The Battle Of Gettysburg: Catastrophe And Death

“My dead and wounded were nearly as great in numbers as those still on duty”. This quote from Colonel William C. Oates demonstrates the catastrophe and death that occurred in Gettysburg. The battle of Gettysburg started early July 1st 1863, when General Robert E. lee led his army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania in late June. The Union army, led by General George G. Meade, was staying in the town of Gettysburg. The battle went on to last until July 3rd, when that night General Lee pulled his forces out of Gettysburg and pushed back to Virginia. The Battle of Gettysburg began early on the morning of July 1st, when General Lee lead his army into Gettysburg to attempt his second invasion of the north. The battle started when Major General Henry

General Lee, was known for his aggressiveness on the battlefield, but on this day, it lost him the battle. He ordered a group of 15,000 men to strike the Union center, which held about 6,500 at the time, but had reinforcements nearby. The South had penetrated the Union center, until more of the Unions reinforcements arrived, pushing them back. As the Confederates kept being pushed back, only a few survivors remained. As they straggled back , they passed General Lee, who stated “It is my fault” (History.net). In conclusion, this battle was the turning point of the war. With this Confederate loss, it forced the British to not help them in the war, leaving them with no other help. This battle also took the lives of half of General lees army. Although both sides took major casualties, the south took the worse of the two. The Confederate army lost nearly 28,000 soldiers, while the Union Army lost around 23,000. This battle was the turning point in the war, demoralizing the South, and a rejoicing win for the North. If the South would have won, the war would have probably had a different outcome than it