Robert E.

Lee, Picketts Charge, and the Tyranny of Strategic Imperatives

Captain Steven W. Knott, USN (ret.)

Policy-Strategy Formulation
Policy
D I M E
Levels of War Strategic Operational War Campaigns

Annihilation Attrition

Tactical

Battles

PR = M x W

Exhaustion

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!

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 my troops 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

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

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!

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!

Back-ups

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 %)

1st LT Andrew B. Anderson, CSA

Co F, 53rd VA Infantry