The Battle of Gettysburg
The Turning Point of the Civil War
Background Information
- The battle was fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863. It was an important victory for the North because the South couldn't recover from the amount of deaths in the 3 day battle
- The Union lost 23,000 men while the Confederate lost 28,000(which was more than a third of General Lee's army)
- The Union Army of the Potomac was led by General George G. Meade
- The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia was led by General Robert E. Lee
- Pickett's Charge was the final blow that weakened the Rebels because they lost 7,500 men just in one charge
Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge was a failed attempt by Lee's Army to try and land a major blow to the Union Army. It left 7,500 Rebels dead
Aftermath of the Battle
This graphic image of dead Confederate men showed Americans across the nation how brutal the Civil War really was
The Generals
The Union Army at Gettysburg was led by George M. Meade and the Confederate Army was led by Robert E. Lee
Fun Fact
The people who lived in Gettysburg became very ill after the battle because of all the dead bodies that began to decay in the fields where the battle had taken place.
Pictures
Gettysburg Casualties
The Battle of Gettysburg left a total of 51, 112 Americans dead in 3 days and was one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War
Abe Lincoln at Gettysburg
On November 19, 1863 Abraham Lincoln gave the iconic "Gettysburg Address" at the battlefield of Gettysburg to remember the fallen Americans at the battle
North vs South
The North wanted the South to stay in the United States but the South to form their own country so they could expand slavery to the West
Statue of George Meade
This statue is located in Gettysburg in honor of the Union General George M. Meade. He was riding his horse Old Baldy
The Union General
General George M. Meade had only been in the General of the Union Army of the Potomac for 3 days and he defeated Lee's Army at Gettysburg
The Soldier's National Cemetery
Abraham Lincoln had this cemetery built in honor of the fallen Union soldiers