Essays on Gettysburg

July 1–3, 1863

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

The Battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle marked the turning point of the Civil War. The three-day fight was the bloodiest battle of the conflict, with more than 50,000 losses from both sides. After a great victory over Union forces at Chancellorsville, General Robert E. Lee marched his Army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania in late June 1863.

The battle marked the turning point of the Civil War, as the battle was a crushing defeat for the Confederacy. About 51,000 soldiers from both armies were casualties in the three-day battle.