FUN WITH MAPS ISSUE 2026-114

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (July 3, 2026) – This edition of FWM is a most famous day in Civil War led by a horseback assault.

PICKETT’S CHARGE

July 3, 1863 was the third and final day of the Battle of Gettysburg, ending in a Union victory and stopping General Robert E. Lee’s march to the north.

Although the Civil War continued for two more years, the Battle of Gettysburg is considered a turning point for the Union Army.  Until then, Lee seemed to be an invincible opponent.

The main engagement of the third day was the cavalry assault known as Pickett’s Charge.  The Confederates, at that point, were in short supply of artillery and turned to the horse soldiers to lead the main charge.  Although Pickett got the credit and name, his was only one of nine units involved in the skirmish, albeit the leader of the attack.

At the end of the three-day conflict, over 50,000 soldiers had died in battle, including nine generals.  Four months later President Lincoln visited the site to pay homage to the soldiers in his Gettysburg Address.

Today the Gettysburg National Cemetery and Gettysburg National Military Park are run by the US National Park Service and serve as a memorial to the Civil War’s bloodiest battle.

This is a view portraying Pickett’s Charge by Bachelder from 1876.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps. Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.