Fought in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, from July 1 to July 3, 1863, this Civil War battle matched George G. Meade’s Army of the Potomac against Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia during Lee’s second invasion of the North. After opening clashes drove Union troops to strong positions south of town, intense fighting on July 2 and the failed assault known as Pickett’s Charge on July 3 ended in a Union victory. Widely seen as the war’s turning point, the battle halted Lee’s advance, produced enormous casualties, and later gained added meaning when Abraham Lincoln dedicated Gettysburg National Cemetery and delivered the Gettysburg Address.

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania · USA