Battle of Gettysburg: The Turning Point
Left: Confederate General Robert E. Lee
Right: Union General George G. Meade
The Battle of Gettysburg was faught in the free state of Pennsylvania on July 1,1863 and it lasted two days to July 3, 1863. This battle was started by the confederate army. They invaded Union soil and open fired. The generals involved in this battle were General Robert E. Lee on the confederate side and General George G. Meade on the Union Side.
Lee commanded 65,000 trops and Meade commanded about 85,00 men.On July 1, the advancing Confederates clashed with the Union's Army of the Potomac, commanded by General George G. Meade, at the town of Gettysburg. It is is credited to be one of the most important engagment of the Civil War. The plan, known as "Pickett's Charge," managed to break through the Union lines but eventually failed, at the cost of thousands of rebel casualties, and Lee was forced to retreat towarsd Virginia on July 4. both sides suffered tremendous casualties. The losses at gettysburg were the greatest of any battle in the Civil War. The Union lost 23,049 men, while the Confederacy lost 28,063. At this point in time you realize that the Confederate army had alot less men than the union. This battle hit them hard, because their meager population was unable to withstand such heavy casualties, and Lee's army was never able to launch another offensive attack on Union territory.
Fun Facts!! 1) Did you know that the whole battle was started over shoes! At this time most southerners did not have enough shoes so the battle was started by a contingent of soldiers going to Gettysburg, because there was a shoe factory present. 2) Also, did you know that the oldest soldier to fight in the civil war volunteered in the middle of the Battle of Gettysburg: John L. Burns, a resident of Gettysburg, was 70 years when the battle started. The man hearing the death cries of his country ran out to battle with a gun and became part of the front line. 3) Oh, and Robert E. Lee, the Confederate General, suffered from a heart attack the night before the the Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the major turning points in the Civil War. It changed the whole aspect of the war. Many people changed their views on who would come out victorious in the end. The Battle allowed the Union to control Confederate territory. It was a major hit to the Confederate Army. The Union was now in control and wasn't about to give up it's power.
Citations:
Koski, Dustin. "Top 10 Interesting Facts about
Gettysburg." Toptenz. N.p., 21 Jun 2012. Web. 22 Jan
2013.
< http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-interesting-facts-about-gettysburg.php>.
Jones, Brian. "The Importance of the Battle of
Gettysburg." Enzine Articles. N.p., 13 Jan 2010. Web. 22
Jan 2013.
< http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Importance-of-the-Battle-of-
Gettysburg&id=3570513>.
Gallagher, Gary W., ed. The First Day at Gettysburg: Essays on
Confederate and Union Leadership. Kent Ohio: Kent State
University Press, 1992.
Koski, Dustin. "Top 10 Interesting Facts about
Gettysburg." Toptenz. N.p., 21 Jun 2012. Web. 22 Jan
2013.
< http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-interesting-facts-about-gettysburg.php>.
Jones, Brian. "The Importance of the Battle of
Gettysburg." Enzine Articles. N.p., 13 Jan 2010. Web. 22
Jan 2013.
< http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Importance-of-the-Battle-of-
Gettysburg&id=3570513>.
Gallagher, Gary W., ed. The First Day at Gettysburg: Essays on
Confederate and Union Leadership. Kent Ohio: Kent State
University Press, 1992.