The Battle of Gettysburg was important to history because it helped the Union gain the upper hand in the Civil War. This led to the Union winning the war and the abolishment of slavery in the United States.
The Battle of Gettysburg was the most important battle in the American Civil War. It was fought from July 1, 1863 and July 3, 1863 outside the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. General George G. Meade led the Union against the Confederates, who were led by General Robert E. Lee. There were 51,112 total casualties in the battle, with approximately 23,049 casualties on the Union side and approximately 28,063 Confederate casualties.
General Robert E. Lee and the Confederates had just gotten a great victory over the Union at Chancellorsville, giving them the confidence to march into the North, the Union’s territory. They were heading into Gettysburg on June 30 in search of shoes for their soldiers when they spotted Union forces approaching the town. They retreated until the next day, when they attacked the Union forces outside Gettysburg, overwhelming them. A Union officer at Gettysburg, Frank Aretas Haskell, described the chaotic and violence-filled atmosphere at the beginning of the battle, saying, “O, the din and the roar, and these thirty thousand Rebel wolf cries! What a hell is there down that valley!” (Haskell 24)
After heavy casualties on both sides, the Union forces were pushed back through Gettysburg, regrouping along the hills south of the town, Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill.
“Lee ordered Confederate General R.S. Ewell to seize the high ground from the battle weary Federals ‘if practicable.’ ” (“Battle of Gettysburg”) Ewell hesitated to attack, allowing the Union forces to dig in and bring in reinforcem...
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...o on July 4) irrevocably turned the tide of the Civil War in the Union’s favor.” (“Battle of Gettysburg”)
On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln gave hi famous Gettysburg Address. “Four months after the battle, President Lincoln used the dedication ceremony for Gettysburg's Soldiers National Cemetery to honor the fallen Union soldiers and redefine the purpose of the war in his historic Gettysburg Address.” (“Gettysburg”) Although the speech was only 272 words long, it helped the Union because it changed people’s minds on the Union’s cause.
I believe that the Battle of Gettysburg was ultimately a good thing, because it helped the Union win the Civil War and reunite the United States. It also led to the abolishment of slavery in the United States. The battle gave the Union a rallying point in the war, leading to the Union’s victory in the Civil War.
From July 1st to July 3rd, 1863, the most famous and most important Civil War Battle took place in the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Confederates under Robert E. Lee advanced on the Union in hopes of taking the major city of Philadelphia, Baltimore, or even Washington D.C. Union commander General George Meade was sent to make sure none of this would happen. General Robert E. Lee was determined to invade the North and win a victory important for southern morale, leads his army toward Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he hopes to destroy railroad bridges linking east with west. He is unaware that a large union force headed by General Meade is headed in the same direction.
The famous Battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1 to July 3 of 1863 in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle proved to show the most casualties of the entire war and resulted in a crushing defeat of the Confederates. The Battle of Gettysburg is generally considered to be the turning point of the American Civil War. This paper will demonstrate the various reasons as to why the Confederates, led by General Robert E. Lee, were unsuccessful in the Battle of Gettysburg during their invasion of the north. General Lee’s over-confidence, the confederate army’s disorganization and failed coordination, and the shift of intelligence all contributed to the crushing defeat of the confederates at Gettysburg. Following his “flawless” battle at Chancellorsville, General Lee was instilled with absolute confidence in his men and failed to see any deficiencies in his army’s offensive capabilities. Lee was not only over-confident, but also knew less than his opponent during the most crucial stages of the battle. The final contributing factor as to why the confederates were defeated was Alexander’s failure to provide effective artillery bombardment and his failure to advise General Pickett not to make the charge after the ineffective bombardment.
The Battle of Gettysburg lead by Robert E. Lee was a three-day battle and was an immense turning point in the war for the Confederate army. Lee had designed brilliant plans for battle, but they were not always fully thought out and executed. Furthermore at Gettysburg Lee’s battle plans seemed to be a big guess or gamble and not really certain at all. Having well thought out
The Gettysburg Address given by President Lincoln in the November following the Battle of Gettysburg acted as a call to arms. This speech gave the North a sense of pride and reassured them that they did have a chance at winning the Civil War. In The Gettysburg Address, Lincoln tells the audience not to let the men who died in the battle die in vain he tells them that their dedication will lead to a “new birth of freedom” in the nation(document D). This newly found sense of pride and hope led confidence which was something that the Confederate army was lacking at the
At 7:30am, on Wednesday, July 1st, 1863, at the intersection of Knoxlyn Rd and US Rt. 30 Chambersburg Pike, a shot was fired by Lieutenant Marcellus Jones. This shot would not be forgotten, as it was the beginning of what would turn into one of the biggest turning points of the Civil War; The Battle of Gettysburg. This three day streak of combat would later be referred to as the “High Water Mark of the Rebellion.” With the outcome being an overall Union victory, the Battle of Gettysburg would mark the point at which the Union would place the Confederacy on the defensive and end General Robert E. Lee’s most ambitious attempt to seize Union territory. The Battle of Gettysburg was so critical, in fact, that it lead to one of the most vital documents written in United States history, the Gettysburg Address. How exactly did this battle guide President Abraham Lincoln to write the Gettysburg Address is a common question among many.
The battle of Gettysburg was the most important battle in the Civil War and in shaping our county. The Battle of Little Round Top was noted as the most important battle in the Battle of Gettysburg. Located in Gettysburg Pennsylvania is little round top which is the smaller of two hills south of Gettysburg Pennsylvania, between Emmetsburg and Taneytown roads. During the second day of the battel of Gettysburg, little round became a key location in winning the battel.
Throughout the American Civil War there were several important battles. Each with its own significance towards the outcome of the Civil War. Although the Battle of Gettysburg was known as the changing of the Civil War, it was not as important as the Battle of Vicksburg. “It was also very probably the most important part of the Confederacy at the time” (Lepa pg. 16). The Battle of Gettysburg was not located along the supply route between the two southern regions. It was an attempted invasion into northern states. Both battles ended around the same time but because it was General Lee that lost it was a bigger story. While Lincoln and the Union celebrated both victories, the one in Vicksburg was the actual game changer. The battle or siege
On November 19, President Lincoln went to the battlefield to dedicate it as a military cemetery. He spoke for a short period of time delivering what is called the Gettysburg Address, surprising many present in the audience with its shortness and leaving others quite unimpressed, but over time the speech has come to symbolize democracy as we know it today (Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia Vol. 11 385).
The Civil War is one of the defining wars in the history of this great nation. The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle in American history, and a turning point in the four year war. At the time, Gettysburg was a small, quiet town generally unaffected by the war. General Robert E. Lee of the Confederate States of America and General George Meade of the Union converged in Gettysburg, and a conflict quickly arose. After three long days of battle the Union pulled away with a victory, though not an easy one. This essay will outline the six themes of history; in essence the who, what, when, where, why, and who cares of this infamous battle.
“It was all my fault this time. Form your ranks again when you get back to cover. We want all good men to hold together now.” –Robert E. Lee to George Pickett and J.J Pettigrew after the failed charge. (Battle of Gettysburg- summary and facts).
In the American Civil War, there were many major battles that contributed to the Union army proving victorious and the Confederacy suffering defeat. One of which that could be considered the most significant was the Battle of Gettysburg. A three day scuffle that essentially led to the dismantling of the entire southern war effort, Gettysburg is highly remembered as the biggest and bloodiest battle of the war. However, the final assault by the Confederate army on the third day of warfare was detrimental to the overall outcome of the battle. This brutal strike is also a perfect testament to the Confederate soldier’s courage and passion for their respective cause and ideals. In other words, it takes sincere discipline to march across open grasslands in clear sight, and rush headlong into a heavily fortified position held by the enemy. This attack is most widely known as Pickett’s Charge, an all-out Confederate offensive resulting in immense casualties for both sides involved.
June 29, 1863, the day before the most memorable battle in history took place. The Battle of Gettysburg would become the major outcome of the Civil War. What
The battle of Gettysburg occurred over three hot summer days, July 1 to July 3, 1863, around the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It began as a meeting engagement, but by its end involved approximately 170,000 Americans. The battle is considered to be the turning point in the American Civil War and is one of the most studied battles in American history. The events that took place at Gettysburg had a tremendous impact on the outcome of the Civil War and the fate of the United States.
In Gettysburg,Pennsylvania on November 19th, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln gave one of the most famous speeches in this county’s history. The ten sentence famous speech was given one of the bloodiest sites of the Civil
... soldiers died in this battle. Many more where captured or missing. After the battle president Lincoln came to say a few words. What he said would be put down in history, making him one of the most famous people in the world. Lincoln spoke the Gettysburg Address and in it he made the Civil War stand for what it truly was. A war to end slavery.