The military leader at the Battle of Gettysburg, fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, was General George G. Meade, commanding the Union Army of the Potomac. This battle is often considered a turning point in the American Civil War due to the significant defeat of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Meade's leadership during the battle helped to repel Lee's invasion of the North and marked a shift in momentum in favor of the Union forces. The Union victory at Gettysburg, along with the concurrent fall of Vicksburg, played a crucial role in the overall outcome of the war.