In the midst of a heavy rain on the morning of June 25, 1863, one of the South's greatest undertakings to win its independence took place on the Southern shore of the Potomac River. General Robert E. Lee, Commander of The Army of Northern Virginia and Lt. General James Longstreet, commander of the First Corps leading their forces out of Virginia and into Union territory.

General Lee's army was in superb condition and extremely confident of its ability to beat anything and anyone that the Union might send out to challenge it. One English journalist traveling with the army wrote "At no period of the war have the men been so well equipped, so well clothed, so eager for a fight, or so confident of success."

General Lee had decided to advance into the Union controlled Northern States for a variety of reasons. First of all it would solve his supply problems, enabling his army to subsist at the enemy's expense. Also it would force the Union army presently in Virginia to follow him, and finally it would have a great impact on public opinion in the Northern States by encouraging the Peace Movement. The Union Army did follow General Lee's Army our of Virginia. The ultimate result of General Lee's decision to take his army north resulted in the two Armies fighting a monumental battle at Gettysburg.