In July 1863, Confederate General Lee invaded the North with 75,000 troops, hoping to end the Civil War with a decisive victory. He met Union General Meade and his 85,000 men at Gettysburg, a small town with strategic roads in Pennsylvania. The battle raged for three days, with fierce attacks and counterattacks on hills, ridges, fields, and farms. On the final day, Lee ordered a massive frontal assault on the center of the Union line, known as Pickett's Charge, but it failed disastrously. The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest of the war, with more than 50,000 casualties, and a crushing defeat for the Confederacy.
- Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863/ This was important because it was a factor in ending slavery.
-
-
-
