The battle of gettysburgh

The significance of the Battle of Gettysburg has been somewhat exaggerated by many historians. In fact, it was not a strategic turning point. Meade did thwart Lee's invasion of the North, as McClellan had done at Antietam the previous Autumn, thus preventing Lee from threatening civilian populations in the North, and forcing his retreat back to Virginia, from which he never ventured forth again. That said, possibly due to his troops' exhaustion and lacking a sufficient strategic reserve, Meade failed to follow up with a vigorous pursuit to cut Lee off, and, possibly, end the war. Instead, Lee withdrew in good order and, upon reaching the safety of Virginia, managed to wage a defensive campaign that prolonged the war for another 21 months. Its greatest significance may be that it provided the background for the Gettysburg Address.