Lincoln and the Turning Point at Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg, fought from July 1 to 3, 1863, was a defining moment in Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and the American Civil War. The Union victory under General George G. Meade halted the Confederate advance into the North, giving Lincoln renewed hope for preserving the Union. Deeply moved by the immense sacrifice, Lincoln later delivered the famous Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863, redefining the war’s purpose as a struggle for equality and national unity. This speech reflected Lincoln’s vision of a nation “conceived in liberty,” and it remains one of the most powerful statements of American ideals.