Why was the Battle of Gettysburg such a great victory for the north?

Answer 1

The Union victory at the US Civil War Battle of Gettysburg was not a great victory at all. Before details are discussed. it is necessary to recall, that based on the most logical comparison, the Union Victory at Antietam, the Commander in Chief, President Lincoln forced General McClellan to resign and perhaps if only to stop the revolving door of leadership of the Army of the Potomac, General Meade, was not replaced. For even again in retreat, no attempt to place Lee's army "out of commission" was seriously undertaken much to the dismay of President Lincoln. This does not, however, seek to discount the facts about the Battle of Gettysburg. In the three days of fighting, Lee lost 28,000 soldiers, representing 38% of his 75,000 army. Lee's damage placed him in a position where on July 4, 1863, he could no longer press the enemy.

General Meade lost 23,000 of his 97,000 man army, but its pursuit of Lee was bogged down by Lee's excellent rear guard and the bad weather.

Based on the following:

Lee- 75,000 man army Meade- 97,000 man army

Battle Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania - Union territory

And no Union troops positioned on the North side of the Potomac River

The victory was incomplete.

Commentary: The South was able to vigorously continue the war, and if the Union had lost, would the North feel empowered to continue, is a key unanswerable question. This can easily lead to the conclusion that the victory was not a great victory.

Answer 2

The Battle of Gettysburg was a great victory for the North because never again was General Lee able to attack the North in a major offensive, and the battle ended the possibility that the Confederacy could win the war.

Answer 3

First, the battle happened because General Robert E. Lee was trying to invade the North- up to that point, the Civil War had been fought almost entirely in the South, especially in Virginia. Lee hoped that he could invade the North and take the pressure off Virginia. He also hoped that more Union politicians would turn against the war and try to force President Lincoln to make peace.

General Meade's victory at Gettysburg ended those hopes. Lee was unable to continue his invasion, and was forced to return to Virginia. Additionally, the Union victory showed that Lee could be beaten- the battle was his first major loss, and showed that he was not invincible. Lee was not able to take the initiative and start new offensives- he spent most of the rest of the war on the defense.