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This map shows the path of the Federal Army during the battle of Gettysburg. They ran into the Confederate Army in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as they were in their own territory which was the Union territory which is shown by the northernmost point. By the end of the first day of fighting, the Confederate Army had pushed the Federal Army south which is shown by the southernmost point. After the second day of fighting, neither side moved, so the southernmost point can also be used to show where the Federal Army was after the second day of fighting. On the third day, the Federal Army won the battle and moved south to Vicksburg, Mississippi to win the Siege of Vicksburg.

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This map is the path of the Confederate Army during the Battle of Gettysburg. They were going to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to get new shoes after they won the Battle of Chancellorsville in Chancellorsville, Virginia which is shown by the northernmost point. After the first day of fighting, the Confederate Army had pushed the Federal Army south slightly, meaning they would have also moved south which is shown by the middlemost point. After the second day of fighting, neither side moved, so the middlemost point can also be used to show where the Confederate Army was after the second day of fighting. On the third day, the Confederate Army moved south towards where the Federal Army was which is shown by the southernmost point before before retreating south which is shown by the arrow.

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These shoes were called bogans and were ankle high boots worn to battle throughout the Civil War. Both the Union Soldiers and the Confederate Soldiers wore these boots, although the Confederate Soldiers’ were typically handmade. They were also usually made straight, meaning either shoe could be worn on either foot which made it easier for the soldiers to get on and off. These shoes were important to the Battle of Gettysburg because the Confederate Soldiers only found the Union Army because they went to buy new shoes in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

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Robert E. Lee's Account of the Battle of Gettysburg

While the Confederate Army lost the Battle of Gettysburg, they were still stronger than the Union army because the loss was purely due to lack of ammunition and not abilities of the men: “Owing to the strength of the enemy's position, and the reduction of our ammunition, a renewal of the engagement could not be hazarded, and the difficulty of procuring supplies rendered it impossible to continue longer where we were” (Lee 9). According to Robert E. Lee, a general of the Confederate Army, his men were winning the war for two days straight and it was solely due to the lack of ammunition that they were not able to win the battle. According to his account, at the beginning of the first day, the Union had higher ground, meaning they had an advantage, but the Confederates were able to to draw them from the area, taking it for themselves and hoping to be able to bring the Federal Army into a Confederate area with backup and surplus ammunition. Realizing they could not do this, Lee decided to remain where they were and continue fighting, as they now had the high ground. On the second day, a group of Confederate men targeted a weak spot on the area of elevated land the Federal Army had chosen for the night. This success made Lee even more confident, giving him the encouragement he needed to continue the pursuit the following day. On the third and final day of the battle, there were some successes from the Confederates, such as seizing varied artillery from the Federal Army, although they were running out of ammunition and the Federal Army built a wall of protection composed of dirt overnight that helped them. In their final attempt, many more men were killed and 7,000 were taken prisoner along with 7 pieces of artillery. Throughout the recount of the battle, Lee praises his men, insinuating they would have won the battle if they had had enough ammunition and compares their strength to the strength of the soldiers during the Revolutionary War. In conclusion, Robert E. Lee believed that the Confederate Army was one of the strongest armies and could easily beat the Federal Army if each army had the same amount of resources as the other.

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Larry Vandermolen, Irene Cheung - from 4e SG/site

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Primary Source: Robert E. Lee's Account of the Battle of Gettysburg (July 31, 1863)

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HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA July 31, 1863 GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following outline of the recent operations of this army, for the information of the Department: The position occupied by the enemy opposite Fredericksburg being one in which he could not be attacked to advantage, it was determined to draw him from it.

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The Battle of Gettysburg

Welcome, visitors, to the Battle of Gettysburg exhibit. The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the most important battles of the Civil War, and you will learn all about why that is in the next few minutes.

The Battle of Gettysburg lasted just three days but was the “Bloodiest Battle of the Civil War.” Despite the extensive planning this title insinuates, the commencement of the battle was a surprise for each army. The Federal Army was defending the Union, the Northern half of the United States that was hoping to get the Southern half to rejoin the country, and the Confederate Army was defending the Confederacy, the Southern half of the United States that had recently seceded. The Confederate Army decided to attack the Federal Army in Union territory which had only been done once before. So, they decided to trek from Virginia to Pennsylvania. After this long hike, the soldiers were in desperate need of new shoes, so they went to a store in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. There, they ran into the Federal Army.

On this first day of fighting, July 1, 1863, the Federal Army had the advantage for a while, as they were in better position than the Confederate Army. Having a height advantage is crucial because it decreases the chances of surprise attacks. A man named Robert E. Lee, who led the Confederate Army at the time, had been encouraged to retreat, yet he decided to attack the Federal Army anyway. By the end of the first day, the Confederate Army was able to draw them from the hill and take the high ground for themselves. The Federal Army was moved to a different set of hills just south of Gettysburg.

On the second day of fighting, July 2, 1863, Lee continued to pursue the Federal Army, as he had gained a lot of confidence after winning their previous battle. Because the Confederate Army was attacking the Federal Army, the Federal Army had the advantage again because they had retreated to a new set of hills. On this day, the Union held their ground without advancing or retreating, and the Confederates continued their efforts. By the end of the day, the Confederates had lost one-third of their troops which amounts to around 9,000 soldiers and the Union still had the high ground.

On the third day of fighting, July 3, 1863, Lee decided to attack the Federal Army again although being strongly advised not to. Instead of listening to George Pickett, who gave the majority of the advising, Lee decided to send Pickett, along with 15,000 men with close to no ammunition, to the hills where the Federal Army was. Almost half of the 15,000 men died, and the Confederate Army was forced to retreat. In the end, 23,000 men from the Federal Army died and 28,000 men from the Confederate Army died. In total, 51,000 men perished, giving the battle its title of the “Bloodiest Battle of the Civil War” and the bloodiest battle ever in the United States.

The Battle of Gettysburg is so important because it was one of the first times the Confederate Army had decided to invade Union territory and offensively attack as opposed to previous defensive attacks when the Confederate Army invaded the Confederacy. Losing this battle lowered the hopes of the Confederacy to win the war and raised the hopes of the Union. The Battle of Gettysburg is seen as a turning point in the Civil War and, therefore, inevitably an important event in the history of the reuniting of the United States.

Learning about the history of your country is so important! Move to your right to learn about more battles of the Civil War.

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George Meade was the general of the Federal Army during the Battle of Gettysburg. He led his men to victory which was a turning point of the Civil War.

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Robert E. Lee was the general of the Confederate Army during the Battle of Gettysburg. He praised his men even though they lost due to his own overconfidence.

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This video from battlefields.com provides a detailed explanation of what happened during the Battle of Gettysburg. It is unbiased and gives the most accurate understanding of the battle we have today.

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The Battle of Gettysburg: The Civil War in Four Minutes