Robert E Lee Turning Point

The Battle of Gettysburg was considered one of the most important battles fought in the Civil war. This battle was fought from July 1st to July 3rd, 1863. Although it may have been a short battle, it turned the Civil war into a completely different direction. Before Robert E. Lee’s attempt at Pickett’s Charge, the Confederates had been defeating the Union countless times. The battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the civil war because Robert E. Lee’s attempt to invade Union Territory ultimately failed, the Confederates lost a lot of soldiers, and the Union’s army of Potomac was now winning the civil war instead of the Confederates. (History.com)

Robert E. Lee’s attempt to invade Union territory ultimately failed because the Union was much more prepared, the Confederates were unaware of the extra time the Union forces had, and Robert E. Lee was confident and felt that his army could defeat the Union.The Confederates had just successfully accomplished a big victory over Union forces at Chancellorsville. Due to great pride, Robert E. Lee marched his army into Pennsylvania in late June 1863. The plan - later known as Pickett’s charge – was

It had been three long and hard days of fighting. With Robert E. Lee’s defeat by the army of Potomac,the Confederate forces were forced to retreat. Lee’s army had been unprepared for the strength and ferocity of the Union forces under the newly named Potomac army commander, General George G.Meade. (civilwar.org). Without the strong, ferocious army they had before, the Confederates couldn’t fight the way they used to. Robert E. Lee started with an army of 75,000 soldiers. An estimated 51,000 soldiers had become casualties (killed,wounded, captured or missing) in what became, and still is, the largest battle in North American history. Colonel William C. Oates said, “My dead and wounded were nearly as great in number as those still on