In 1863, the United States was in the midst of the Civil War, a conflict between the Northern states (the Union) and the Southern states (the Confederacy). This year marked significant battles, including the Battle of Gettysburg, which took place from July 1 to July 3 and is often considered a turning point in the war. Additionally, 1863 saw the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1. This executive order declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory, reshaping the war's purpose and paving the way for the eventual abolition of slavery in the United States.