The battle lasted from July 1st to July 3rd, 1863 in Pennsylvania. The Battle of Chancellorsville followed, and by then the Confederate Army was in the lead, crushing any chance of Union victory. On the second day of battle (July 2), George Meade, commander of the Union Army, "...shaped a J-shaped battle line, extending from Culp's Hill on the right to nearby Cemetery Hill." In this way they were prepared for any attacks ordered by Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederate army. This day was the costliest day of the battle, resulting in nearly 9,000 casualties on each side. On the third day, the Union regained its strength and opened fire on advancing Confederate troops, including men led by George Pickett who were planning to charge the entrenched Union infantry. With this setback, Lee's plan to invade the North and ultimately win the war failed. Now that his army could move no further north, the Union army had the advantage with hopes of finally winning rising. This battle was the first major victory of the war for the North and ensured the preservation of the Union. The war suddenly took a 180-degree turn, and the battle “irrevocably changed the tide of the Civil War in the Union”.