The Battle of Gettysburg A battle fought July 1 through July 3, 1863, considered by most military historians the turning point in the American Civil War. The Battle of Gettysburg was a decisive engagement in that it arrested the Confederates' second and last major invasion of the North, destroyed their offensive strategy, and forced them to fight a defensive war in which the inadequacies of their manufacturing capacity and transportation facilities doomed them to defeat. The Army of …showed first 75 words of 793 total…

…showed last 75 words of 793 total…force. With the repulse of Pickett's Charge, the Battle of Gettysburg was virtually over. On the night of July 4, Lee began his retreat to Virginia, expecting a counterattack from the federal army. Meade, however, did not attack, due perhaps to heavy rains which hampered pursuit of the retreating Confederates. During the three days of battle, the federal army lost 3070 killed, 14,497 wounded, and 5434 captured or missing. The Confederates lost about 3500 killed, 18,000 wounded, and 5150 captured or missing.