Battle ofGettysburg

Battle of Gettysburg
Part of the American Civil War
The Battle of Gettysburg, by Thure de Thulstrup
Date July 1–3, 1863 Location Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania 39°48′40″N 77°13′30″W / 39.811°N 77.225°W / 39.811; -77.225Coordinates: 39°48′40″N 77°13′30″W / 39.811°N 77.225°W / 39.811; -77.225 Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States	Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
George G. Meade	Robert E. Lee
Units involved
Army of the Potomac	Army of Northern Virginia
Strength
104,256 ("present for duty")	71,000–75,000 (estimated)
Casualties and losses
23,049 total (3,155 killed; 14,529 wounded; 5,365 captured/missing)	23,000–28,000 (estimated)

Battle of Gettysburg
Protected area
M1857 12-Pounder "Napoleon" at Gettysburg National Military Park Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Adams
Municipalities	Cumberland, Franklin Straban
Campaign Theater	Gettysburg Eastern
Landmark	High Water Mark monument @ The Angle on Cemetery Ridge
Owners	private, federal
Website: Park Home (NPS.gov)

External media

Images
GettysburgPhotographs.com
CivilWar.org maps & photos
Gettysburg.edu paintings & photos
Video
GettysburgAnimated.com

The Battle of Gettysburg (locally /ˈɡɛtᵻsbɜːrɡ/, with an /s/ sound) was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The battle involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war and is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Meade's Army of the Potomac defeated attacks by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, ending Lee's attempt to invade the North.

After his success at Chancellorsville in Virginia in May 1863, Lee led his army through the Shenandoah Valley to begin his second invasion of the North—the Gettysburg Campaign. With his army in high spirits, Lee intended to shift the focus of the summer campaign from war-ravaged northern Virginia and hoped to influence Northern politicians to give up their prosecution of the war by penetrating as far as Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, or even Philadelphia. Prodded by President Abraham Lincoln, Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker moved his army in pursuit, but was relieved of command just three days before the battle and replaced by Meade.