Gettysburg was founded in 1786 by Samuel Gettys, a veteran of the American War of Independence. In 1863 it was the scene of the famous Battle of Gettysburg, one of the decisive battles of the American Civil War, that decreed the victory of the North. Gettysburg is also linked to President Abraham Lincoln's best-known speech, the Gettysburg Address.Visit Gettysburg National Military Park to find out more about the history and importance of the place. Tour the battlefields and admire the nearly 1,400 monuments and statues placed there.