Slavers made a brilliant decision to charge the center of the Union lines, whom were embedded and fortified on a hill. 7,000 confederates were taken out in just an hour.
It single handedly ended their offensive into the North, and they were on the backfoot for the rest of the war.
Lee had attacked the Union's northern and southern flanks and were repelled. So Lee thought Meade had heavily fortified his flanks and left his center weak. Instead, the north barely held onto its flanks and was using the center to hold all of its reserves. The Northern defense of the southern flank is legendary: a downhill sweeping charge by the very last standing regiment at the very end of the flank saved the day. See "little round top" for more.
That said, anyone could just look at the field in the center and conclude any assault was suicide but southern chivalry was in full swing.
Pickett's Charge, an action in the American Civil War where the Confederates rushed prepared Union defenses and got owned by machine guns
got owned by machine guns
This didn't happen, machine guns weren't used in any major actions during the civil war. Pickett's charge was repelled by canister shot and musket fire.
(CW: Gore)
spoiler
I own a musket for home defense, since that's what the founding fathers intended. Four ruffians break into my house. "What the devil?" As I grab my powdered wig and Kentucky rifle. Blow a golf ball sized hole through the first man, he's dead on the spot. Draw my pistol on the second man, miss him entirely because it's smoothbore and nails the neighbors dog. I have to resort to the cannon mounted at the top of the stairs loaded with grape shot, "Tally ho lads" the grape shot shreds two men in the blast, the sound and extra shrapnel set off car alarms. Fix bayonet and charge the last terrified rapscallion. He Bleeds out waiting on the police to arrive since triangular bayonet wounds are impossible to stitch up. Just as the founding fathers intended.
I wouldn't even call the Gatling gun a "machine gun". You had to hand crank the beast.
Away down South in the land of traitors, rattlesnakes and alligators Right away! Come away! Right away! Right away, come away! Where cotton's king and men are chattels Union boys will win the battles
Chamberlain was one of the toughest motherfuckers born
He got shot like thirty times and refused to die
