The Battle of Gettysburg was considered one of the most important battles fought in the Civil war. This battle was fought from July 1st to July 3rd, 1863. Although it may have been a short battle, it turned the Civil war into a completely different direction. Before Robert E. Lee’s attempt at Pickett’s Charge, the Confederates had been defeating the Union countless times. The battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the civil war because Robert E. Lee’s attempt to invade Union Territory ultimately failed, the Confederates lost a lot of soldiers, and the Union’s army of Potomac was now winning the civil war instead of the Confederates. (History.com)
Robert E. Lee’s attempt to invade Union territory ultimately failed because the Union was much more prepared, the Confederates were unaware of the extra time the Union forces had, and Robert E. Lee was confident and felt that his army could defeat the Union.The Confederates had just successfully accomplished a big victory over Union forces at Chancellorsville. Due to great pride, Robert E. Lee marched his army into Pennsylvania in late June 1863. The plan - later known as Pickett’s charge – was
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It had been three long and hard days of fighting. With Robert E. Lee’s defeat by the army of Potomac,the Confederate forces were forced to retreat. Lee’s army had been unprepared for the strength and ferocity of the Union forces under the newly named Potomac army commander, General George G.Meade. (civilwar.org). Without the strong, ferocious army they had before, the Confederates couldn’t fight the way they used to. Robert E. Lee started with an army of 75,000 soldiers. An estimated 51,000 soldiers had become casualties (killed,wounded, captured or missing) in what became, and still is, the largest battle in North American history. Colonel William C. Oates said, “My dead and wounded were nearly as great in number as those still on
Some people may argue that these are not the reasons why it was a turning point. Some people may say that both Union and Confederate did not lose a significant of soldiers. If you look at Document B Chart it shows you the estimated casualties at Gettysburg and it was a lot. Some people may say that the Confederate did not lose The Battle of Gettysburg. General Robert E. Lee clearly states that the Confederate lost the battle in Document B.
Lee’s most famous victory came at the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, where he outmaneuvered and defeated a Union army twice the size of his own. However, his invasion of the North was halted at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, which is widely regarded as the turning point of the war. Despite his tactical brilliance, Lee could not overcome the Union’s superior resources and manpower. He surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, effectively ending the war.
On July 3rd of 1863, the biggest battle of the American Civil War ended, and became an extremely important event in American history. Before the Battle of Gettysburg, the siege of Vicksburg occurred which shut down the Mississippi River to Southern Transport which was conducted by Ulysses S. Grant. In the North Robert E. Lee’s army was marching into southern Pennsylvania while another Confederate cavalry was entering Pennsylvania from the east, an invasion was clearly taking place in the month of July in the year of 1863. The Union and Confederate army both had around an army of 75,000. The commander of the Union was a new commander appointed by President Lincoln named George Meade, and the leader of the Confederate army was General Robert E. Lee.
One reason Lee was blamed for them losing was because he didn’t do what was best for what men he did have or to save them. A huge mistake was also stated by Fan, “General Longstreet urges a move around the Union Army flank on the right taking them from behind, however, General Lee orders famous Confederate General John Bell Hood to take his entire division in a frontal assault up a steep, rocky hill, known as
Lee had to invade the North and force an end to the war failed. If Lee’s plans had succeeded, his troops might have surrounded, or even conquered, the nation’s capital. The federal government ran the risk of being completely disabled and conquered. The battle was also significant because of its enormous size. It was one of the largest battles of the civil war and had the highest death toll of any of the other battles.
Why was the battle of Gettysburg a turning point The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the battles of the American civil war. Called the turning point of the war the Battle of Gettysburg was a Union victory. This was the victory the Union needed to turn the outcome of the battle around.
Battles played a huge role in the American Civil War. The Union and the Confederacy both looked at times as if they would win the war. Then, at a battle or key point, the momentum would change and the advantage would flip to the other side. In 1962, the Union appeared to be on top and the war was in their favor. However, with the appointment of Robert E. Lee to the command of the Confederate army along with a string of victories led by Stonewall Jackson, the Confederate side started to gain momentum and turn the tide in their favor.
The ideas of freedom for slaves in America did not come from thin air. Those ideas grew and changed before, during, and after the Civil War was fought. Even before then the Mexican American War was the start of those ideas. In Battle Cry of Freedom, James McPherson referred to Ralph Waldo Emmerson’s prophecy that of Mexico poisoning America. He goes about proving this by showing how the Mexican American war started the discussion over slavery, the catalyst to the Civil War, and eventually the change in America’s definition of freedom.
The Civil War was a time of great change and strife for America. The Union was making an effort to stomp out the last of the rebellion the Confederates had created. In one of the first major battles of the Civil War, the Battle of Chancellorsville, a surprising outcome occurred and allowed for a change in the morale of the Confederates. Major General Joseph Hooker of the Union and General Robert E. Lee of the Confederates were both fighting to gain initiative and morale for their soldiers. The leader of the Confederates; General Robert E. Lee, fought for rights for the Southern States.
Lee was so fearless he determined to invade the North reiteratively. Robert E. Lee strategy was to drift the fighting away from Virginia and into the Union Territory. He wanted to move the fighting, because the Confederate were under siege in Virginia. Lee hoped to gain recognition from Britain and France for the Confederacy. Joesph Hooker,the Union commander, was exposed to the worst defeat of the Army of Potomac in the Battle of Chancellorsville.
Robert E. Lee the General of the Confederate Army knew the North had a greater advantage in supplies and army, while the South struggled with food and equipment. Lee knew that they would eventually grow weaker and weaker until the North over took them. Lee's plan was to take the battle up North in a move up the Shenandoah Valley. He knew that up North he could take advantage of the farmers and the rich crop land. Also moving up North he knew that it would threaten Union cities such as Baltimore, Harrisburg and Philadelphia.
Lee’s plan was to take 60,000 troops north and take out as many military targets as possible. As his troops traveled north they collected various supplies from every farm and town they came across which strengthened his cause. His main goal was to head to the largest cities in the North which would greatly decimate the northerner’s capability and spirits. While traveling Major General George Meade was positioning his troops between Lee’s troops and the Capital until General Lee learned of his in Pennsylvania. This quickly prompted his attack on Gettysburg where on the first day 50,000 soldiers clashed in battle killing or injuring over 15,000.
The Battle of Gettysburg was July 1 - July 3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg was a game changer in the Civil War for 3 reasons: the geography, morale, and losses. The first reason Gettysburg was a turning point-or game changer- was because the Confederates lost a lot of men. The Confederates lost about 34% of their men (Document B.)
Why was The Battle of Gettysburg a Turning Point of the War? The Civil War had many battles and out of all of those battles, The Battle of Gettysburg was the most important. This was because it was the turning point for the whole war. The Battle of Gettysburg was important because of many different reasons.
What led to this battle, was General Robert. E. Lee, was leading his army to Pennsylvania, to try to gain a food advantage over the North. Unbeknownst to both sides, this would be the first battle in the North. Lee had hoped that with a northern victory, external countries would view the south as an organized country, and not a group of “rag tag bandits”, as some northerner’s called the south. He also hoped that a northern victory would finally make the Union allow the South to become its own country.