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BELLEVILLE -- Many historians consider Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg as the turning point of the Civil War for the Union Army.
Mark DeVecchis, who focuses on the Revolutionary and Civil wars, is one of them. DeVecchis is the president of the American Revolution Roundtable of Central Pennsylvania and is a frequent guest columnist for The Sentinel.
DeVecchis will be the presenter at the Kishacoquillas Valley Historical Society's annual meeting on Monday, May 1, at the Activity Center in the Union Township Building, 95 N. Penn St., Belleville. A short business meeting begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by Devecchis' program, "Thoughts on the Battle Line ... What Made the Soldiers Fight?"
"Come join us for what will be an interesting and educational evening," said Denise Chester, president of the Kishacoquillas Valley Historical Society.
"Mark will take a look into what motivates soldiers to go to battle in the face of sometimes overwhelming odds, such as what happened to the Confederates at Pickett's Charge."
It was truly a battlefield of bloodshed for the Confederate States Army which suffered more than 6,500 casualties in less than an hour of fighting. Confederate casualties during the charge accounted for about 13 percent of all casualties on both sides during the Battle of Gettysburg, and 23 percent of all Confederate casualties during the battle.
Union Gen. George Meade refused to counterattack, having witnessed what his artillery had done to the Confederates, he wouldn't allow a role reversal by attacking across the same killing fields.
The Union themselves were battered and worn down from the assault, amassing 1,500 killed and wounded from the charge and many more from the previous two days of fighting.
Soldiers marched to their certain death under the direction of Gen. Robert E. Lee, who later expressed deep regret for ordering the charge.
After the fighting, Lee told a general, "This has all been my fault." That was of little solace for Confederate officers, like Gen. George Pickett, who was seen weeping over the loss of half of his division.
The meeting and program are open to the public. Admission is free. Only members are eligible to vote during the business meeting.