This Month in History :The battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg began on July 1 and ended on July 4, 1863. This battle was one of the pivotal battles of the Civil War. It started because Confederate general Robert Lee wanted to invade the north and put a swift end to the Civil War. He wanted to invade Pennsylvania to force a battle with the Union Army. On July 1, 1863, General Lee ordered his troops into the town of Gettysburg to gather supplies and they unexpectedly ran into parts of the Union Army. Both generals directed their forces to Gettysburg. At first, the Confederate Army pushed the Union soldiers back through the town to Cemetery Hill. But then the rest of the Union troops arrived. Heavy fighting happened for two days with a lot of casualties on both sides. On the third day, General Lee decided to do a risky frontal assault against the well-positioned Union forces and lost half of his men. After that disastrous charge, Lee chose to retreat into Virginia. There were an estimated 50,000 casualties. This was the last time the Confederate Army tried to invade the North and a turning point in the war. It provided the Union army with a much-needed morale boost and a victory. If you want to know more about the Battle of Gettysburg. I recommend these titles from the DC Public Library.
 

• Gettysburg by Stephen W. Sears
• The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
• Gettysburg: The Last Invasion by Allen C. Guelzo
• The Battle of Gettysburg by Stephane Sears
• The Killer Angels
• Gettysburg: The Last Invasion