The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the Civil War. It was also the bloodiest battle and involved the most casualties in American history. The battle lasted for three days (1-3 July 1863). It is considered the turning point of the Civil War because it was the Union army’s first major victory over Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army after a number of unsuccessful campaigns.
The Union army, led by General George Meade, was victorious. Confederate General Robert E. Lee was forced to retreat after being defeated by Meade at Gettysburg on July 3rd 1863, marking a major defeat for the South.
The battle resulted in the largest number of casualties in any single battle during the Civil War: the battle involved some 75,000 men and produced about 51,000 casualties for both sides: about 23,000 Union and 28,000 Confederate soldiers were killed or wounded during this battle alone! Plus another 4,500 captured or missing for both sides combined — representing a quarter of all those engaged at Gettysburg.
The Battle of Gettysburg was essentially a victory for the Union Army but it did not end the war as hoped.
