General Robert E. Lee’s leading role for the Confederacy in the Battle of Gettysburg came to a close with 18 of his generals either dead or wounded. Intending to end the battle with “one hard blow,” Lee’s decision perilously backfired and later ignited conflict. 

The stirring came about weeks after the loss at Gettysburg and dozens of miles marching along. Lee claimed his men “were in good health and spirits,” but in the same sentence admitted that they badly needed the essential articles of shoes and clothing. 

Desperate to make sense of the recent ruinous loss, his soldiers disputed over where to place the blame. While General Richard Ewell admitted to committing a “good many” of the “dozen blunders” that led up to the losing of Gettysburg, General James Longstreet nobly claimed his desire to shift some of blame’s weight from Lee’s back onto himself (despite denying this years later).  

When asked about recounting the battle (and inevitably its ending), Lee deliberately left out names. He stated rather vaguely, “Its loss was occasioned by a combination of circumstances.” 

He continued to commend his men, despite requiring “impossibilities” of them. “The army did all it could,” he concluded of the combat, and moved on to talking about the future preparations for the battles to come.