The Battle of Gettysburg was a major confrontation that took place from July 1-3, 1863 near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania between Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. General Robert E. Lee led approximately 75,000 Confederate troops against around 90,000 Union soldiers commanded by General George Meade. Over the three day battle, the Union forces successfully repelled repeated Confederate attacks and prevented Lee's troops from advancing further north, dealing the Confederacy a major defeat from which it never fully recovered.