What happened in Gettysburg?
2 Answers
See below.
Explanation:
Many things have happened in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, but most notably the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Address. I'll briefly describe both events.
Battle of Gettysburg: This was a battle in the American Civil War that took place from July 1-3, 1863, the bloodiest of the entire war. Around 46,000 casualties were reported in total as Union Major General George Meade led the Army of the Potomac in their triumph over Confederate General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg
Gettysburg Address: On November 19, 1863 (months after the battle), Union President Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech commemorating the battlefield upon which the battle took place. The speech started with the famous phrase "Four score and seven years ago", referring to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which had taken place 87 years prior.
The battle of Gettysburg in July 1863 ended any hopes of the Confederacy winning its independence militarily and saved the Union.
Explanation:
The three day battle at Gettysburg was a climatic battle in the Civil War. The defeat of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia combined with the huge casualties suffered by the Confederate Army destroyed any offensive capability of the South.
The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Over 46000 casualties were suffered in the battle. The North lost more soldiers than the south but won the battle and held the ground. The North was able to replace the losses to its army the south was not able to replace its loses.
The army of Northern Virginia led by Robert E. Lee had to retreat and would never again take the offensive. Combined with the loss of Vicksburg July 4 1863, the defeat at Gettysburg doomed the South to a slow death.
If the South had won the Battle at Gettysburg the south most likely would have won the Civil War and its independence. The Northern army would have been destroyed and Washington DC defenseless
The north would likely have had to sue for peace granting the Confederacy its independence. The Union would have been permanently split into two nations.
More than another year of Civil War would continue after the battle of Gettysburg. However the climatic battle at Gettysburg saved the Union and dashed any hopes for the South winning the war.
