Gettysburg Turning Point

Improved Essays
Battle of Gettysburg: Turning Point for the U.S.

After Lee’s victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville,Virginia, in May 1863, Lee wanted to lead his Confederate army in their second invasion of the North the Gettysburg Campaign. Lee wanted to threaten Northern cities, weaken the North’s appetite for war and, especially win a major battle on Northern soil. Maj. Gen. Meade moved the Northern army between Lee and Washington D.C. When Lee found out the Meade was in Pennsylvania, Lee concentrated all of his army around Gettysburg (www.civilwar.org). Most people know that the Battle of Gettysburg was an enormous battle in the U.S at the time. When Lee had the crazy idea to take the fighting into Northern soil thats when everything was at stake
…show more content…
The charge was repulsed by Union rifle and artillery fire, at great losses to the Confederate army. Lee led his army on a torturous retreat back to Virginia. President Lincoln used the dedication ceremony for Gettysburg Soldiers National Cemetery to honor the fallen Union soldiers and redefine the purpose of war in his historic Gettysburg Address (www.civilwar.org). This was a giant win for the Union and that it showed how the North wasn’t going to roll over and die because the South wanted to take the fighting into the Northern states. Pickett’s Charge was a very beautiful moment because the Confederate soldiers ran a mile and a half to go fight the Union. As the Union watched in silence at Culp’s Hill all they could think about is that this is it and that they are coming in guns hot. Artillery broke the silence and then the shots of rifles went off right after them. Man after man dropped dead and the South soon then realized that they were in a bad situation. After the Union have killed off all the 12,000 soldiers trying to take out the center of the Union army Lee had his men retreat. The North then knew that the fighting was not going into Northern soil and that their families were safe. Also, they realized how big of …show more content…
because it kept the South from invading the North. A lot of people don’t really show respect to how many men died trying to protect their freedom, 51,000 men died from both South and North trying to fight for what they believed in and also for what they thought was right. The National Cemetery for the Union army was also a very big thing to people as it is today. The Cemetery was used in a movie called “Remember the Titans”. The movie had a coach have his kids go on a run and when the run was over they were all stopped at this National Cemetery, the kids had both whites and blacks they didn’t get along so when the coach took them to this Cemetery he told them that all of these men died next to their brothers and that it didn’t matter if you were black or white when the time came you were all going to fight next to each other and if so die next to each other. The Nation Cemetery really helped a lot of people realize how much this battle meant, they also realized that the Battle of Gettysburg will never be forgotten. Gettysburg was such a turning point because it soon led up to the South surrendering and North becoming the winners it also led to blacks being free from slavery. Overall, the Battle of Gettysburg was probably one of the greats battles that the U.S. has ever been in and by that it was also one of the biggest turning points for the Civil War and the U.S.

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    What comes to mind when you hear the Battle of Gettysburg? Some might say Pickett’s Charge, Buford’s defense, or Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. However, one of the more important events was Joshua Chamberlain’s defense and bayonet charge on Little Round Top. On July 2nd, 1863, on the far left Union flank, stood Joshua Chamberlain and his 20th Maine. Had the Confederate broke through, they would have outflanked the Union, ultimately winning Gettysburg.…

    • 585 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The United States of America has an intricate history, but in particular, the Battle of Gettysburg is exceptionally unique. The battle took place on July 1-3 of 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Confederacy wanted to win a battle on Union territory, so they advanced, planning for an offensive objective, but The Union, knew they were approaching, and prepared a defensive strategy. When the battle first broke out, the Union cavalry was trying to hold back the Confederate infantry, which proved to be a struggle. Despite the struggle, John F. Reynolds and his first corps helped the Union win the battle in the long run, by holding the high ground, even though he was killed on the first day.…

    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Battle of Gettysburg was a very bloody battle that changed America. But was the Battle of Gettysburg the turning point of the Civil War? The Civil War started in the spring of 1861 and ended in 1865. It began mainly because of the differences between the North and the South. The South wanted slavery to expand, while the North wanted to abolish slavery.…

    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The following day Lee striked the Union’s left flank thus leading to a battle at Devil’s Den, Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Peach Orchard, Culp’s Hill and East Cemetery Hill. The Confederates captured Devil’s Den and Peach Orchard but failed to get rid of the Union defenders. On the Union…

    • 257 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Robert E. Lee led his Confederate army to another invasion of the North known as the Gettysburg Campaign. Lee intended to retrieve supplies from the Pennsylvania farm lands and take the fighting away from the state of Virginia. Lee wanted to weaken the North’s want of war and wanted to win a major battle on northern soil. Ordered by President Lincoln, General Joseph Hooker was to move his Union Army (Army of the Potomac) in pursuit. General Hooker was relieved of command three days before the battle and was replaced by General George Gordon Meade.…

    • 123 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Gettysburg Battle Command

    • 1212 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The War was in full swing. The Confederate Army was marching north and an opportunity presented itself at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the sight of the America’s bloodiest battle. The Union and Confederate armies met outside the town of Gettysburg, for what would become the turning point of the Civil War. The fields were covered with blood, men on both sides laid motionless, on the battlefield, 7,550 men were killed, another 27,450 wounded, and 10,515 missing (Battle of Gettysburg Facts). Gettysburg featured numerous critical combat arms units, undoubtedly the most influential being the Field Artillery.…

    • 1212 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Pickett's Charge Essay

    • 1637 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The battle of July 1-3, 1863 was fought at a town called, Gettysburg, which was the intersection of the principle streets, in Pennsylvania, while Gen. Lee was gone to Maryland and Pennsylvania through Virginia 's Shenandoah Valley. The fight was a serial of forth and back of their past positions between the armed forces. Armed force of Potomac (90,000 men under Gen. George G. Meade) and the Confederate armed force (75,000 man of Northern Virginia Army under Gen. Robert E. Lee) met up in a three days of encounters. () The third day Lee requested an assault to the Union 's strengthened focus known as Pickett 's Charge yet it ended up being self-destructive for his armed force. There were numerous murdered and injured in this fight (23,000 from…

    • 1637 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Three days, two armies, 200,000 soldiers were the beginning of a battle that took place in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle of Middleburgh, the battle of Brandi station and the battle of Aldie were some of the battles that would become part of the Gettysburg campaign. General Robert E. Lee resigned to his commission in the United States Army and joined the Confederates, he rose through the ranks quickly and became one of the most iconic leaders in his times. He succeeded, earning numerous victories for the Confederate. With almost 72,000 soldiers, he had a vast and well experienced army.…

    • 733 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Battle of Fredericksburg was one of the greatest wins for the Confederate army during the American Civil War. Artillery played a major role on many wars during the American Civil War, but none proved to have more of an effect than The Washington Artillery had at Fredericksburg. This battle stood to see the most troops out of any battle that took place during the American Civil War, almost 200,000 men. The Union army outnumbered the Confederates by 40,000 men. The use of artillery in this battle is what makes it so significant.…

    • 1135 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The battle of Gettysburg lasted for 3 days July 1­3, 1863. In and around the town of Gettysburg and Pennsylvania,but the Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. It started on July 1,1863 and ended July 3,1863.General Robert E. Lee waited the approach of Union General George G. Meades forces. On July 1, early Union success faltered as the Confederates fault back against the Iron Brigade and exploited a small federal line at Barlos knoll the following day saw Lee strike the Union flanks which lead to a heavy battle at Devil's Den. some battlefield's were called Little Round Top of the hill and some were in wheat fields, peach orchards, and the East Cemetery hill.…

    • 691 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Great Essays

    Of all of the battles in the American Civil War, none other amounted to the sheer casualties in the one day that was the Battle of Antietam. With a slew of mistakes by both Generals, the terrain was disadvantageous to both sides, the Union didn’t take advantage of the surplus of troops, General Lee’s battle plans were spread, and many other battlefield errors, this was the bloodiest single day in American history. The topics that are going to be covered are: A overview of the battle in general; The situation of both the Union and the Confederacy during the battle; The mission of both the Union and the Confederacy; how the battle was executed for both the Union and the Confederacy; some decision points that the generals of both parties that affected the outcome of the battle; whether or not the battle went as planned and what changed in the actual battle; How the generals adapted; how I would have approached and fought the battle as a general; what we can learn from this battle. The battle of Antietam in the American civil war had casualties on both sides measuring up to more than 22,000 missing, wounded, or dead.…

    • 1733 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    2) Battle of Gettysburg: This battle is considered one of the most important engagements in the Civil War. This battle resulted in over 50,000 casualties and went on for three days. General Robert E. Lee won over the Union forces at Chancellorsville in May, 1863, so he thought it to be fit to invade the North. In June, Lee began to send his troops northward.…

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The battle occurred the first three days in July of 1863. This was General Lee and the Confederate Army’s second attack in the North. General Lee led the Confederate Army to the North to fight to pressure Abraham Lincoln to end the war. There were three days of fighting in the Battle of Gettysburg. The first day was an unorganized battle because both sides had troops running into the battle not knowing what to do.…

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    All in all, the victories for the Union at the Battle of Gettysburg and Vicksburg reassured a turning point of the American Civil War. The Battle of Gettysburg took away all the possibilities of the Confederates acquiring help from Britain and France. After the loss for the Confederates, being able to invade the Northern soil become a very vague and rare thought. After having the ability to siege Vicksburg, the Union led it 's way to winning the Civil War. The moral boost that was received along small and large battles, led to the fact that the Union had a better chance of unifying the…

    • 967 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Battle Of Gettysburg Essay

    • 1044 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The war of Gettysburg started on July 1, 1863 and ended on July 3, 1863. The battle of Gettysburg lasted a small three days, but the war was perhaps one of the most deadliest wars ever fought out on American soil. Before the war of Gettysburg started, Robert E. Lee had won a tremendous battle at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia, in May 1863. After the battle Robert Lee had already came up with a plan to strike the North again. This time he would strike Virginia again, but this time at Gettysburg.…

    • 1044 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays