Julius Erwin Bates

Julius Erwin Bates was born in 1841 in Alabama.  He is the 5th child of 13.  He is the son of John Crenshaw Bates and Catherine Hardin Bates.  He was twenty years old when he enlisted on August 1, 1861 in Macon County, Alabama.  He joined Company K, 12th Alabama Infantry and his rank was 3rd Lt. in his regiment.  He died at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3rd or 4th 1863.  

Julius Erwin Bates Confederate Records

The Twelfth Alabama was organized at Richmond in July1861, and at once moved to the Potomac "front." It was first brigaded under Gen. Ewell of Virginia, who was soon after succeeded by Gen. Rodes of Tuskaloosa. The regiment lay near Manassas during the fall and winter, and moved to Yorktown in the spring of 1862. It was under fire there, and suffered lightly at Williamsburg. At Seven Pines the regiment was in the advance that opened the battle, and stormed the redoubt held by Casey's division, carrying three lines of works by succesive charges, and losing 70 killed and 141 wounded - more than half it had engaged. It participated to some extent in the other battles before Richmond, and mustered 120 men for duty after the battle of Malvern Hill. Still under Rodes, and in D. H. Hill's division, and brigaded with the Third, Fifth, Sixth, and Twenty-sixth Alabama regiments, the Twelfth was in the advance into Maryland. It bore a conspicuous part at Boonsboro, and also at Sharpsburg, losing in these bloody conflicts 27 killed, 69 wounded, and 33 missing out its thinned ranks. Retiring into Virginia with the army, the regiment wintered on the Rappahannock. It was under fire but not actively engaged at Fredericksburg; but it was in the resistless column of Rodes at Chancellorsville, where Col. O'Neal led the brigade, and where the Twelfth charged three lines of breastworks, and was badly mutilated. It skirmished at Brandy Station, and again led the way over the Potomac. At Gettysburg it was on the extreme left, and pressed the enemy in confusion through the town, then supported the grand assault, and afterwards covered the rear.

On the warm morning of July 1st, 1863, a small Union cavalry brigade encountered 2 brigades of advancing confederate troops. With breech loading carbines, the Union troops were capable of getting off eight shots per minute to the Confederate's three. Despite smaller numbers, the Union's technology held the Confederates at bay. Quickly both sides called for reinforcements, and the Battle picked up.

The first day was fought fiercely at high cost to those present, but was nothing compared to what was to come.
That first day, several thousand federals managed to make it up Cemetery Ridge, a strategic lookout over the field. By night fall, the federals had a defensive line three and a half miles long, following strategic landmarks of the area, later to be a part of the Gettysburg Cemetery, which resembled a large fish hook. The Union had a distinct advantage in this battle, they were on the defensive, on their own turf.

The confederates had also assembled quite a formidable force, about 50,000 strong, to the federals 60,000 on Seminary Ridge, and another 20,000 in transit. Lee said to his troops that night, "The enemy is here, if we do not whip him, he will whip us." His strategy was simple, break through any part of the fishhook defense.

Day 2...

By the start of day two, over 75,000 confederate forces were positioned along seminary ridge, a ridge of wooded area parallel to the union's defenses along Cemetery Ridge and Culp's hill. Lee started off the day with a full fledged attack against the well positioned northern troops with a 150 gun volley, that was quickly replied with a one hundred cannon volley. At this point, the north decided to save ammo and wait for the ensuing enemy.
Early attempted to take Culp's hill, but was decisively repulsed by the defending Unionists.
As the second day wound to an end, it was apparent that the northern fish hook was still intact, although battered, it had risen victorious.

Day 3... The deciding moment