At High Tide: The Wheatfield. Cemetery Hill. The Peach Orchard. Willoughby Run.

By April, 1863, the North and the South had been at war for over two years and the end of the war was nowhere in sight.  Several Confederate victories were scored during the early years of the war and the North failed to achieve any marked successes. The Confederate victory at the Second Battle of Bull Run (Lee vs. Pope) was a decisive victory for the South and had cost the Union dearly. Later, Antietam (Lee vs. McClellan), a tactical stalemate (Union strategic victory), had given the Union a small victory and prompted President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Unfortunately for the North, this was soon followed by another Confederate victory at Fredericksburg (Lee vs. Burnside).

The Confederacy, however, had failed to establish international recognition (especially from Great Britain) and floundered in ending the conflict. Though Virginia was adequately defended by the Confederacy throughout most of the War, the Union had achieved large successes in the West (especially Tennessee and Kentucky). General Lee reasoned that a decisive victory by his army on the eastern front would lead to possible international recognition and/or Union capitulation. As Lee reasoned, two options were available: an invasion of the North or defeat by attrition.

 

Battle Scenarios for At High Tide

To the Seminary - The First Day

Public Scenario - 11am Saturday
This action will be occurring over a span of 2 plus hours, and will feature the various attacks and counterattacks as the Confederates forced their way along the Chambersburg Pike and Mummasburg Road.  Portions of Hill’s and Ewell’s Corps strike East and South into the 1st and 11th Corps of the federal Army. Just like in the original action, the fighting will start and stop, with new troops being fed into the fight, covering a distance of 1600 plus yards. 

 

Assault at Dusk - July 2nd

For Participants only, at Dusk on Saturday
This will replicate the Attacks on the Federal far right on the evening of July 2nd, and is closed to the public.  Following the exact timeline, we will recreate the chaotic scene around Evergreen Cemetery at dusk.

 

Longstreet Attacks - the Second Day

Public Scenario - 11am Sunday
Following the actions in the Peach Orchard and Wheatfield, this action will culminate in the counterattack of the 1st Minnesota from Cemetery Ridge.  We will be replicating this action much as we will do on Saturday, featuring the assaults and counterattacks that surged through the Wheatfield and Peach Orchard, and along the slopes of Cemetery Hill.