The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War and has been regarded as the turning point in the war. It stood by the city of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania between July 1 and July 3, 1863. The North States won the battle. Abraham Lincoln gave his most famous speech here, right after the battle.
The two armies first faced each other on July 1st. The battles were fought just north of the city, where cavalry from the northern states tried to defend some altitude. The cavalry eventually received support from two corps, but two large corps from the southern states attacked the northern states' lines from the north and northeast. The northern defense lines did not resist this attack and the troops had to flee through the city and up some hills just south of the city.
The next morning, large parts of both armies had gathered in and around Gettysburg. The northern states had positioned the forces along the high ridge south of the city, giving the front lines the shape of a fishing hook. Throughout the day, the positions of the northern states were attacked, but despite heavy losses, the lines continued.
On the third day, July 3, 1863, fighting continued along the line. However, the main battle was at the center of the northern states' lines, where the southern forces attempted a last push to break through the lines. The southern states sent 12,500 infantrymen 1,600 meters above open countryside under heavy artillery fire against the northern states' forces, which had built up a defense of stones and twigs. The southern state forces suffered heavy losses as they reached the northern states' lines and although parts of the northern states' lines collapsed, the southern forces failed to break through. This attack has subsequently been named Pickett's Charge, after one of the southern generals in the attack.
During the three days the battle lasted, approx. 50,000 killed and approx. 15,000 injured, the battle was the one with the greatest losses during the Civil War.
The Battle of Gettysburg marked a decisive moment in the war, as it thwarted the great hopes of Lee and Davis and strengthened the determination of President Abraham Lincoln and the states of the Union to continue the conflict until the total submission of the secessionist states.
