Battle of Gettysburg

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3

On July 1, 1863, one of the largest and most crucial battles of the war was waged for 2 days in the hills around Gettysburg. General Robert E. Lee, with almost 75,000 men, invaded Pennsylvania, and encountered the Union Army of the Potomac, about 90,000 strong, under General George G. Meade on the outskirts of Gettysburg on July 1. In a battle of considerable movement, Lee tested first the Union right on July 1st and then, in an assault led by General James Longstreet, the left on July 2nd. On July 3rd, General George Pickett led the infamous, and disastrous Pickett's Charge.

Day # 1 at Gettysburg...

On the warm morning of July 1st, 1863, a small Union calvary briagade encountered 2 brigades of advancing confederate troops. With breech loading carbines, the Union troops were capable of getting off eight shots per mintue to the Confederate's three. Despite smaller numbers, the Union's technology held the Confederates at bay. Quickly both sides called for reinforcements, and the Battle picked up.

The first day was fought fiercly at high cost to those present, but was nothing compared to what was to come.
That first day, several thousand federals managed to make it up Cemetary Ridge, a strategic lookout over the field. By nightfall, the federals had a defensive line three and a half miles long, following strategic landmarks of the area, later to be a part of the Gettysburg Cemetary, which resembled a large fish hook. The Union had a distinct advantage in this battle. They were on the defensive, on their own turf.

The confederates had also assembled quite a formidable force, about 50,000 strong, to the federals 60,000 on Seminary Ridge, and another 20,000 in transit. Lee said to his troops that night, "The enemy is here, if we do not whip him, he will whip us." His strategy was simple, break through any part of the fishhook defense.

Day 2...

By the start of day two, over 75,000 confederate forces were positioned along seminary ridge, a ridge of wooded area parrallel to the union's defenses along Cemetary Ridge and Culp's hill. Lee started off the day with a full fledged atack against the well positioned norhtern troops with a 150 gun volley That was quickly answered with a one hundred cannon volley. At this point, the north decided to save ammo and wait for the ensueing enemy.
Early attempted to take Culp's hill, but was decisively repulsed by the defending Unionists.
As the second day wound to an end, it was apperent that the northern fish hook was still intact, although battered, it had risen victorious.

Day 3... The deciding moment

Day three can reasonably called the turning point of the war. It was the most costly battle against General Lee.

Lee, realizing the strategic importance for the south of capturing Little Round Top (as it would have allowed southern artilliary fire to hit every section of the Union army) ordered a massive attack at the center of the Union army.

With more than 15,000 men under his charge, Pickett ordered the running assault against the opposing forces. The Union, also realizing the importance, beeed up theirdefense, and calmly mowed down the mile long fury of attackers with riffle and cannon fire. This would infamously be known later as Pickett's charge.
Pickett was throughly defeated. Tragically, of his own brigade of 5,000 men, only 800 returned. His command for the charge was 15,000 men, of which only 5,000 lived to tell the sad tale. The charge was a complete and dismal failure, while only a couple dozen of the original 15,000 troops even saw the top of Little Round Top, and they were killed or promptly captured upon arrival.

Lee watched the survivors return and confessed, "It is all my fault. This has been my fight, and upon my shoulders rests the blame" 28,000 men were lost to lee, and 30,000 arms, costing Lee a huge lose. Although Meade lost almost as many men in the battle, 23,000, the loses were not as disastrous for the high resources of the North. The impact of Gettysburg was heavy on either side, and spurred the famous Gettysburg address. After the decimation of Lee's army, and the General Ulysses S. Grant , the North had gained the offensive and a distinct advantage over the Confederate states.