George Meade Turning Point Analysis

In what is considered a major turning point in the American Civil war, Confederate
General Robert E. Lee’s last invasion of the Northern territory, Union General George Meade held off the Confederate forces in the Battle of Gettysburg. After the battle was initiated, the North and the South set up their positions, fought for three days straight until the retreat of Lee on the fourth day, the creation of a cemetery for the fallen, and the Gettysburg Address. In the beginning, General Lee was starting his second northern invasion, after his first invasion was ended in Antietam almost a year prior, and was first pursued by Union General Joseph Hooker; later replaced by General George Meade after Hooker’s resignation after his devastating losses at the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. Lee had several motivations for this attack, such as wanting to collect supplies from the north, weaken the North’s want for fighting by threatening them,
Before retreating, Lee attempted to negotiate with Meade over the 4,000 union prisoner troops, but failed. Meade determined that it would hurt the Confederates even more if they had to guard and feed these 4,000 troops. Lee ordered Imboden to protect the wounded while they made their escape southward toward Virginia through Maryland. Meade decided to not pursue the enemy, but because of this, Meade received intense harassment. This harassment even led Meade as far as to attempt to resign from his command. President Lincoln sent him a letter to say his thanks for his job well done at gettysburg, but to display his immense displeasure that he did not pursue Lee when he attempted to escape. The Potomac River was holding Lee back, and Meade had even gained more troops whereas Lee did not. It was believed that if Meade would have pursued Lee, the war would have been ended. Instead, however, the war was