The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), was fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This battle had the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War and is often described as the war's turning point. The Army of the Potomac defeated attacks by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, ending Lee's invasion of the North.

It was here, four months later in November, when Lincoln came to dedicate the country's first National Cemetery, that he delivered the Gettysburg Address.

Nearly 8,000 soldiers died in the three-day battle. In total, there were nearly 60,000 casualties. Today, the battlefield is preserved as a National Military Park. There is a new visitor center that provides considerable information on the battle. The battlefield can be seen by car or on foot. The battlefield has many large and small monuments to the soldiers. Some recognize individuals. Most recognize groups by home town/state.

To see the open fields where so many soldiers fought and died, and the perimeter, which was lined with cannons, is sobering. Most visitors walk quietly around. It clearly is place where many emotions meet. Re-enactments are held here annually. I can only imagine that these events must be dramatic beyond description.