What type of battle did general longstreet want to fight and why did general lee want to fight at Gettysburg?

Answer 1

Longstreet wanted to fight a defensive fight at Gettysburg, and urged Lee to move troops around to the right of the Federal forces to interpose themselves between the Yankees and Washington, forcing the federals to attack entrenched positions.

Lee didn't want a fight there. Stuart's cavalry was missing, and Lee was drawn into the fight when southern troops looking for forage ran into Union cavalry units, bringing on the fight. Both armies were scattered, and hastened to concentrate. Stuart arrived two days later, on the evening before the third and decisive battle.

NEW RESPONDENT

Longstreet told Lee on July 1, that it was preferable to disengage, march the Army south, and fight a defensive battle elsewhere in the Pennsylvania countryside. He reiterated his opinion when, on July 2, Lee ordered to attack the Union left, motivating that the Federals were entrenching as they wanted to be attacked. He was alluding to the convention of military wisdom stating that a general should not do what the enemy wanted.

Lee refused to take into consideration the suggestion commenting: "They are in position, and I am going to whip them or they are going to whip me".

Lee wanted to fight at Gettysburg because they had so planned. On 28 July the Confederates were deployed along a great circle of arc with the concavity facing south:

Early division of the II Corps was in York, divisions Rodes and E. Johnson of II Corps in Carlisle, the III and I Corps in Chambersburg.

The Army of the Potomac, which was coming up from the south, would go just to slip into the cavity of the arch.

On June 27, Lee sent for General Trimble, attached to the command of the II Corps who knew Pennsylvania very well.

At the request of Lee, he confirmed to him that the land in all the areas where they were was ideal to maneuver and fight. Lee was satisfied. He observed that his troops had a high morale, they were not tired and could be concentrated in the space of twenty-four hours. The enemy, Lee said, feeling that Baltimore and Philadelphia were threatened, would be moved up to the north by forced marches, and when it had arrived, tired and scattered on a long line, he set out to fall upon him, converging from all points and destroy him. Lee then pointed to a place located roughly where the center of the semicircle along which the Confederate Army was deployed, stood.

It was a small town, and towards it, like the spokes of a wheel to the axle, all roads converged. "Here," Lee added, "we'll probably meet the enemy and God will give us the victory we will gain the recognition of our independence. Trimble, bending down to get a better view, could read his name: Gettysburg. (source:

G.R. Stewart, Pickett's Charge New York 1963, page 22 and following)