The Battle of Gettysburg Multiple Choice Quiz | 10 Questions

Answer: 26th Emergency Regiment

The 26th Emergency Regiment was formed a few weeks before the battle of Gettysburg. They met the Confederates at Marsh Creek. In a matter of minutes the 26th Emergency Regiment became a disorganized mob, most were captured on the spot, but others scrambled for their lives and got away.

Answer: General Heth's

When the Confederates first met General Buford's men, the Confederates thought they were only local milita. During the first few hours, Buford wasn't pushed at all. Buford found pride and determined conduct in his men, but knew he couldn't hold forever against the increasing number of Confederates who swept in.

He sent a rider to General Reynolds to speed up his infantry. Once General Reynolds got there, Buford's weakened cavalry was set aside for the rest of the battle.

Answer: The Iron Brigade

The Iron Brigade were experienced veterans who knew their job. Buford's men were glad to see the black-hatted Iron Brigade coming. They had been fighting for hours, unused to this kind of warfare; most of their ammunition pouches were empty.

Answer: head

There is disagreement among historians as to whether he was shot by a Confederate sniper or by friendly fire. The bullet went clean through Reynolds's skull, killing him instantly. He was one of the first to die.

Answer: John Burns

John Burns was an old war veteran from the wars against the Indians. He joined the Union soldiers at Sementary Ridge with his old rifle. Some soldiers gave him a newer rifle, and he went up to help some men closer to the fighting. No one is sure if he died in the battle, but his commanding officer said "I never saw John Burns after our movement to the right. I only know that he was true blue and grit to the backbone, and fought until he was three times wounded."

Answer: General Sykes

The Fifth Corps had marched all day to get to Gettysburg, but then were sent to defend Little Round Top immediately. If the Confederacy captured Little Round Top, the whole Union army would fall. The outnumbered corps held the hill and were relieved the next day.

Answer: No

The 1st Minnesota held against amazing odds. The 1st Minnesota regiment lost 86% of its memebers in fifteen minutes. Such a thing has never happened in American history except during an Indian massacare. Here is what happened to the commanding officers during the battle: Colonel Colvil was wounded in the first few minutes, Capt. Messick took command. Soon he was killed. Captin Farell then took command.

He fell bleeding. Captain Muller was next. He was wounded soon, so Captain Periam commanded the regiment until a bullet found him.

When this bitter fight ended, Captain Henry C. Coates was at the head of the survivors-the sixth officer to succeed in command. Of the 262 men, only 25 were left.

Answer: False

Though the Southern army lacked much by way of equipment, the powder in their cartidges was better than the Yankee ammunition. It was brought from Europe by sly sea captains who guided blockade-running vessels past Northern fleets guarding all the Southern ports.

Many ships slid regularly in and out, under the cover of darkness and fog. On their return voyages they brought the finest gunpowder which French and British arsenals could provide.

Answer: Louisiana

The Louisiana Tigers were a prize brigade of the Southern army. They crept silently toward the walls. The battle was short but bitter. The Federals had mounted guns on Culp's Hill, and there were cannon in the cemetery itself. For a time it was a hand-to-hand struggle. Cannoneers fought with their ramrods when gray men came whooping among them. Rocks were hurled. People were slugged and choked with bare hands. Union reinforcements came sprinting across the cemetery, stumbling over graves and tombstones, but rushing on the wall were the Confederate attack swayed. Under this fresh onset, the Tigers and their supporters gave way. Once removed from Yankee position, they received the full blast of canister fire on their front from Culp's Hill on their left. Nearly a thousand of them lay helpless when the survivors had drifted to the darkened valley.

Answer: Napoleons

These weapons were fired at enemy troops when they came close. Powder would be put in the barrel, then bags of small balls (or big round cannon balls). Sometimes cannon were stuffed full of scrap metal-old rusty nails, anything that could be blasted forth and thus kill approaching enemies.