the battle of gettysburg
The worst and most famous battle during the Civil War was the Battle of Gettysburg. The battle began in the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on July 1st, 1863. The Union and Confederate armies clashed with each other in the northwest part of the town. It was a 3 day battle, with 51, 116 casualties.
day 1 |
day 2 |
day 3 |
On the first day, 30,000 Confederates defeated 20,000 Union soldiers, and the Union soldiers fell back to the southern hills of the town.
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On the second day of battle, the Union defended the hills of the town with 90,000 soldiers, and defeated the 70,000 Confederate soldiers. Though the Confederates gained ground, the Union still held strong positions by the end of the day.
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On the third and final day, fighting resumed in the hills of Gettysburg. The main event was an infantry assault against the center of the Union line by 12,000 Confederates, which failed because of the Union's rifle and artillery fire against them. After this happened, Confederate general Robert E. Lee led his army in retreat back to Virginia.
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Four months after the battle, President Lincoln honored fallen Union soldiers at the dedication ceremony for Gettysburg's Soldiers National Cemetery, and gave his historic Gettysburg Address.