Unionist Battle of Gettysburg, July 4, 1863

The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863) was fought during the American Civil War between the Union and Confederate armies in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, is widely considered the turning point of the Civil War, leading to the Union's ultimate victory and the preservation of the American nation. There is a widespread view that Gettysburg was a decisive victory for the Union, but the term is considered inaccurate. At the time, most Union politicians, including Lincoln, criticized Meade for what they considered a failure to capitalize on the success of July 4th. In this simulation of the battle, I will use the board game “The Three Days of Gettysburg” by GMT Games and, broadly speaking, I will attempt to answer the most historically persistent question regarding the Union's maneuver.