Who Won The Battle Of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg, fought July 1-3, 1863, was a turning point in the American Civil War. It ended General Robert E. Lee’s war-winning streak and marked the beginning of the Confederate army’s long and difficult retreat back to Virginia. The Union army, led by Gen. George G. Meade, emerged victorious and earned itself a lasting place in American history.

The harrowing three-day conflict began when Union troops led by Gen. John Reynolds encountered Confederate forces on the Gettysburg Plain. On the morning of July 2, the Confederate army, now under direct command of Gen. Robert E. Lee, launched a massive assault on the Union center at Little Round Top. Union troops held, but they were nearly flanked and routed by a flanking maneuver executed by Gen. James Longstreet. By day’s end, the Confederate army had suffered 12,500 casualties and had exhausted its supply of ammunition.

On the morning of July 3, Lee ordered a massive shock attack designed to break the Union center. Union forces, under the command of Gen. George Meade, held firm against the Confederate onslaught, and at 4 p.m., the Confederate forces began to retreat in disarray. By nightfall, the Confederate army had withdrawn and the Union hold on Gettysburg was complete.

The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the bloodiest and most decisive battles of the Civil War. Over 50,000 casualties were reported, including 23,000 Confederate and 28,000 Union troops. The Union victory at Gettysburg cost the Confederate army its best chance for victory and changed the face of the war.