Who won the Battle of Gettysburg?
The Battle of Gettysburg was an engagement of the Civil War, which is
considered to be the turning point in the struggle between the North
and South, occurred at Gettysburg, Pa., July 1, 2, and 3, 1863, between
the Army of Northern Virginia commanded by General Robert E. Lee, and
the Army of the Potomac commanded by General George G. Meade. Lee's
forces numbered 70,000 and the Union forcees 93,500. About 100,000
including volunteers took part in the engagement on the Union side.
Lee
began the invasion of the North June 3 and was followed by Meade. The
advance divisions of the opposing armies faced each other at Gettysburg
on the morning of July 1. The Confederate line was on Seminary Ridge
west of the town, and the Union line on Cemetery Ridge to the south. The
battle raged for two days without any decisive result. On July 3 came
the crucial test, when after a prolonged cannonade, Lee ordered General
Pickett to charge the Union lines. The Confederate forces carried the
first line of the Union defense, but here they were halted by a
withering fire and compelled to retreat. This was the end of the
battle. On the morning of July 5 Lee's army was in full retreat
southward. Meade's forces were so depleted that he was unable to follow.
The Union losses were officially estimated at 23,000 and the
Confederate at 20,450.
