Contents for Gettysburg Help

To learn how to use Help, press F1. To get started quickly, use the browse button at the top of the Help window to review the topics.

Introduction

What Is the Gettysburg Interactive Battle Simulation?

Understanding the Screen

Using the Commands Toolbox

Running a Demonstration

Changing the Screen's Appearance

Playing Gettysburg

Starting a New Game

Saving a Game

Loading a Saved Game

Selecting Icons

Moving Icons

Selecting Playing Options

Accessing Unit Information

Changing Selection Options

Aiming Infantry and Cavalry

Aiming Artillery

Issuing Orders

Staging an Offensive

Staging a Defensive

Setting Strategy and Tactics

Winning the Game

Commands

File Menu

Play Menu

Speed Menu

Select Menu

Map Menu

Overlays Menu

Options Menu

History Menu

Help Menu

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting Topics


Browse Button

 Clicking the browse button moves to the next related topic.


Issuing Orders

Moving an Icon--Giving Marching Orders

Ordering an Engagement

Ordering a Retreat

Entrench Troops


Moving an Icon--Giving Marching Orders

Use the following procedure to move an icon or, in military terms, give a unit marching orders.

1	Point the cursor at the icon.

2	Click and hold the left mouse button.  Drag the cursor to the area to which you want the icon to move.

3	Release the button.  A line terminating in a box appears, showing the path the icon will follow and the point at which it will stop.

4	In the Commands box, click the Go button.

5	The icon will begin moving to the new location, marching at a speed appropriate for the type of unit it represents (for example, cavalry moves faster than infantry).

You move groups of icons similarly to moving one icon.  Simply click in the group of highlighted icons, and follow steps 2 through 5 above.

Speed of Icon Movement

The icons move at different rates of speed depending upon the type of brigade they represent.  Cavalry icons move quicker than infantry icons, which in turn move more quickly than artillery icons.  If you activated Fixed Artillery in the Options menu, your artillery icons will not move at all.

NOTE

You cannot issue orders to troops that are not on your side.  If you are commanding both sides, you cannot give orders to both Union and Confederate brigades simultaneously.

See Also

Converging Icons

Moving Icons along a Path

Stopping Icon Movement


Converging Icons

You may want to have a number of brigades converge on one spot.  To command icons to converge:

1	Select the icons you want to move.

2	Click the left mouse button and drag the cursor to the icons' destination.  Continue to hold the left button down.

3	Press the space bar on the keyboard.  The separate lines will converge on one spot.

The next time you move a group of icons, they will converge automatically.  Press the space bar again to disable the converge feature.


Moving Icons along a Path

You can order icons to move in a jagged fashion that lets them follow paths such as roads or creeks.  To make an icon follow a path:

1	Select the icon. Click the left mouse button and drag the cursor to the place you want the icon to change directions.  Continue holding down the left button.

2	While holding down the left button, click the right button.  This anchors the line at the indicated position.

3	Still holding the left button down, drag the cursor to the next point at which you want the icon to turn.  Click the right button to anchor the line.

4	Continue clicking and dragging.  Icons can execute three turns.  The fourth time you click the right button, a box appears, indicating the final destination of the brigade.


Stopping Icon Movement

Icons will stop moving when they reach their destination.  You cannot stop them once they start moving, but you can change their destination.  To do so, you must provide them with another marching order.


Ordering an Engagement

In military terms, to engage troops means to bring them into combat with each other.

To order your troops to engage the enemy

1	Select the icon or groups of icons you want to engage the enemy.

2	Click the Engag button in the Commands toolbox to give them the engagement orders you want.

3	Make sure that your brigades are aiming at the troops they will fight.

4	Drag the icons toward the opposing forces and release the mouse button.

5	Click Go in the Commands toolbox.  The brigades will move along the paths you specified.  When they get close to the enemy, both sides will begin fighting.

NOTE

You cannot issue orders to troops that are not on your side.  If you are commanding both sides, you cannot give orders to Union and Confederate brigades simultaneously.


Ordering a Retreat

Even if your troops are not suffering high casualties, you may want to have them retreat so they can rest.  The longer troops fight, the greater their fatigue level and the longer they rest, the greater their strength.

To order a retreat

1	Select the troops you want to retreat.

2	Drag the cursor away from the combat area and release the left mouse button.

3	Make sure to click Go in the Commands toolbox.

You can also give your brigades standing disengagement orders so that they will automatically retreat when their casualties are high.  For further information on disengagement orders, see DisEng.

NOTE

You cannot issue orders to troops that are not on your side.  If you are commanding both sides, you cannot give orders to Union and Confederate brigades simultaneously.


Entrenching Troops

In the Civil War, troops frequently dug trenches to increase their defensive strength.  In the Gettysburg game, brigades gain strength when they entrench.

You can command individual brigades to entrench by selecting the brigade icon and clicking Entrch in the Commands toolbox.

You can also give a blanket order to entrench, which will insure that troops will automatically dig in whenever they are not fighting.  To give the blanket order, select Auto Entrench from the Options menu.  A check appears next to the item when it is activated.


Starting a New Game

Starting a new game restores both armies to full strength and returns the timeline to the beginning of July 1 or to the beginning of another day of play, if specified.

To start a new game

When you first start Gettysburg, a new game begins automatically.

To start a new game while already playing

1	From the File menu, choose New.

2	Gettysburg asks you if you want to save your current game; choose Yes to save the game or No to start a new game without saving the current one.

To switch to a different game

1	From the File menu, choose Open.

2	Gettysburg asks if you want to save your current game.  Click Yes to confirm or No to start a new game without saving the current one.

3	The Open dialog box appears.  Select the game you want, and then click OK.

See Also

Loading a Saved Game


Loading a Saved Game

Loading a saved game retrieves the game and options you were playing and resets the statistics.

To load a saved game

1	From the File menu, choose Open.

2	Gettysburg prompts you to save the current game.  Click Yes to confirm or No to load without saving the current game.

3	Type the complete path and filename, and press ENTER.

Or select the drive and directory, select the file, and choose OK.

See Also

Starting a New Game

Saving Your Game


Saving a Game

You can save the game and options you are playing along with and the current statistics.

To save your game using a new name

1	From the File menu, choose Save.

2	The Save As dialog box will appear.  Type the complete path and filename, and press ENTER.

Or type the filename, select the drive and directory, and choose OK.

To save your game using the current name

From the File menu, choose Save. The information is saved using the name you assigned the last time you saved the game.

See Also

Loading a Saved Game


Aiming Infantry and Cavalry

Determining Direction

To see what direction your troops are firing in, you need to activate Brigade Lines in the Options menu.  The lines indicate direction of fire.

Aiming Troops

To aim troops, select the brigade icons you wish to aim and click the Aim button in the Commands Toolbox.  Usually, you can aim groups of brigades at one time, but sometimes you need to aim them individually.  The Aim dialog box will appear.

Click on topics in the dialog box below for more information.

See Also

Aiming Artillery


Click here to see a video about the weapons and ammunition used during the battle of Gettysburg.  Click anywhere outside of the video screen to return to the Aim dialog box.


Click here when you are finished aiming the selected troops.  The troops will fire in the specified direction.


Allows you to exit dialog box without aiming the selected troops.


Drag the rifle in the compass to the direction you want the troops to aim in, and click OK.  The brigades will shoot in that direction.


Aiming Artillery

Determining Direction

To see what direction your artillery is firing in, you need to activate Brigade Lines in the Options menu.  The lines indicate direction of fire.

Engaging Artillery Fire

You order artillery brigades to open fire and cease fire from the Aiming Artillery dialog box.  Artillery will continue firing until you order it to stop or until the ammunition runs out.

Aiming Artillery

To aim artillery, select the artillery brigade icons you wish to aim and click the Aim button in the Commands Toolbox.  Usually, you can aim groups of brigades at one time, but sometimes you need to aim them individually.  The Aim Artillery dialog box will appear.  Click on topics in the dialog box below for more information.


Begins playing an associated video. Click OK to return to the dialog box.


The compass indicates the direction the artillery will fire.  To change firing direction, spin the cannon to the new direction.


In general, the artillery will fire further the higher the angle of inclination.  Adjust the angle by sliding the bar up or down.


Field artillery used the four types of ammunition listed below.  During the Civil War, ammunition was also referred to as "projectiles."


Solid shot was commonly known as cannon balls.  Some solid shot was elongated for rifled cannons and referred to as "bolt."


Shells were spherical or conical with hollow interiors filled with powder that exploded when the cannon was charged.  The shell broke into fragments and was effective in destroying objects and people.


Case shot is better know as "shrapnel" for its British inventor, Henry Shrapnel.  Case shot consisted of spherical or elongated projectiles filled with lead or iron balls in a sulfur or asphalt matrix.  An additional small charge in the cannon broke the casings open, and the contents continued to explode with great velocity.  Case shot was used against enemy troops.


Canister consisted of a bunch of iron balls packed in sawdust inside a tin or iron cylinder.  Upon firing, the cylinder disintegrated and the balls exploded outward.  Canister effectively decimated infantry and cavalry up to a range of about 200 yards.


Click Open Fire to initiate artillery fire.

NOTE

This is the only way to start artillery fire.  The Artillery brigades do not respond to Engage commands.


Click Cease Fire to end an artillery attack.

NOTE

This is the only way to stop artillery fire.  The Artillery brigades do not respond to Disengage commands.


What Is the Gettysburg Battle Simulation?

The Gettysburg Interactive Battle Simulation faithfully recreates the Battle of Gettysburg, the pivotal point of the Civil War.  You direct the marches, issue orders to cavalry, infantry, and artillery to engage the enemy, entrench in key positions, and bombard strongholds.  You can play  General Meade or General Lee against a simulator that takes into account all the variables that affect the outcome of a battle--terrain, morale, stamina, ammunition, aim, and more.  To make the battle more challenging, Gettysburg is historically accurate, so factors that hindered soldiers in the 1860s, such as poor communication or slow-moving artillery, are reflected in play.

All the actual brigades that fought at the Battle of Gettysburg are present in the Gettysburg game.  There were 118 brigades at the battle. Sixty-six fought for the Union and 52 for the Confederacy.  This time, however, you are the supreme commander of the troops, and get to order troops to march, engage, disengage, entrench, etc.  Your objective is to see if you can fight the battle better than the real commanders did.  If you play the Confederate side, see if you can win--Lee could not.  If you fight for the Union side, see if you can preserve more lives than Meade did while still holding the position.  Your performance will be reviewed at the end!


Military Structure

The smallest unit you can command from the Gettysburg game is a brigade.  Brigades usually had between 1,000 and 2,000 members, but some had as many as 2,500.

Brigades were grouped into divisions, which contained from two to five brigades.  A number of divisions--usually two or three--then made up a corps.  At the Battle of Gettysburg, the Army of Northern Virginia, the Confederate army, had three corps and a cavalry unit.  The Army of the Potomac had seven corps and a cavalry.


Understanding the Screen

Understanding the Icons

Understanding the Timeline

What Happens at Night?


Top level menu


Commands toolbox


The grid represents the actual town of Gettysburg.


The red circle indicates an area where troops are engaged in combat.


A cavalry brigade.


An infantry brigade involved in combat.


An infantry brigade.  The brigade is currently not marching or fighting.


Infantry brigades marching.


The legend.  Notice that North is to the left.


The line indicates the path that a brigade will follow.  The square at the end shows the brigade's destination.


Field Note. This provides historical and statistical information about the battle at that particular point in time.

See Also:

Displaying Field Notes


Combat Zone Statistics. Clicking here starts a video summary of the battle action as well as provides the current numbers of dead, wounded, and missing for each side.


A mountain.


Field Notes window. When Field Notes are activated and Field Notes Audio Only is not selected, pertinent battle statistics and historical information appears here.


Converging icons.


Artillery brigades.


Union (Northern) brigades.


Confederate (Southern) brigades.


Timeline. Shows the date and time of the current action.


Understanding the Icons

Each icon represents a brigade.  To select an icon, point to it with the mouse cursor and click the left button.  The selected icon will be highlighted.  If you want further information about selecting and moving icons, see Selecting Icons.

In the Gettysburg game, a brigade is the smallest unit you can command.  You can choose to command troops at the individual brigade level, or you can issue commands to divisions or entire corps.  To do so, you need to select icons by divisions or corps.  See Changing Selection Options for further information on changing selection options.

An icon's appearance is important--it gives you information about the type of brigade it represents.  Click the icons below for more information.

The icons' appearance also changes to show you the brigade's activity. Brigades can be moving, resting, or fighting.

Brigades that are resting look like this:

Brigades that are marching look like this:

Brigades that are in combat look like this:


Icons with cannons represent artillery brigades.

See Also

Artillery--Definition


Icons with little men on them represent infantry brigades.

See Also

Infantry--Definition


Icons with horses and riders on them represent cavalry brigades.

See Also

Cavalry--Definition


Understanding the Timeline

When you maximize the Gettysburg screen, a timeline appears along the bottom.  A gold mark moves along the timeline to indicate the date and approximate time that the action on the screen occurred.  Two portions of the timeline are blue--these are night periods in the game.  Since no action takes place during the night, these portions of the timeline are short.

When you click Go in the Commands toolbox, the timeline is activated.  The timeline stops moving when you click Stop.


What Happens at Night?

The troops at Gettysburg did not fight at night.  Accordingly, all action stops during the night period of the game.  You cannot select icons or command troops during the night period.

When night falls, the screen gets dark and campfires replace the brigade icons.  The dusk dialog box appears giving you an overview of the day's fighting.

Click the [image] button to see a video summary of the day's fighting.

Click the OK button to close the dialog box.


Running a Demonstration

At this point, you should have a little more understanding of what you are seeing on your computer screen.  However, if you're still not quite sure what to expect, you can let the computer give you a brief demonstration of play. If you feel confident that you don't need to watch a demo, continue to the next section, "Selecting Icons."

1	Choose File from the top level menu, and click Open.  The Choice dialog box will appear.

2	Either save the current game, or click No in the Choice dialog box. The Open dialog box will appear.

3	Highlight july1.gty and choose OK.  The screen will display the Gettysburg battlefield as it looked the morning of July 1, 1863. To make sure you have the right day, check the timeline at the bottom of the screen.  The red dash should be at the far left, indicating that it is 8:00 am on July 1.

4	You will now tell the computer which mode to play in. Choose Play from the top level menu and select Historical Play - Both Sides.

5	Choose Overlay from the top level menu.  The items in the Overlay menu affect the appearance of the screen. Make sure that Troops, Troop Movement, and Combat Action are selected.  You know an item is selected when a check appears to the left of it.

6	Choose Options from the top level menu.  Make sure that Brigade Icons and Brigade Lines are selected.  If you have a sound card, also select Sound.

7	In the Commands toolbox, click Go to start the action.  Watch the battle!

Click below for information on what to observe during the computer demonstration.

Things to Look For


Things to Look For

As the battle progresses, you may want to look for a number of things:

•	Lines that terminate in squares appear, and then brigade icons move along these lines.  The lines and squares represent marching orders.

•	Cavalry moves faster than infantry; infantry moves faster than artillery.

•	Brigades have an aim direction that is perpendicular to their line. The line represents a row of soldiers, the most common formation in Civil War battles.

•	Brigades automatically start combat when the enemy is within rifle range.

•	Casualties increase during combat.  To view casualty counts, click on a particular icon.  The icon will become highlighted. Click Health in the Commands toolbox.  A dialog box will appear that lists the name of the brigade and facts about its condition.

•	Casualties vary based on a variety of factors.  One such factor is the unit's strength.  You can view the strength of a unit by clicking Strength in the Commands toolbox. Another factor is the position of the brigade.  Being on a hill, in a forest, or along a creek increases strength.


Selecting Playing Options

Two top level menu items--Play and Speed--let you change playing options.  The menu items in the Play menu control the mode of play.  The menu items in the Speed menu determine the rate at which the game progresses.

Click on the topics below for more information on changing options.

Changing Playing Mode

Changing Playing Speed


Changing Playing Mode

Gettysburg has two playing modes--Historical and Free.

Historical Play

In Historical mode, the computer simulates the actual events of the battles.

If you choose to play one side, the computer becomes your opponent and will fight the same way its side did at Gettysburg.

If you choose Both sides, the computer will play both sides, providing you an historically accurate view of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Free Play

When you choose Free Play, the battle strategy and tactics are set by the players.

If you choose Union or Confederate, the computer will play the other side.  The brigades will respond to orders based on historically accurate information, such as strength, morale, level of ammunition.

If you choose Both Sides, you command both armies.

Changing Play Options

1	Choose Play from the top level menu.

2	Choose the mode of play you want from the list.

If you choose Historical Play or Free Play without choosing a specific side, either the Historical Play or the Free Play dialog box will appear.  The dialog describes the mode of play and prompts you to choose what side you wish to play.

If you choose to play a specific side or both sides from the menu list, the mode of play will automatically change to the one chosen.  No dialog box will appear.  A check appears next to the playing mode you have chosen.

The mode of play does not affect the appearance of the screen.

You can change playing mode anytime during play.  When you change during a current game, all the statistics and brigade positions will stay the same, but the new mode of play will be in effect.


Changing Playing Speed

Gettysburg offers four playing speeds.  The speeds correspond to the number of seconds that the battle simulation uses to represent one minute of the actual Battle of Gettysburg.

Slow

The battle simulation plays one minute of the actual battle in six seconds.

Medium

The battle simulation plays one minute of the actual battle in three seconds.

Fast

The battle simulation plays one minute of the actual battle in one second.

Use this speed or slower when Auto History Notes are selected for close-to-simultaneous narration of events.

Turbo

The battle simulation plays three minutes of the actual battle in one second.  Turbo lets you speed through some of the slower parts of battles.  It is also useful for viewing historical play, as you can watch the entire three days of fighting in under 10 minutes.


Accessing Unit Information

The Gettysburg game provides historically accurate information about each brigade, division, and corps involved in the battle, depending on which icon is selected.

To access unit information:

Use the cursor to point to the brigade you want information on, and click the right mouse button.  The Unit Information dialog box appears.

For an explanation of the information contained in the dialog box, click the areas of the Unit Information dialog box below.


The name and type (brigade, division, or corps) of unit the icon(s) represent.


The name of the unit commander and his picture (when available).


Some historical information about the unit.  For artillery brigades, the number of guns in the brigade is listed.


The side to which the unit belonged.

A Union flag represents the North.

A Confederate flag represents the South.


The branch of the army to which the unit belonged.

A soldier represents the infantry.

A soldier mounted on a horse represents the cavalry.

A cannon represents the artillery.

If the unit is a division or corps, a picture of the unit commander appears here.


When applicable, pictures appear that represent the terrain around the unit's position.

Indicates the unit is positioned along the road.

Indicates the unit is positioned in the mountains.

Indicates the unit is located in the trees.

Indicates the unit is positioned along a river or a creek.


Click OK to exit the dialog box.


A graphical representation of the number of men in the unit available for fighting.


A graphical representation of the number of unit members dead.


A graphical representation of the unit members wounded.


A graphical representation of unit members missing in action.  Those in this group could include captured, unidentified dead, or AWOL soldiers.


A graphical representation of a unit's strength.

Strength is a computed value that represents the overall fighting ability of a unit.  It is determined by such things as the unit's defensive position, whether or not the unit is entrenched, the fatigue level, and the group's morale.  The overall strength of a unit changed throughout the battle.


A graphical representation of a unit's morale.  Morale level is determined by historical accounts of the unit, and does not change.


A graphical representation of the unit's fatigue level.  The fatigue level increases when a unit is marching or fighting; resting decreases fatigue.


A graphical indication of the unit's ammunition supply.  The ammunition level increases as the unit rests; fighting lowers the level.  Ammunition is fully restored overnight.


A graphical indication of a unit's entrenchments.  It usually took troops two hours to fully entrench, so the entrenchment level rises as more troops become fully dug in.  When the unit is ordered to move, entrenchment returns to zero.


A video summarizing the unit and its activities appears here. Click in this area to see the video again.


Using the Commands Toolbox

The Commands toolbox contains two sets of buttons--the Action set and the Command set.  The Action set contains Go, Stop, and Step and controls the battle simulation action.  The Command set contains the rest of the buttons and allows you to issue commands or access information.

Click on the buttons in the Commands toolbox below to get more information.


Go

Initiates play at the selected speed.  Clicking Go also activates the timeline.


Stop

Stops all game action and stops progression of the timeline.


Step

Initiates one time step of play and then stops.  This is equivalent to taking one turn in a board game.


Aim

Allows you to change the firing direction of brigades you have selected.

When you choose Aim, the Aim dialog box appears.  It will look different depending on whether the brigade is artillery, cavalry, or infantry.

See Also

Aiming Infantry and Cavalry

Aiming Artillery


Engag

Allows you to provide an engagement order for a specific brigade or group of brigades.

When you choose Engag, the Engagement Orders dialog appears.  To issue an order, click the button next to the engagement option you want.  Click the specific orders below for more information.


Hold position; fire when fired upon--Troops will not fire at the enemy unless fired upon first, regardless of how close the enemy is.  For computer-controlled troops, this means the troops will seek good defensive ground and stay there.


Seek enemy at close range--Troops will fire immediately upon encountering the enemy.  Computer-controlled troops will search for enemy units within close range and move toward them when found.


Seek enemy at long range--Troops will fire immediately upon encountering the enemy.  Computer-controlled troops will search for enemy units at longer range.  Artillery will start firing.


Inform commander before firing--Troops will ask for firing instructions when the enemy is within rifle range.


DisEng

Sends selected brigades the command to stop engaging enemy.

When you choose DisEng, the Disengagement Orders dialog appears.  To command troops to disengage, click the button next to the disengagement option you want.  Click the specific orders below for more information.


Immediately--Troops disengage immediately if they become involved in combat.


When forced into retreat--Troops fight normally if they are involved in combat, retreating only if forced by heavy casualties.


Only when ordered--Troops fight to the death, only retreating if specifically ordered to move.


Entrch

Tells a unit to start entrenching.

At Gettysburg, soldiers built entrenchments of earthwork, rock, or wood fortifications.  Entrenching increases a unit's defensive strength.  It takes some time to fully entrench, and when the unit moves, its entrenchment factor returns to zero.


Health

Reveals the condition of the troops in the selected brigade, division, or corps.  The numbers in the dialog box will change to reflect the effects of battle on the unit.

To remove the dialog box, click the button again.

See Also

Accessing Unit Information


Strnth

Reveals the physical and mental strength of the selected brigade, division, or corps.  The numbers in the dialog box will change to reflect the effects of battle on the unit.

To remove the dialog box, click the button again.

See Also

Accessing Unit Information


Changing the Screen's Appearance

You may want to adjust the appearance of the screen to allow you to observe things such as troop movement, battle, and casualties.  The Overlays, Options, and Maps menus contain items that affect the appearance of the screen.  You can simultaneously display as many or as few options as you want.

Viewing Terrain

Adjusting Icons' Appearance

Displaying Troops

Displaying Troop Movement

Displaying Casualties

Displaying Combat Action

Displaying Combat Zones

Displaying Field Notes

Displaying a Summary of the Battle


Viewing Terrain

When you start Gettysburg, the screen resembles an antique map.  The game also has a terrain map that clearly illustrates areas of high and low elevation in the battlefield as well as streams and rivers.  Knowing the battlefield's topography is important in establishing strong defensive positions.

To change to the terrain map:

From the Map menu item, choose Terrain.  The screen's appearance will change to a topographical map.

Red = areas of high elevation

Green = low elevation

Blue = creeks

Gray = roads


Adjusting Brigade Icons' Appearance

Brigade icons can appear on the screen in three ways:

Icon without brigade line

Icon with brigade line

Brigade lines without icons

You cannot change the appearance of a specific brigade.  Changes made in the Options menu affect the appearance all the brigades on the screen.

Click on the green text for information on the uses of the different icon display options.

To display icons without brigade lines

From the Options menu, choose Brigade Icons.  A check will appear next to the item when it is activated.  Make sure Brigade Lines is not activated.

To display icons with brigade lines

From the Options menu, choose both Brigade Icons and Brigade Lines.

To choose brigade lines without icons

From the Options menu, choose Brigade Lines.  Make sure that Brigade Icons is not activated.


Icon Display Options

The brigade icons give you important information.  They indicate whether the unit is infantry, artillery, or cavalry.  They also reveal if the brigade is at ease, marching, or fighting.  (For details about icon appearance, go to Understanding the Icons.)  By selecting an icon and then clicking the right mouse button, you can access information about the unit (go to Accessing Unit Information for details).

Brigade lines show the direction in which the brigade is firing.  When many brigades are located near each other, however, the lines can obstruct the brigade icons, and make it difficult to choose an icon.

Viewing brigade icons without lines

You should view icons without lines:

•	when you need to select individual icons from a group

•	you do not need to know the firing direction of troops.

Viewing brigade icons with lines

Because the brigade lines indicate firing direction, you need to display them when you aim troops.

Viewing brigade lines without icons

You should view brigade lines without icons:

•	when you want to get an idea of the formation of the armies

•	you do not need to know the brigade types.


Displaying Troops

You can choose to display the brigade icons on your screen or hide them to get a clear view of the battlefield.

To display brigades

1	Choose Troops from the Overlays menu.  A check appears next to the item when it is activated.

2	Click the Go button in the Commands Toolbox.  The icons will appear.

To remove the icons

1	Choose Troops from the Overlays menu.

2	Click the Go button in the Commands toolbox.  The icons will disappear.

Even though the icons are not visible, they still move.  Icons that are selected are highlighted.  If you have Troop Movement enabled, for example, the brigades' direction will be illustrated on the screen, and the highlighted icons will move along it.


Displaying Troop Movement

You can choose to display the path that the icons will follow when they move.

To display troop movement

From the Overlays menu, choose Troop Movement.  A check appears next to the item when it is selected.

When you select an icon and drag the cursor to move it, a line terminating in a square will appear to indicate the path and destination of the brigade.  When you click Go, the icon will move along the path.

To hide the troop movement paths

Choose Troop Movement from the Overlays menu.

When you select an icon and drag the cursor to move it, the line terminating in a square will appear initially; however, when the icon begins moving, the path disappears even though the icon continues on.


Displaying Casualties

Choosing casualties displays a graphical representation of casualties on the battlefield.

To display casualties

1	Choose Casualties from the Overlays menu.

2	As the troops engage in combat, casualties are indicated by red hash marks.  The greater the casualties, the denser the marks.

To hide casualties

Choose Casualties from the Overlays menu.  The red casualty indicators will disappear.


Displaying Combat Action

Combat Action indicates where and when troops are fighting.  Combat is represented as a red circle that gets larger as the battle gets bigger and the fighting more intense.

To display combat action

1	From the Overlays menu, choose Combat Action.  A check will appear next to it when it is enabled.

2	Choose Go from the Commands toolbox.  Red circles will appear around areas of fighting.

To disable combat action

Choose Combat Action from the Overlays menu.  The red circles will disappear from the screen.


Displaying Combat Zones

The Gettysburg screen contains 11 combat zones.  Combat zones are indicated by red boundaries on the screen, and, if the Field Notes option under the Overlays menu is selected, red Combat Zone Statistics binoculars appear with a number indicating the zone they represent.

To display combat zones

In the Overlays menu, click Combat Zones.  The 11 zones will be shown on the screen.  A check appears next to Combat Zones in the menu when it is enabled.

To disable combat zones

Choose Combat Zones from the Overlays menu.  The zones will disappear from the screen.


Displaying Field Notes

When Field Notes are activated and the Field Notes Audio Only is NOT selected, Field Notes provide you with a running commentary on the progress of the battle, including:

Combat Zone statistics

Artillery fire information

Historical information

To display field notes

From the Overlays menu, choose Field Notes.  A check appears next to the item when it is selected.  The Field Notes window will appear on the screen.

If the Field Notes window does not appear on screen, make sure Field Notes Audio Only is NOT selected under the Overlays menu.

To disable field notes

Choose Field Notes from the Overlays menu.  The Field Notes dialog box will disappear.

Moving the dialog box

1	Move the cursor to the box's title area.

2	Click the left mouse button and hold it down.

3	Drag the box to the new location and release the button.

Sizing the dialog box

1	Point to the border of the box with the cursor.

2	Click and hold the left mouse button.  The cursor will turn into a two-headed arrow.

3	Drag the cursor up or down to make the box small or larger.  When the box is the size you want, release the button.


Combat Zone Statistics

When Field Notes are activated, red binoculars appear in each Combat Zone that access Combat Zone statistics.  The binoculars appear when combat is initiated in the zone and remain visible until the fighting in that zone stops.

The Combat Zone statistics tell you the following information:

•	When combat is initiated

•	Names of brigades that are fighting and the side they are on

•	Casualties during combat

•	Warning if a brigade is being flanked

•	Warning of high fatigue for a brigade

•	Warning of low ammunition level for a brigade

•	Retreat of a brigade

•	Elimination of a brigade

To access Combat Zone statistics

Activate Field Notes and make sure Field Notes Audio Only is NOT selected.  The statistics appear automatically in the window.

To see a video summary of the combat

Click on the desired red binoculars.  A video summary of the fighting appears. The number of dead, missing, and wounded for each side also appears.

When finished, click OK in the lower right corner.


Artillery Fire Information

Artillery Fire Information is reported for each individual artillery unit automatically in the Field Notes window.  No triangles appear because the information on artillery units moves very quickly.

Reports are made for

•	Casualties when a brigade is hit by artillery fire

•	Warning that troops are encountering friendly fire


Historical Information

When you have turned on the Field Notes, blue triangles appear occasionally on the screen when there is some interesting or important historical information about the battle at that point in time.

The Historical Information includes:

•	Announcement of the arrival of new troops on the edge of the map

•	The tactics in use by both sides

•	Important troop movements

•	Combat initiation orders

•	Instances of particularly brutal fighting

•	Acts of great heroism

•	Human interest stories

•	Mistakes made on the battlefield

•	Discussions between commanders

You can access Historical information the following ways:

To hear a continuous narration as the battle progresses

Select Auto History Notes from the Overlays menu.

For close-to-simultaneous narration of events, set play speed to Fast or slower.

NOTE

To enhance simulation playability, the timing of certain events in battle has been adjusted. These changes were made only to compensate for the limitations inherent in a computer simulation of a real event. However, all information provided in the Field Notes is historically accurate.

To see the information displayed in the Field Notes window

1	Be sure the Field Notes window is displayed. If it is not, disable Field Notes Audio Only.

2	Click on the desired blue triangle.

The information is displayed in the Field Notes window as well as narrated.


Displaying a Battle Summary

You can view the progress of the fighting by choosing to display the Battle Summary dialog box.  You can view the dialog at any time during play.

To view the Battle Summary dialog box

From the Overlays menu, choose Battle Summary.  The Battle Summary dialog box will appear.

The Battle Summary dialog gives you information about troops currently on the battlefield.  The box provides a summary of both armies, so you can get vital information about your opponent's as well as your own troops.

Click OK to exit the dialog box.


Selecting Icons

Using the mouse, point to the brigade icon you wish to select.  Click the left mouse button.  The icon will be highlighted.

Selecting a Group of Icons

You can select more than one icon at a time by "boxing" the icons.  To box icons:

1	Click and hold the left mouse button in one corner close to the group of icons you wish to select.

2	Drag the cursor.  A box will appear.  Use the mouse to adjust the size of the area.

3	Release the mouse button.  The icons you selected will be highlighted.


Changing Selection Options

The Select menu lets you decide how you want to choose icons--by brigade, division, or corps.  If you select by corps, when you click on a brigade icon, all the icons belonging to its corps will also be selected and will flash.  Similarly, if you chose to select by division, clicking a brigade icon will select all the icons in the same division.

If you chose to select by brigade, clicking on a brigade item selects only that one brigade.

To change selection options:

1	Click Select to access the Select menu.

2	Click on the selection option you want.  A check mark will appear next to the item selected.  There will be no change in the screen's appearance; however, when you click on a brigade, your selection option will be reflected.

See Also

Selecting from the Keyboard

Selecting by Name


Selecting from the Keyboard

You can change selection options from the keyboard.  To select by brigade, press and hold the B key and select an icon with the mouse.

To select by division, press and hold the D key and select an icon with the mouse. All the icons in that division will become highlighted.

To select by corps, press and hold the C key and select an icon with the mouse.  All the icons in that corps will become highlighted.


Selecting by Name

 When you choose Select by Name, the Select By Name dialog box appears.  It lists all the brigades, divisions, and corps for both armies, allowing you to select a unit by the name of its commander.  It is much simpler to scroll through a list of corps, divisions, and brigades than it is to click on each icon on the screen until you find the one you want!

For example, if you want all the divisions in Hancock's II Corps to participate in an attack:

1	Click the Select menu item.

2	Choose Select by Name from the menu.  The Select By Name dialog box will appear.

3	Hancock fought for the Union, so make sure that the button next to Union is highlighted.

4	Scroll through the list.  When II Corps - Hancock appears, click it.  All the divisions and brigades of the II Corps will be highlighted.  Click OK to exit the dialog box.

Now, when you click on icons belonging to brigades in the II Corps, the entire II Corps will be selected and will become highlighted.


Staging an Offensive

The following are the steps involved in staging an offensive against your opponent.  It is intended to provide you with guidelines for setting up your own attacks in the future.

1	Select the brigades to participate in an attack.  You can choose one or two brigades, or an entire corps.

2	Move the icons toward the enemy you wish to attack by dragging a line to or beyond the enemy units.

3	Make sure you have clicked Go in the Commands toolbox.  Your troops will start marching.

4	Aim the troops so that they will be shooting at the enemy.  Usually you can aim whole groups at a time, but sometimes you need to aim individual brigades.

5	Order your troops to fire by selecting "Seek enemy" as the engagement order.  In some cases, it will not be necessary to command your troops to begin firing; if the troops you are attacking begin firing, your soldiers will defend themselves!

6	If you have given your troops the "Seek enemy" engagement order, they will begin firing when they are within rifle range.  The enemy will fire back, based on their engagement orders and aim.

If you hit the enemy on the flank, he cannot fire back!

7	Check your troops' status by clicking Health and Strength (individually or together) in the Commands toolbox.

You can check the status of the enemy, too.  As the fight continues, their fatigue will increase, and their strength and ammunition will decrease.  If their ammunition runs out, they cannot shoot.

8	If your troops receive enough casualties, they may retreat.  You can order them back into the fracas or let them rest.  As they rest, their fatigue will drop, their strength will increase, and their ammunition will be resupplied.

9	To disengage your troops, move them away from the enemy.


Staging a Defensive

The following procedure illustrates the steps involved in defending yourself against your opponent.  It is intended to provide you with guidelines for setting up your own defensives in the future.

1	You should move your troops to positions that are easy to defend, such as on hills, in forests, or along creeks.  Their strength will increase with better defensive positions.

2	Position troops in a line to avoid flanking attacks from your enemy.

3	Check for any troops that are close to the enemy but not firing. Troops in such a position are in danger of being flanked; you should change their aim so that they are aiming at the enemy.  Likewise, troops in danger of being flanked should have engagement orders to seek the enemy; they should not wait for the enemy to strike them first.


Setting Strategy and Tactics

The following section is intended to give players some hints about setting strategy and tactics.  Because the game is historically accurate, it factors in the types of things that hindered Civil War commanders, such as communication problems and tactical difficulties involved in moving masses of men and artillery by foot.  This accuracy illustrates why what might seem like a brilliant strategy or a common-sense move might have failed at Gettysburg; on the other hand, the game gives you a birds-eye view of the entire battlefield, letting you respond much quicker than Civil War commanders could.

Click on the topics below for more information.

Offensive Tactics

Defensive Tactics

Free Play Tactics for July 1

Free Play Tactics for July 2

Free Play Tactics for July 3


Offensive Tactics

These attack tactics work because they put you in positions where your strength is greater than your opponent's or allow you to fire at the enemy without his firing back.  All in all, you will kill more enemy soldiers than your side will lose.  These tactics are precisely those used by the real commanders at the battle.

•	Use artillery in advance of your attack to reduce the enemy's strength prior to your charge.  If properly directed, artillery is an extremely effective way to produce high enemy casualties.

•	Overwhelm your enemy by attacking with more troops than he has.

•	Try to fragment your enemy's line so that you can attack and flank portions of it in overwhelming numbers.

•	Try to attack on the enemy's flank.  Position your unit to fire on an enemy unit's flank in such a way that another of the enemy's units cannot fire on you in defense.

•	Surround an enemy unit and attack if from several sides.

•	Attack in multiple rows, with some of your units positioned directly behind your front row.  Positioning your troops in multiple rows close to the enemy allows many soldiers to shoot simultaneously, which gives you considerable firepower.

•	In general, avoid attacking enemy units that are on hills, in forests, or along creeks.  These are all strong defensive positions and, in fact, the strength factors of troops in these positions will increase as a result of holding them.

•	Attack enemy units separated from the main line, which are easy to flank and surround.

•	Cavalry moves very quickly!  Use it to get to a location where it can stop the enemy's movement, and then follow up with infantry to provide the strength needed to overpower the foe.

•	You can continue artillery fire during an infantry attack, but be sure to aim high enough so you don't hit your own troops with friendly fire.


Defensive Tactics

Often, terrain provides natural defensive positions.  The Gettysburg game contains a terrain map that can help you locate the easiest-to-defend locations on the battlefields.

•	Place your troops on hills, in forests, or along creeks.  This increases their strength.  Ultimately, you want your troops located on the crest of a ridge or the top of the hill.

•	Form a line of multiple brigades so that you expose as little flank as possible.  The brigades don't have to be exactly side-by-side; they simply need to be close enough to halt an enemy advance through the line.  If the brigade lines are just about touching on the screen, that is close enough.

•	Aim each brigade in the line to shoot perpendicular to the total line.

•	Aim the brigades that are anchoring the flanks skewed so that their flank is less exposed.

•	Do not allow troops to remain separated from the line.  Isolated troops are easily surrounded or flanked.

•	Place the artillery at the rear and use solid shot or shell if you are shooting at an enemy that is far off.  If the enemy charges, place the artillery at the front of the lines and choose case shot or canister.


Free Play Tactics for July 1

•	Both sides should try to occupy the ridges.

•	Reinforcements will arrive throughout the day; you need to decide where to place them.  Either take a defensive stance and occupy the best ground, or go on the attack and try to cause as much damage to the enemy as possible.

•	Union--Do not concentrate solely on the Chambersburg Road and Hill's Corps.  Ewell's Corps will soon be coming from the North.

•	Confederate--You have a numerical advantage by mid-day.  Use this advantage quickly, as Union reinforcements will continue to arrive.


Free Play Tactics for July 2

•	Union--Reinforcements will arrive throughout the day.  You should position them along your line as quickly as possible.  Also be sure to occupy the ridges and hills.  Don't forget Little Round Top.

•	Confederate--Attack early and quickly because Union reinforcements will continue to arrive throughout the day.  Going around to the rear of the Union lines may be a viable plan.  Use a lot of artillery fire.  Attack flanks simultaneously to keep the Union troops pinned down.


Free Play Tactics for July 3

•	Union--The day's goal is simply to hold positions on the hills and ridges.

•	Confederate--If you are using the actual July 3 positions and strength, the battle probably cannot be won.  History proved that a charge to the middle is a bad plan.  Instead, try hitting the flanks of the Union line as they did on July 2.


Winning the Game

If You Are Playing on the Confederate Side

Consider yourself the winner if you produce more than 50 percent casualties among the Union troops, or if you place at least 20 brigades in the area along and between the Baltimore Pike and the Taneytown Road (located in the upper right quarter of the map).  Being in possession of these roads means that you are in control of the major routes to Baltimore and Washington.

If You Are Playing on the Union Side

Producing more than 50 percent casualties among Confederate troops makes you the winner.  Or, your goal can be to prevent the Rebels from taking possession of the routes to Baltimore and Washington until the end of July 3.

Both Sides

You can monitor your success any time by accessing the Battle Summary dialog box.  In addition, the game provides you with a casualty summary and win assessment at the end of July 1 and July 2.


File Menu

New

Open...

Save...

Exit


New

Ends the current game and starts a new game.  The new game will be from the july1.gty file.

When you choose New, you are prompted to save the current game.  If you choose Yes, the Save As dialog box appears.  Enter the new name; Gettysburg will automatically append the .gty extension to the name.

If you do not want to save the current game, click No.  A new game will begin.


Open

Loads a saved game.  When you choose Open, the Choice dialog box appears asking you if you want to save the current game.  Click No if you do not want to save it; click Yes to save it.  If you chose Yes, the Save As dialog box appears.  Enter the new name; Gettysburg will automatically append the .gty extension to the name.

The Open dialog box will appear.  The file names correspond to the day of the battle.  Choose the file and click OK.


Save

Saves the current game.  When you choose Save, the Save As dialog box appears.  Type in the new name; Gettysburg automatically appends the .gty extension.


Exit

Ends the current game and exits to the Program Manager.

When you choose Exit, you are not prompted to save your current game!


Play Menu

Historical Play...

Union

Confederate

Both sides

Free Play...

Union

Confederate

Both sides


Historical Play

The computer simulates the actual events of the battles.

If you choose to play one side, the computer becomes your opponent and will fight the same way its side did at the actual battle.

If you choose Both sides, the computer will play both sides, providing you an historically accurate view of the Battle of Gettysburg.


Free Play

The battle strategy and tactics are set by the players.

If you choose Union or Confederate, the computer will play the other side.  The brigades will respond to orders based on historically accurate information, such as strength, morale, level of ammunition.

If you choose Both Sides, you command both armies.


 Speed Menu

Slow

Medium

Fast

Turbo


Select Menu

Select by Brigade

Select by Division

Select by Corps

Select by Name...


Select by Brigade

Select icons by individual brigades.


Select by Division

Select all icons in the same division.


Select by Corps

Select all icons in the same corps.


Select by Name

Select icons from the Select By Name dialog box.  All the brigades, divisions, and corps are listed by name of commanding officer.


Map Menu

Antique

Terrain


Antique

Screen resembles an old map of the battlefield.  The map indicates road names and names of landmarks, such as Little Round Top.


Terrain

Screen is a topographical map of the battlefield.

Red areas are areas of highest elevation.

Dark green areas are low-elevation areas.

Roads are indicated by gray lines and streams appear as blue lines.


Overlays Menu

Troops

Troop Movement

Casualties

Combat Action

Combat Zones

Field Notes

Field Notes Audio Only

Auto History Notes

Battle Summary


Troops

Selecting Troops makes the brigade icons visible on the screen.  When it is not selected, the screen simply contains the map without indication of troops or their positions.

You may want to remove troop icons when you need to see underlying information, such as casualties.


Troop Movement

Indicates the path that the icons will follow and displays a square box to indicate their destinations.  When Troop Movement is not selected, the icons move but their paths are not illustrated.


Casualties

Displays a square shaded with red to indicate the number of men fallen at each location.  The larger the number of casualties, the more red the square.


Combat Action

Displays a red circle surrounding icons involved in a battle.  The more intense the battle, the larger the circle.


Combat Zones

The battlefield is divided into 11 sections referred to as "combat zones."  Choosing this overlay reveals the boundaries of each zone.

See Also

Displaying Combat Zones


Field Notes

The Field Notes provide a running commentary, both written and spoken, on the progress of battle.  The notes provide you with information that commanders need to know to order troops, such as casualty summaries, warnings of flank attacks, friendly artillery fire, and ammunition reports.

In addition, you can learn about actual battle events including strategic movements, heroic struggles, and human interest stories.  When activated, field notes will provide historical markers (blue triangles) that pop up on the screen any time there is a historical note available.

See Also

Displaying Field Notes


Hide Field Notes Window
Field Notes Audio Only

When selected along with Field Notes, this option hides the scrolling window but the blue triangles still appear and you will hear the narrated Historical Information.

This is particularly helpful when Auto History Notes is selected.


Auto History Notes

When selected along with Field Notes, a running narration by Mr. Shelby Foote, renown Civil War historian, is provided as the battle progresses, providing timely historical information.

For close-to-simultaneous narration of events, set the play speed to Fast or slower.

NOTE

To enhance simulation playability, the timing of certain events in battle has been adjusted. These changes were made only to compensate for the limitations inherent in a computer simulation of a real event. However, all information provided in the Field Notes is historically accurate.


Battle Summary

Reveals the Battle Summary dialog box, which provides the current standing of each army.


Options Menu

Tool Box

Auto Entrench

Fixed Artillery

Sound

Brigade Icons

Brigade Lines

Soldier Icons


Tool Box

Displays the Commands box on the screen.


Auto Entrench

Gives all troops standing orders to automatically begin entrenching any time they are not marching or involved in combat.

Entrenching increases a unit's overall strength.

If entrenched troops are later ordered to move, their entrenchment factor returns to zero.


Fixed Artillery

In the Civil War, artillery seldom joined the infantry and cavalry in charges simply because it was too cumbersome to move easily.

Choose Fixed Artillery so that all artillery brigades from both sides will keep their position when you select a group of icons and move them.

If you want to move artillery brigades while Fixed Artillery is selected, you must select each artillery brigade icon individually and move it.


Sound

Activates sound effects and music.

NOTE

A PC speaker driver will not let you hear sounds--you must have a sound board to use this feature.


Brigade Icons

Brigade icons appear on the screen.


Brigade Lines

Lines appear on both sides of the icons on the screen.  These lines indicate the direction in which the brigades are firing.


Soldier Icons

When Brigade Icons are on, this features toggles the brigade icons from the larger, more realistic graphics to simple squares, which are easier to select during heated battles.


History Menu

Gettysburg's Address...

Lee's Address...

Documentaries

Strategic Situation

The Gettysburg Area

Civil War Artillery

Civil War Rifles

End of Day 1

End of Day 2

End of Day 3

The Making of Gettysburg


Gettysburg Address...

A scrolling, narrated version of the famous Gettysburg Address.  President Lincoln delivered it on November 19, 1863, at the battlefield's dedication as a national cemetery.

Lincoln was not the featured speaker at the dedication.  That honor was reserved for Edward Everett, a former governor of Massachusetts, a diplomat, clergyman, politician, and long-winded public speaker whose speech lasted one hour and fifty-seven minutes.

Lincoln's speech, on the other hand, took only a few short minutes to deliver.  For the most part, those present, including the President, considered it a flop.  One man, however, held a different view of the address.  Edward Everett wrote to Lincoln "I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes."


Lee's Address...

Displays a scrolling version of Lee's Farewell Address delivered to the soldiers of the Army of Northern Virginia in 1865.


Strategic Situation

This is a narrated prologue to the game explaining the events of the Civil War up to the battle of Gettysburg.


The Gettysburg Area

A video tour of the town of Gettysburg, pointing out such landmarks as Seminary Ridge, Little Round Top, and Culp's Hill.


Civil War Artillery

A documentary detailing the different weapon and ammunition options available to the soldiers during the Civil War.


Civil War Rifles

A video documentary about the different rifles used during the Civil War and their impact on the battle of Gettysburg.


The Making of 'Gettysburg'

A video about the making of Turner Pictures' feature film, 'Gettysburg'.

The video footage included in this game was taken from the feature film 'Gettysburg'.


Help Menu

Getting Started...

Contents...

About...


Getting Started

These are the basic instructions for Gettysburg designed to get you started playing the game as quickly as possible.

Select this menu item the first time you play Gettysburg.


Contents...

Lists the topics you can select to learn more about how to play Gettysburg.


About...

Displays copyright and version information about Gettysburg.


Troubleshooting Topics

Click on the following topics to find possible solutions to problems.

Can't Select Icons

Icons Not Moving as Ordered

Low Casualty Counts

Artillery Brigades Not Moving


Icons Not Moving as Ordered

Icons not moving at all

Click Go in Commands toolbox

Select icons again and repeat the marching orders

Icons not moving where I told them to

Select icons again and repeat the marching orders

If the area the troops are in is particularly crowded, you might not have selected the correct brigades or selected ones you did not intend to.  Try removing the brigade lines for a less cluttered view.

The speed at which icons move may vary.  Cavalry brigades move faster than infantry, which moves faster than artillery.  A unit's speed is also affected by terrain--rough ground will slow it down.

Some degree of randomness is built in to the Gettysburg game to reflect the fact that in the actual battle, units did not always follow orders correctly.  Your brigades might have received the orders incorrectly or they may have encountered enemy troops, rough terrain, etc.

Brigades Disengaging

Brigades will disengage automatically when casualties are high.  If you want the troops to fight to the bitter end, change the disengagement orders to disengage only when ordered.


Can't Select Icons

Try clicking a few times.  The mouse response may be slightly slow.

If you are having problems selecting a particular icon out of a group, turn off the Brigade Lines.


Low Casualty Counts

If troops are involved in combat but there are no casualties, the brigades are probably not firing at each other.  Make sure that troops are aiming at the enemy.


Artillery Brigades Not Moving

Artillery brigades move slowly compared to infantry and cavalry brigades.

Fixed Artillery may be turned on.  Disable Fixed Artillery.


End of Day 1

A video summary of the day's fighting on the first day of battle, July 1, 1863.

This video as well as casualty counts appear when you reach the end of Day 1.


End of Day 2

A video summary of the fighting on the second day of battle, July 2, 1863.

This video as well as casualty counts appear when you reach the end of Day 2.


End of Day 3

A video summary of the fighting on the last day of battle, July 3, 1863.

This video as well as casualty counts appear when you reach the end of Day 3.


Click here to exit the dialog box with your changes set.


Click here to exit the dialog box without saving your changes.


Interactive

An interactive simulation combines your input with the computer's commands to affect the outcome of play.


Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg occurred on July 1 through July 3 in 1863, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a small town in the southern part of the state.  There, the Union's Army of the Potomac, under General George G. Meade, and the Confederacy's Army of Northern Virginia, led by General Robert E. Lee, clashed in one of the bloodiest battles of the entire Civil War.

The battle claimed 22,990 Union lives and 20,448 Confederates.  The Confederate defeat at Gettysburg represents a pivotal point in the Civil War.  It effectively prevented Lee's planned invasion of the North, destroyed any hopes of much-needed European aid for the Confederacy,  and claimed so many Rebel lives that Lee's army was never able to fully recover.


Civil War

The Civil War was fought from April 1861 to April 1865 between the Confederate States of America and the United States.

The states that made up the Confederacy were Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Lousiana, and Texas.

The Union included Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, and other territories in the West.


Cavalry

The cavalry was the part of the army that served on horseback.


Infantry

The infantry is the part of the army that serves on foot.


Artillery

Artillery referred both to the projectile-firing guns, such as cannons, and the troops responsible for operating them.


General Meade

General George Gordon Meade, commander of the Army of the Potomac from 1863 until the war ended in 1865, was born on December 31, 1815 in Cadiz, Spain.

At the time of George's birth, his father was a successful American merchant and ship owner who was heavily involved in trade with Spain.  The family's good fortune, however, was not to last.  During the Napoleonic wars, Meade's father supplied Spain with flour on credit.  After the war, Spain was unable to make good on its $491,153 bill.  When the United States signed the Treaty of Florida with Spain in 1819, the U.S. obtained the territory of Florida and in turn agreed to pay up all the remaining debts Spain had with U.S. citizens.  This should have been an answer to the Meades' financial problems; however, despite long years of solicitation, the U.S. never made good on Spain's debt to the Meade family, even though the best lawyers of the day--Webster, Clay, and Choate--defended their claim.

In the meantime, the family returned to America when George was three, and he attended school in Philadelphia and Washington before attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.  He graduated from the academy in 1831 and served in the army until 1836, when he left to persue civil engineering.

In 1842 Meade returned to Army life as part of the corps of topographical engineers.  Most of the time, Meade worked as a surveyor and, among other things, oversaw the construction of lighthouses on the Delaware Bay and the Florida reefs.  He also fought in the Mexican War, part of the time serving with General Zachary Taylor.

When the Civil War broke out, Meade was made a brigadier general of a unit of volunteers.  In 1862, he fought at Mechanicsville, Gaines's Mills, and Glendale, where he was badly wounded.  He recovered, and resumed command of his brigade at the second battle of Bull Run.  At Fredricksburg, his brigade was the only one to penetrate Stonewall Jackson's Confederate lines.  For this feat, Meade was made major-general and put in charge of the V Corps, which he commanded bravely at Chancellorsville.

Meade was considered irascible and moody.  He did not attract the love and devotion of his men, as did General Lee.  In fact, his troops sometimes called him a "goggle-eyed old snapping turtle."  Nevertheless, he was a fearless fighter and, as a result of his valor, he was promoted to the position of commander of the entire Army of the Potomac on June 28, 1865--just in time for the Battle of Gettysburg.

Meade's victory at Gettysburg earned him the rank of brigadier general in the regular army (instead of just in the reserves) and he retained his command of the Army of the Potomac.  When General Grant was appointed commander-in-chief of the Union armies, however, he chose to make his headquarters the Army of the Potomac, which resulted in an odd arrangement between the two generals.  Meade was nominally in charge of the Army of the Potomac, but was Grant's subordinate.

For the remainder of the war, Meade's successes were less dramatic than that at Gettysburg.  He commanded at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg. In August of 1864, he was promoted to major general.

After the war, he commanded the Department of the East, the Military District of Georgia and Alabama, the Department of the South, and the Military Division of the Atlantic.  He died of pneumonia on November 6, 1872.


General Lee

General Robert E. Lee was not only the Confederate's best-loved general, but was and remains today one of the most revered and admired soldiers in United States history.

The Lees were a famous old Virginia family.  They were related to the Carters, Randolphs, and Harrisons and friends of George Washington.  Robert Edward joined the Lee clan in 1807.  By that time, his father had lost the family fortune, and was soon to abandon them for the West Indies.  Robert was raised by his mother and educated near the family home.  He attended West Point and graduated second in his class in 1829.

Lee was appointed to the Army Corps of Engineers as a second lieutenant.  He served in Mexico, where he was brevetted for bravery.  He then became the superintendent of West Point and was later the commander of the Marines who captured John Brown in 1859.

In 1861, however, Virginia seceeded from the Union, and three days later, Lee resigned from his position as lieutenant-colonel in the United States army.  Lee's decision to secede from the Union was not an easy one.  In a letter to his sister, he wrote:

We are now in a state of war which will yield to nothing.  The whole South is in a state of revolution, into which Virginia, after a long struggle, has been drawn; and though I recognize no necessity for this state of things, and would have forborne and pleaded to the end for redress of grievances, real or supposed, yet in my own person I had to meet the question whether I should take part against my native State.  With all my devotion to the Union, and the feeling of loyalty and duty of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home.  I have therefore resigned my commission in the army, and, save in defense of my native State--with the sincere hope that my poor services may never be needed--I hope I may never be called upon to draw my sword.

Despite these words, Lee was appointed commander-in-chief of the Virginia State forces and in May of 1861 was commissioned as full general of the Army of the Potomac.  He commanded the army throughout the Civil War, defeating the Yankees regularly for the first few years in battles such as Bull Run, the Seven Days' battles, Second Bull Run, and Chancellorsville.

Lee was a highly honorable man.  He was nicknamed "the Marble Model" by his classmates at West Point.  Throughout his life, he neither drank nor smoked and remained faithful to his wife.  Despite his ultimate defeat by the Union and the destruction wrought by the northern troops on much of the South, as well as upon his own home in Arlington, Virginia, Lee was never heard to speak harshly about his former opponents, whom he referred to not as the "enemy" but as "those people."

After the war, he swore allegiance to the United States and thus persuaded thousands of his former soldiers to do likewise.  He became president of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, where he instituted curriculum reform and helped the small school thrive.  Lee never returned to his home in Arlington, nor was he ever pardoned by the Congress, which also refused to restore his citizenship.  He died of heart attack in 1870 and was buried in the chapel of the college in Lexington.


Earthworks

Earthworks are constructions made of piled earth (such as dirt, rocks, etc.) used for protection against enemy fire.


Flank

The flank is the extreme right or left side of an army.  When you are "flanking" your enemy, you are attacking the exreme right or left side of his formation.

The flank is a vulnerable area because the unit being attacked is unable to effectively return fire.


Strategy and Tactics

The military differentiates between "strategy" and "tactics."

"Strategy" applies to the usage of all a nation's forces through long-range and large-scale planning to enforce victory or national security.

"Tactics" refers to the use and deployment of force in actual combat.