Why Was The Battle of Gettysburg Important?

The Battle of Gettysburg was the largest battle that was ever fought in the U.S., with around 85,000 men fighting for three consecutive days. But why was the Battle of Gettysburg so important and is it considered to be a turning point of the war? It clearly did not end the Civil War, which still continued for 2 years after Gettysburg.

Stopping a Clever Plan

When traveling towards Gettysburg with his army, Lee had his sights set on invading the North. If his plan worked and he managed to pass through Maryland and Pennsylvania, where he would get much-needed bounty in the form of clothing and food, he could put more pressure to the North and maybe even surround the capital. This may have forced the Union to surrender to the Confederate states, making slave-holding in America permanent.

Although his “Pickett’s Charge” assault managed to penetrate the Union lines, he was met with a lot of resistance and eventually failed. Having lost about a third of his army to casualties, Lee was forced to withdraw and head back toward Virginia. The Confederates never attempted to invade the North again after Gettysburg.

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