The Battle of GettysburgThe Battle of Gettysburg

By: Gia, Nick, Kyle, and Vince

Background InformationBackground Information

• The North and south are getting tired of the war. Robert E. Lee felt confident enough to risk an invasion of the north.

July 1st, 1863July 1st, 1863

• On July 1st 1863, union and confederate troops met in West Gettysburg. General George C. Meade is leading the Union troops. The troops, about 90,000, occupied four miles of high ground along an area known as cemetery ridge.

• Robert E. Lee was leading the confederate troops. The troops, about 75,000, were gathered behind Seminary Ridge.

July 2nd, 1863July 2nd, 1863

• The Confederates tried to find weak spots in the Union position. They attempted, but fail. The Union lines held firm.

July 3rd, 1863July 3rd, 1863

• Lee ordered an attack on the center of the Union line. George Pickett led 15,000 Confederate soldiers in a charge cross the low ground separating the two forces.

What happened?What happened?

• More than 17,500 Union soldiers and 23,000 Confederate troops were killed or wounded in three days of battle.

• The Union troops won the Battle of Gettysburg.

• Lee withdrew to Virginia. He lost about a third of his army. From now on, he would only fight a defensive war with southerners.