Battle of Gettysburg:
- Fought from July 1-3, 1863, it was the bloodiest battle in American history.
- Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia launched a massive attack against the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by General George G. Meade.
- The Confederates were initially successful, but the Union forces held their ground and launched a counterattack, forcing the Confederates to retreat.
- Lee's defeat at Gettysburg marked the end of his hopes of invading the North and boosted the morale of the Union army.
Battle of Vicksburg:
- Occurred from May 18 to July 4, 1863, and was a siege by the Union Army against the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
- The Union forces, led by General Ulysses S. Grant, surrounded the city and cut off its supplies, forcing the Confederates to surrender.
- Vicksburg's fall gave the Union control of the Mississippi River, effectively splitting the Confederacy in two and making it much harder for the South to transport supplies and troops.
- The victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg gave the Union a significant advantage and paved the way for their eventual victory in the Civil War.