Gettysburg Journal Entry- Bruce Stanton

Bruce Stanton's Journal

July 1st, 1863
            The first day of the battle is over. Our troops are currently in Pennsylvania. We had started fighting just west of Gettysburg while being led by General Buford. Fighting was very intense, but reinforcements soon arrived before things got too out of hand. By the end of the day, we were pushed back into town.

July 2nd, 1863
            A long day of fighting has ended. The time is about 11 pm, although fighting ceased at about 10 pm. We began positioned from Culp’s Hill to Cemetery Ridge. Rebels were attacking us endlessly up the hill, and many lives were lost. It was a very bloody day, but I know the fighting is barely over. General Meade is a very smart man, and he seems to be leading us well. A Maine regiment had no more ammunition, so they had to fix their bayonets and fight. They went down Little Round Top and kept Confederate soldiers from attacking the back of our army. It's hard to keep count, but a lot of men have been lost. It has only been two days, hopefully, the tide of the battle turns soon.

July 3rd, 1863
            It seems the battle is finally over. We had won! Good news will finally spread around our Northern homes and families. We had fought some more when Rebel forces tried to attack our center. They were fools to believe they could defeat us. Barely half of their men tried to run, but we captured and killed most of them. The Rebel troops retreated back to their home over Potomac River. The Civil war is now in our hands, and I have no doubt we will win.

November 19, 1863
            Today President Lincoln has given us a speech, lifting our spirits from our lost men in battle. About 23,000 men were lost on our side, so they were buried here in Pennsylvania. Lincoln's speech was incredibly impactful, and I can only hope that this speech impacts those in the future too.