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To: Michael.SF.
Lee's plan was to divert attention away from Virginia to allow for the farmers to harvest their crops and to strike at the 'soft' underbelly of the North and directly at the numerous industries of Pennsylvania that would be available were he to march north.

I thought he also intended to attack Washington DC.

On the Pickett's Charge Question, this is off topic, but I read an interesting book that posited that J.E.B. Sturat's Calvary was to sweep around the Union Lines and attack the center of the Union lines from the Rear in coordination with Pickett's Charge. In fact, Stuart fired a cannon before Pickett's charge to signal that he was in position. If it had worked the Union line might have buckled. The author cited to some after mission reports where Stuart's failure to complete the mission was discussed. Unfortunately for Stuart, Custer's calvary was in his way and stopped his charge. The author states that Lee never mentioned Stuart's failure because Stuart was dead and he did not want to disparage him. Just an interesting theory.

14 posted on 07/15/2008 2:10:45 PM PDT by lawdave
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To: lawdave
I thought he also intended to attack Washington DC.

His primary goal was to relieve pressure from Richmond and Virginia. Remember a battle, at Gettysburg, was not part of his plan, but he was forced into battle because of the North's response. Obviously when the enemy responds, plans change.

20 posted on 07/15/2008 2:17:17 PM PDT by Michael.SF. ("They're not Americans. They're liberals! "-- Ann Coulter, May 15, 2008)
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To: lawdave

I’ve never heard that about J.E.B. Stuart. It would make more sense than Lee inexplicably sending his men up that grade/hill to die. Lee wasn’t known for sending men into a meat grinder. If so, it sounds like it was an intelligence issue, not knowing where Custer’s (7th Cav?) were.


65 posted on 07/15/2008 3:16:50 PM PDT by ichabod1 (If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it, and if it stops moving, subsidize it.)
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