The Battle of Gettysburg, fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, is considered a turning point in the American Civil War. This significant battle took place in Pennsylvania and involved the largest number of casualties in the war. The Union army, led by General George Meade, achieved a crucial victory against the Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee. The defeat marked the end of Lee's invasion of the North and halted Confederate momentum. The victory at Gettysburg, combined with the fall of Vicksburg shortly afterward, boosted Northern morale and shifted the tide of the war in favor of the Union.