Therefore, it is crucial that morale is simultaneously protected and kindled. This important facet of war was something that the Confederacy overlooked. To illustrate this point, consider General Robert E. Lee’s letter to Confederate President Jefferson on August 8, 1863 wherein Lee informs the President that it would be impossible for the South to win and that he was planning to resign from his position. About three months later, President of the Union Abraham Lincoln gave an infamous speech called the Gettysburg Address, in which leveraged the North’s morale at Gettysburg to heal the currently broken nation. Despite having the latitude to gloat about the North’s superiority, Lincoln took the high road and delivered a somber speech that was filled with hope and determination.
In summary, the Battle of Gettysburg was indeed a major turning point within the war as it was the catalyst for the Confederacy’s downfall. However, its relevance and merit would be greatly diminished if not for three reasons – superior planning of the Union Armies, the number of casualties on both sides, and the waning morale of the