Facts About Gettysburg the Battle

Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is so iconic in the annals of history that it may have eclipsed the battle that prompted it. The Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War (1861-1865) was a monumental and devastating event, the results of which historians are still dissecting and debating.

Time Frame

The battle took place from July 1-3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the U.S., was serving his first term in office.

Armies

The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, under the command of Gen. Robert E. Lee, fought the Union Army of the Potomac, under newly appointed commander Maj. Gen. George Meade.

Location

There were smaller battles and skirmishes between Union and Confederate troops farther north, but Gettysburg was the northernmost major battle site of the Civil War.

Purpose

After the town of Vicksburg, Mississippi, fell to Union troops, Lee was driving his men north in search of a much needed victory on Northern soil when the two armies clashed at Gettysburg.

Effects

The Union won the battle---considered the turning point of the war by most historians---but the human costs were high for both sides, with about 51,000 total casualties. Lee and his army retreated south across the Potomac River after the battle, and the war continued for almost two more years.

References

• National Park Service---Gettysburg Battle
• Casaulties in the battle

Resources

• Gettysburg National Military Park