Ask AI: Describe the Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg was fought in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania from July 1–3, 1863, during the American Civil War. It was the most costly and arguably the most decisive battle of the war, with over 50,000 casualties on both sides. The Union army, led by General George Meade, was defending the town and the surrounding region from General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate forces. On July 1, Lee’s forces attacked and pushed the Union army back to Cemetery Ridge, where the Union held firm. On July 2, the fighting focused around Little Round Top, where Union forces managed to prevent the Confederates from gaining a strategic position. On July 3, Lee ordered a massive attack on the Union center at Cemetery Ridge, known as Pickett’s Charge, which was repulsed with heavy losses. On July 4, Lee began to retreat from the battlefield. The Battle of Gettysburg was a major victory for the Union, and it proved to be a turning point in the war.