<human>:  Describe the historical significance of the Battle of Gettysburg.
<bot>: The Battle of Gettysburg, fought on July 1–3, 1863, is widely considered the turning point of the American Civil War. This fierce engagement saw Confederate General Robert E. Lee initiated his second invasion of the North and push the Union forces of General George Meade back to their defensive positions near the small town of Gettysburg in the south-central part of Pennsylvania. On the third day of battle, the Union forces were able to turn the tide of the fight and ultimately win the battle, and the Confederacy was never able to regain the strategic initiative of the war. The seven thousand casualties and thirty thousand wounded made it one of the bloodiest battles fought on American soil, and the severe losses to each side led to a dramatic decline in support of the Confederacy and ultimately hastened the end of the Civil War. As such, the Battle of Gettysburg is remembered not only for its military significance, but also for its heralding of the eventual emancipation of the American South and the reunification of the United States.