information, you will need to sculpt out the grounds of Gettysburg (3
different times) as ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE! After doing so, you will label with
toothpicks and string the critical locations of the field on each of the 3 different days. You
will also need to tag the troop positions over the course of the battle.
YOU MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING IN YOUR LABELING:
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City of Gettysburg
Seminary Ridge
Cemetery Ridge
Culp’s Hill
Little Round Top
Pickett’s Charge
Union forces on day 1/Confederate forces on Day 1 (use string)
Union forces on day 2/Confederate forces on Day 2 (use string)
Union forces on day 3/Confederate forces on Day 3 (use string)
July 1, 1863
As Southern forces continued a relentless attack against the entrenched Union troops, the additional arriving
Confederate forces launched an all out offensive which drove the Union forces through the streets of Gettysburg
to a defensive line south of town. Thus, after the first day of battle the five mile Confederate line traveled from
Seminary Ridge on the west side of the town of Gettysburg, through the town and eastward toward the area
called Culp’s Hill. As additional Northern reinforcements arrived on the field, they occupied a two mile defensive
position commonly referred to as a fishhook formation along Cemetery Ridge and Culp’s Hill.
July 2, 1863
The second day of battle was initiated by a series of uncoordinated and fragmented Confederate attacks on the
Union defensive position south of the town. While simultaneous attacks were supposed to have occurred on Culp’s
Hill and Cemetery Ridge, the attacks too place six hours apart and were unsuccessful. Though Union forces held
onto Culp’s Hill, the Confederate forces did drive back the Union troops in areas referred to as the Peach Orchard,
Wheatfield, Valley of Death, and Devil’s Den with a staggering amount of casualties. The Confederate advance of
the right flank had initially succeeded but was stopped by heroic efforts of Union forces in area known as Little
Round Top.
Having been basically successful in two days of battle with the Union army, General Lee, believing his army was
invincible and undefeatable, decided to attack what he thought to be the weakest position of the Union line the next
day. At the same time, General Meade held a council of war with his Corp commanders and decided to remain in a
defensive position for the battle anticipated the next day. Thus the decision made by both commanders would lead
to one of the most famous days of the American Civil War.
July3, 1863
The third day of battle began with another unsuccessful attempt to take over and occupy Culp’s Hill. Meanwhile, a
mile east of Gettysburg a Confederate Cavalry of 6,000 troopers held orders to attack the Union rear. Union cavalry
with a strength of 5,000 confronted them in a hot firefight that contained and turned the Confederates back.
General J.E.B. Stuart led the southern forces and among the Union leadership was General George Armstrong
Custer.
At 1:00 pm, the largest cannonade that ever occurred on the North American continent preceded the planned
charge. Unknown to General Longstreet, in charge of the famous assault, the cannon fire, which was to decimate
the Union center overshot their target and did nothing more than devastate farm fields far behind the Union
troops.
When the cannonade ceased 12,000 Confederate soldiers marched from Seminary Ridge in parade dress
formation to launch a famous, heroic attack upon the Union center, forever ingrained and immortalized in history
as Pickett’s Charge. The Confederate objective was a small clump of trees, 1 mile away across an open field. Once
the smoke from the cannonade cleared the field, Union forces watched their soon to be combatants in awe. They
admire the intense patriotism and desperate dedication of the men before them. Still, once within range, the Union
artillery hit and mowed down the columns of men like blades of grass. Two out of three Confederate soldiers
would not return.
Retreating back to Seminary Ridge, General Lee waited and upon seeing General Pickett and realizing the defeat
that occurred, advised Pickett to reform his division in the event of a Union counterattack. Pickett, looking at Lee
responded, “General Lee, I have no division.” With these words, and after three days of devastating carnage, the
battle ended with the Confederates being defeated and retreating back to Virginia the next day. Sadly the horrors
of the war would continue for another two long, bloody years.