As I have been pouring over a wealth of secondary sources on the battle of Gettysburg, it is easy to get lost in all the available information. I have narrowed my topic down to a four-sectioned comparison of Cheat Mountain and Gettysburg. The first section deals with similarities in terrain: in both battles the Union occupied the high ground and the tactical advantage. Secondly I will examine the outside scouting sources Lee used to determine Union position. Third will include the similarities in plans of attack in which Lee divided his forces to create simultaneous converging strategies. Last will be an examination of battle implementation and the consequences of his strategy. Lee’s plans in these two battles, being his first and his most famous, shine light on his overall strategic style as a commander and the outcome of the war. Since I have only 6-8 pages, I will not be able to include the entire battle of Gettysburg. Instead I will focus only on day three, specifically Pickett’s Charge. This is a topic that can easily be expanded upon in 485 to include a study of Lee’s strategies in other major battles and answer the very broad question of why the Confederacy lost the war.

For my History 299 research project I will be examining the tactical style of General Robert E. Lee, comparing his actions in his first campaign at Cheat Mountain to his famous defeat at Gettysburg. In both battles, Lee was blind to terrain and Union whereabouts, relying on information from sources outside the Confederate Army. Lee, in both battles, chose complicated, simultaneous attack plans, both failing in similar ways. My research thus far has led me to an overwhelming wealth of information on Gettysburg, as it is one of the most famous battles in American history. Cheat Mountain, however, was not a major battle and did not result in any significant gains or losses so it does not take center stage in the eyes of many historians. A great secondary source on Cheat Mountain is The Glories of War, by Professor Charles Poland. Though it is a secondary source, it is a great starting point that provides detailed information on the tactics and outcomes of the battle. My most significant primary sources are the personal letters of Robert E. Lee, complied by his son in the book Recollections and Letters of General Lee. These provide valuable insight into the mindset of the General, shedding light onto why he made the choices he did.

Ever since the second grade history has been both my best and favorite subject.  In the last five years my love of the Civil War and military history took me far beyond the confines of the classroom, on a crusade of independent study.  Mary Washington is the perfect location as the campus is in such close proximity to four major battlefields.  I walked the Fredericksburg battlefield more times than I could count last year.  Though in most classes military tactics are ignored, being seen as either too dry or complicated, I find campaigns the most interesting aspect of history.  Growing up we all learn that the Americans won the Revolution, the North won the Civil War and the Allies won World War II, yet few teachers ever fully explained how these victories came about.  Therefore, I rely on independent research to understand the tactics which led to the great victories and defeats of history.  I am a history major because it is my passion.  Though even now most classes do not give me the information I strive for, they are invaluable as I could not understand the battles without first understanding the politics, culture and geography of the countries involved.  I hope to continue my study of history in graduate school, where I can further my knowledge and love of the American past.