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Robert E. Lee, Picketts Charge, and the
Tyranny of Strategic Imperatives
Captain Steven W. Knott, USN (ret.)
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Policy-Strategy Formulation
Battles
Campaigns
WarStrategic
Operational
Tactical
Levels of War
PR = M x W
Policy
D I M E
Annihilation
Attrition
Exhaustion
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Lees Strategic Vision
Policy objective: Independence
Confederate strategy dilemma;
resource disparity so Means or Will?
Federal Will &
War Weariness
Peace Democrats / Copperheads
NY draft riots
Invasion response 1862 vs. 1863
Lee & Exhaustion vs. Annihilation
Lees strategy is unconventional;seeking destruction of federal AOP as
psychological blow
& time is not on his side!
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Lees Leadership Style
Influenced by Winfield Scott (mentor)
Lee adopts style & empowerment of trusted agents
Macro-manager; uses Mission Command
I think and work with all my powers to bring mytroops to the right place at the right time; then I have
done my duty. As soon as I order them forward into
battle, the rest must be done by my generals and their
troops
Lee & Stonewall Jackson Not close personally, but Lees most
trusted subordinate. Why?
Antietam & Chancellorsville
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Lee & Longstreet
Lees Trusted Agent at Gettysburg
Advises Against Charge:
General, I have been a soldier all my life. I have
been with soldiers engaged in fights by couples,
by squads, companies, regiments , divisions and
armies, and should know as well as any one what
soldiers can do. It is my opinion that no 15,000
men ever arrayed for battle can take that position.
Favors Disengaging at Gettysburg, Maneuvering to
Position ANV between Meade & Washington, and
Fighting a Defensive Battle
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The Plan
4-Part Plan in Design:
Artillery Bombardment w/ 150 guns
Main Effort with 9 Brigades against
Federal Center on Cemetery Ridge
Supporting Attack on Federal Right
Flank on Culps Hill
Supporting Attack in Federal Rear
with 4 Cavalry Brigades (Stuart)
2-Part Plan in Execution!
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Issues for Lee
Chief of Artillery BG William N. Pendleton
The power of incompetence
Decentralized Artillery C2
Ordnance Wagons & Alexanders 9 Howitzers
Whos in Charge?
Longstreet & Pickett / Alexander
Longstreet & Pettigrew / Walker
Longstreet & Trimble Synchronized Start?
Bottom Line:
No one is in command of this attack!
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Back-ups
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The Cost
Lees Gamble Fails
& He has Run out of Time
The ANV no Longer Capable of Assuming Operational Initiative
after Gettysburg
Lee Can Only Hope to Destroy AOP if Grant Makes a Mistake
(North Anna ~ 23-24 May 1864)
Confederate Casualties: 6,555 (55 %)
Division Commanders Trimble & Pettigrew Wounded 6 of 11 Brigade Commanders Killed (3) & Wounded (3)
Federal Casualties: 1,500 (26 %)
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1st LT Andrew B. Anderson, CSA
Co F, 53
rd
VA Infantry
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