UPPER LAKE, Calif. – On July 1, 1863, two giant armies collided near the little town of Gettysburg, Penn.

After three days of fighting, and over 50,000 casualties, the biggest battle ever in the Western Hemisphere ended with the Confederate army of Robert E. Lee retreating after being defeated by the Northern Federal army of Gen. George Meade.

Commonly known as the Confederate “High Water Mark,” it began a slow decline of Southern fortunes that led to their final defeat two years later.

This epic battle will be the headline topic at the next Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable on Tuesday, July 2, 6:15 p.m., at the Tallman Hotel in historic Upper Lake.

Local historian Zane Jensen will review the three-day battle and lead a discussion on various “what-ifs” that could have changed the outcome of the battle, and by extension, the future of the country.

Jensen has visited the battlefield numerous times and has done exhaustive research on the battle and it's participants. He combines personal photos with archived pictures, animated maps, and video to give a full multimedia presentation.

The Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable was formed to honor the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War and meets on the first Monday of each month to review the events that month 150 years ago.

Admission is free, all are welcome. For more information, contact Zane Jensen 707-349-6390 or Phil Smoley at 707-264-4905.