In 1863, the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was awakened by the beginning of what would be the turning point of the Civil War for the Union. It began as a small skirmish, but eventually involved so many Americans that it would become one of the bloodiest battles ever to take place on U.S. soil. The Battle of Gettysburg was not only a turning point in the war. From July 1 to July 3, 1863, the most famous and important battle of the Civil War took place in the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Confederates under Robert E. Lee advanced toward the Union in hopes of conquering Philadelphia's major city, Baltimore, or even Washington D.C.'s Union commander, General George Meade, was sent to make sure none of this happened . General Robert E. Lee, determined to invade the North and achieve a morale-boosting victory for the South, leads his army toward Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he hopes to destroy the railroad bridges connecting the East and the West. Little does he know that a large union force led by General Meade is headed in the same direction. The Battle of Gettysburg began on July 1, with Confederate troops attacking a Union cavalry division on McPherson Ridge, west of the city. After fierce fighting and heavy casualties on both sides, the Union forces managed to hold and even push back the Confederate forces until the afternoon, when they were overwhelmed by more Southern troops and pushed back through the city. In the confusion, thousands of Union soldiers were captured before they could gather on Cemetery Hill, south of the city. Once there the Union formed a strong defensive position that resembled that of a fish hook, with Culp's Hill and the two Round Tops anchored at each end. After reinforcements arrived, the Union position was three miles long. Meanwhile, Confederate troops occupied Gettysburg and Seminary Ridge to the west. Lee did not place his army in a defensive position at all. He believed his own army was invincible, even though it was without his cavalry, who were somewhere harassing other Union soldiers, but on the first day of battle, the Confederates were victorious. On the second day, July 2, the Confederate army awoke. to find that the remainder of the Union army had arrived at Gettysburg. General Lee gave the order for his men to attack in the morning, but General Longstreet was rather slow in getting his troops into position, so the attack did not take place until the afternoon..