Beginning of the Battle of Gettysburg

Date: July 1, 1863 • Location: Gettysburg, United States

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1863.

American Civil War: The Battle of Gettysburg begins.

The Battle of Gettysburg was fought in the American Civil War between the Union and Confederate armies in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, is widely considered the Civil War's turning point, leading to an ultimate victory of the Union and the preservation of the nation. The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of both the Civil War and of any battle in American military history up to that time, claiming over 50,000 combined casualties. Union major general George Meade's Army of the Potomac defeated attacks by Confederate general Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, halting Lee's invasion of the North and forcing his retreat.