GENERAL ROBERT E.

LEE: CONFEDERATE FAILURE

By: Michael E. Rhoades

GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE

Leading cause of the Confederates defeat because of Lees: Poor strategic decisions Consequential view of warfare Ego and stubbornness

(John K. McNeill Camp #674).

NORTHERN INVASION

Political tactic with no concrete objective Left Richmond vulnerable for an attack Left defensive warfare
First offensive for South Extremely risky

LEES STUBBORNNESS
Lees ego affected his decision making Lee wouldnt accept defeat Confidence and Arrogance drove his Northern Invasion.

Warned not to attack at Gettysburg Ignored all the negatives Proceeded with offensive against all odds

ADVANCED WEAPONRY AND TECHNOLOGY

Lees infantry tactics were based on smoothbore musket warfare. Outdated Napoleonic Warfare Lees tactics were obsolete to the rifle and minie ball. Advanced rifled muskets and the minie ball proved to be deadly accurate.

(The Effect of Rifling)

(The Effect of Rifling)

CONSEQUENTIAL WARFARE

Lees view of warfare The end justifies the means -Machiavelli Gettysburg Picketts Charge

Aftermath of Picketts Charge (Hess and Wolfe)

LEES NEGATIVES

Took great risks with his forces Consequential warfare Forceful and aggressive strategy depleted his limited resources of men and materiel Used outdated Napoleonic tactic of warfare Led with his ego Very stubborn, ignoring negatives
(John K. McNeill Camp #674).

WHAT LEE SHOULD OF DONE

When the enemy occupies high ground do not confront him. If he attacks downhill, do not oppose him. -Sun Tzu There are some armies that should not be fought and some ground that should not be contested. -Sun Tzu

ANY QUESTIONS?

WORK CITED

Bailey, Ronal H., and Editors of Time Life. The Bloodiest Day : The Battle of Antietam. New York, NY: Time-Life Books, 1984. Print. Beddoe, Cpl. The Art of War Sun Tzu. Marine Corps Web Log. WP Robot, 11 May 2011. Web. 23 May 2012. <http://www.usmc81.com/2011/06/the-art-of-war-sun-tzu/>. Busey, John W., and David G. Martin. Regimental Strengths and Losses at Gettysburg. Hightstown, NJ: Longstreet House, 2005. Print. Civil War Weapons. Civil War Potpourri , 24 Nov. 2006. Web. 15 May 2012. <http://www.civilwarhome.com/civilwarweapons.htm>. Dupre, Ben. 50 Philosophy Ideas You Really Need to Know. Ed. Kieth Mansfield. London: Quercus Publishing Plc, 2007. Print. The Effect of Rifling on weapons in the Civil War and American Revolution. Historian in Residence . Mary Anne Christy, 2007. Web. 23 May 2012. <http://www.historianinresidence.com/Civil%20War/Rifling%20effects.html>. Fuller, J.F.C., Maj. Gen. Grant and Lee A Study in Personality and Generalship. Bloomington IN: Indiana University Press, 1957. Print. Hess, Earl J, and Brendan Wolfe. Picketts Charge. Encyclopedia Virginia. Ed. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, 7 Feb. 2012. Web. 9 May 2012. <http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Picketts_Charge>.

John K. McNeill Camp #674. Robert Edward Lee. Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans . N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2012. <http://www.scv674.org/leeday.htm>. McKenzie, John D. Uncertain Glory: Lees Generalship Re-Examined. New York, NY: Hippocrene Books, 1997. Print. McWhiney, Grady, and Perry D. Jamieson. Attack and Die: Civil War Military Tactics and the Southern Heritage. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama, 1984. Print. Minie Ball. The History Channel website. A&E Television Networks, 2012. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://www.history.com/topics/minie-ball>. Missingham, Walt, prod. The Art Of War. Phoenix Films, 2008. DVD-ROM. The reason i used this source is because it is backed by the History Channel, relates to my topic, has several credible speakers with their opinion on the battle of Gettysburg with factual information on General Lees mistakes he made, and things Lee should have done instead. Niepert, Robert. Carbines, Revolving Rifles and Repeating Rifles. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://www.floridareenactorsonline.com/carbinesetc.htm>. Randal, J G, and David Donald. The Civil War and Reconstruction. Boston, MA: DC Health and Company, 1961. Print. Shaara, Michael. The Killer Angels: A Novel of the Civil War. Ed. David McKay Company, Inc. 2004 Modern Library Edition ed. New York: n.p., 1974. Print. Time-Life Books: The Civil War series. Civil War Statistics. Civil War Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2012. <http://www.phil.muni.cz/~vndrzl/amstudies/civilwar_stats.htm>. This statistical site is apart of a collection of i a series that has informational statistics of the Civil War that I was able to reference for my paper to provide facts that agree with my thesis.