How was the battle of 1863 (battle of gettysburg, etc) a turning point in the civil war?

Answer 1

~Bobby Lee got a taste of what happened at Antietam and Fredricksburg. You don't use 18th century tactics against 19th century weapons. Even so, had Gouveneur Warren not taken a ride up Little Round Top, Longstreet (and Evander Law) may have have pulled Bobby's cookies out of the fire. The Union was able to replace the lost troops. The CSA couldn't. Had Jackson not been killed at Chancellorsville in May, he and Longstreet jointly may have been able to convince Lee of the stupidity of his battle plan. On the other hand, had Meade had the guts to follow up the battle and purse the defeated Army of Northern Virginia, the war would have been over 2 years sooner. And lost in all the hoopla over Gettysburg, Grant kicked Pemberton's butt at Vicksburg on July 4, effectively cutting the southern supply lines in and from the west and writing the obituary of the CSA. The significance of Gettysburg pales by comparison, as Billy Sheridan thereafter proved. Hey, had Gettysburg been such a big deal, Grant would have stayed out west, Meade would have stayed on as the BMFWIC of the Army of the Potomac and moronic generals would have continued to attack heavily fortified positions, losing half their troops on the way to glorious defeat and the war would have gone on until the draft riots in the north ended the war. The real turning point of Gettysburg should have been that Jeffy Davis finally realized that Zach Taylor was right and he couldn't command to save his life. Had he listened to folks like Jonston and Hooker, he may still have had a chance. Ah, the joys of ego. Davis continued to plot strategy and Grant and Sherman had a picnic moving their armies toward each other and destoyoing anything and everything on the way.

The turning point was Vicksburg, not Gettysburg. Lincoln finally found a general with the steelies to fight and the brains to win.

To Dave: What, there was not fierce fighting or heavy casualties at Chattenooga and Cold Harbor (to name just 2)? I love 'historians' who have no clue about history. That's why I love for the kiddies to get there homework done on Yahoo Answers. Some much intelligent information to be had that way.

Answer 2

The Battle of Gettysburg, in historical retrospective, a turning point in the Civil War because that was the last opportunity for General Lee and the Army of Virginia to conduct offensive operations against the Union in Union territory. The rest of the civil war, the South was on the defensive.
More importantly, at the same time of the Battle of Gettysburg, (July 3, 1863) the Union, under General U.S. Grant, captured Vicksburg after a long seige. This gave the Union control of the Mississippi river and cut the Confederacy in two--the initial Union plan from the start.

Answer 3

The losses at Gettysburg were so tremendous to the Army of Virginia (the largest of the South's consolidated fighting forces) that they were on the run from then on. Before Gettysburg, Lee had amazed enemies and Friends by taking relatively light losses and pulling off amazing strategic feats.
After Gettysburg, reinforcements never came, supplies (which were never in great amounts) were always short, and the South never mounted another offensive push against th North.

Answer 4

Never again would the South mount a serious effort to attack the North, nor would they ever be able to seek victory, just delays and perhaps a draw.

The little copse of trees on the Union line, being attacked by the lined up forces of the Confederates, in what is known as Pickett's Charge, is often called the High Water Mark of the Confederacy. The Southern armies would advance this far, but like the high tide mark on a beach, they would not ever again be able to come anywhere close to this point again.

Yes, the Confederates would win victories after this, but they would never again serious challenge the North for victory in the war.

Answer 5

This was one of the last of the fiercest fighting. There were so many killed that they couldn't even bury the dead before leaving.The south was finally feeling at their lowest point.

Answer 6

it stopped the south from invading the north.

Answer 7

it was the diif. between southern and northern control