Ben Schaeffer assignment 4

Ben Schaeffer. History in Pictures Assignment 4

This is a photo of  a Confederate Soldier on Devils Den. Just before this photo was taken, the bloodiest battle of the American Civil Was fought. In June of 1863, Robert E. Lee boldly pushed into the North with hopes of gaining the upper hand in the war. He clashed with the Union army at Gettysburg on July 1. They met for a number of reasons but mainly because Gettysburg was where many main roads converged. Given that Lee had a lot of his army and Gettysburg was close to D.C., a lot of men were brought in on both sides resulting in a massive battle that raged on for three days. This famous picture was taken on Devils Den, a cluster of boulders near the union flank that confederates attacked on the second day. It shows the brutality of war and is a grim reminder of just how difficult this period was for Americans. Usually, we look at war pictures and feel distant, but this battle was fought in southern Pennsylvania. When this picture was first published, people felt a sense of pity and wanting the cruel war to be over. The solider's lifeless body sprawled on the rocks really hits home. The picture tells the story of a man who fought and died for his country, instilling patriotism in many. The rifle near him lets us know that he also contributed to the fighting.