The 3rd of July usually runs in the preparations to the tomorrow public celebrations. People decorate their houses with ornate wreaths in patriotic style, hanging stars and stripes, all red, white and blue colors, hang flags, buy fireworks, are in the middle of prepping for parades, carnivals and wait for Yankee Doodle Dandy. Tomorrow we will look up to the sky and think about sweet land of Liberty, land of the free where united we stand. It will be tomorrow, but today let’s remember as was the case.

Fought July 1-3, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg is considered to be the turning point in the American Civil War. The 3rd of July was the final day of the Battle of Gettysburg and culminated with Pickett’s Charge. It took nearly 51,000 casualties (wounded, killed or missing); official estimates, this number is considered to be the largest number of casualties of the Civil War. Thousands of human lives, destroyed families, hard fates – the victory was dearly bought, but it was the price of freedom. The very victory gave us America the Beautiful, home of the brave. Today we are commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg, and honouring the names of heroes.

The various history books tell us about these events. Confederate General Robert Lee moved his Army north to engage Major General Gordon Meade’s forces of the Potomac and defeat it in the summer of 1863. Robert Lee failed to do so. He ordered an attack on the Union center, located on cemetery Ridge. This bloody assault became known as Pickett’s Charge, by the name of George E.Pickett, who was one of division generals. Lee directed General Longstreet to attack covering by a massive artillery barrage. Dangerously open fields, ineffective Confederate bombardment, only one (Pickett’s) fresh division from three attacking – and a bloodbath as a result, the Confederate’s triumph as well as tragedy. Only one division progressed, and today 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry Monument at the high-water mark this position as the best chance to get a victory. General Lee’s forces were ultimately defeated.

The Battle at Gettysburg is one of the most pivotal military actions ever occured on American soil. Today we consider this Battle and its results as a significant victory of the North as well as an extraordinary courage of the South. All Russian ladies know about this chapter in the American history and are proud of heroes.