What caused so many deaths at the Battle of Gettysburg?

Four contributing factors (among others):. It came at a time of palpable importance in the summer of 1863. The South's leaders knew they could not fight a protracted war as the North's weight of men and material was beginning to show. read more

The fact that it lasted for three days, which is another way of saying Robert E. Lee caused so many deaths. Other than that it was the same thing that caused so many deaths on other Civil War battlefields - rifled muskets and artillery used against massed infantry in the open. read more

Gettysburg Casualties (Battle Deaths at Gettysburg) Nearly one-third of the total forces engaged at Gettysburg became casualties. George Gordon Meade’s Army of the Potomac lost 28 percent of the men involved; Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia suffered over 37 percent. read more