Confederate Armies & Departments in the Eastern Theater


< to June • July 1863to August >

The Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee fought the Battle of Gettysburg in the first days of the month. It was a costly defeat whose losses in manpower, especially in veteran officers, would haunt the army for the rest of the war. After Gettysburg the army retreated to Virginia and withdrew up the Shenandoah Valley, holding off the pursuing Federals, then crossed the mountains to the east to eventually return to its positions along the Rappahannock.