Campaign : Gettysburg Campaign (June-August 1863).
Date : July 1-3, 1863.
Principal Commanders : Maj. Gen. George G. Meade [US]; Gen. Robert E. Lee [CS].
Forces Engaged : 158,300 total (US 83,289; CS 75,054).
Estimated Casualties : 51,000 total (US 23,000; CS 28,000).
On June 24, 1863, General Robert E. Lee led his Confederate Army across the Potomac River and headed towards Pennsylvania. As Lee's troops entered Pennsylvania, Mead led the Union Army north from Washington.
Lee had been left unaware of the Union's position. When a scout reported the Union approach, Lee ordered his troops to converge west of the small village of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
On July 1, some Confederate infantry clashed west of town with Union cavalry. The Union commander fought to hold off the Confederate advance. The Confederate troops drove the Union troops through the streets of Gettysburg back to Cemetery Hill.
Lee ordered General Richard Ewell to attack this position "if practicable". An order that normally meant launch an all-out attack. However,Ewell decided not to attack when he saw the Union artillery atop the hill.
The rest of the armies arrived that first night. Lee decided to attack both flanks the next day. After a long day of fighting, the Union troops held position.
Thinking the Union center had weakened, Lee decided to hit it first with artillery, then an infantry charge.
Stuart's late-arriving cavalry was to come in behind the Union center at the same time, but were held off by Union cavalry.
After an hour of fighting, the Union artillery tricked the Confederates into thinking their guns were knocked out.
13,000 Confederate Troops marched across the field in front of Cemetery Hill.
The Union artillery opened fire.
This was followed by Federal infantry firepower.
Only half made it back to their own lines.
Lee was forced to retreat to Virginia.
American Civil War
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