Almost as one, the Northern newspapers hailed the twin victories of Gettysburg and Vicksburg. The New York Times put it thus:

Without any premeditation or arrangement—without any thought of, or striving for dramatic effect—for even Gettysburg was too serious, and issues too terrible to be thus paltered with, the late anniversary of American Independence has been consecrated afresh by victories of Liberty and Union that must render it more than ever the Sabbath-day of American freedom.

The Southern newspapers did their best to sugarcoat the twin defeats, but they did not have to persuade the soldiers of Lee’s army. The men of the Army of Northern Virginia remained convinced that the defeat of Pickett’s Charge was an unfortunate occurrence, a setback along the way to victory.