Neither Lee nor Meade had an ‘endgame strategy’ on Gettysburg’s first day

Published



In early July 1863, two armies converged around the little town of Gettysburg, Pa. Neither army foresaw a major battle on that ground, let alone the turning point of the entire Civil War.

The Confederates were simply searching for a supply of shoes rumored to be in the town. When they stumbled across some Union cavalry, both sides called in reinforcements, and then more, and before long, a full-scale battle stood up.

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