Hi,
My university is planning a trip to Gettysburg this weekend to study the history and influence of the environment on military strategy. I signed up last minute because I feel I don't know enough about the Civil War, and it turns out I must give a five minute presentation addressing the following:
Should President Davis authorize Lee’s plan to invade the north?
Consider both military and non-military considerations
How do developments out west influence this decision?
I am not looking for anyone to do the work for me, but are there any places I should look at to answer this question? I know Lee was low on supplies, but that is about it. I appreciate any guidance you might have. Thanks!
I think the "supplies" thing might be the wrong angle, honestly. The Army of N.Virginia was nearly always very short on supplies, but I think that a general as aggressive as Lee would probably have attacked regardless. I mean, look at the position he was in:
A. He knows that supplies are going to become a problem the longer the war goes on, even if the situation in 1863 is nowhere near as desperate as it would become in 1864 or 1865.
B. Lee knows that his army is in high spirits after decisively defeating the larger Army of the Potomac twice within the past 6 months at Fredricksburg and Chancellorsville.
C. Lee can reasonably assume that the Federals would likewise be in low spirits after being mauled at Fredricksburg and decisively outmaneuvered at Chancellorsville.
Given those three things, it's kind of easy to see why Lee would be looking to mount an offensive, right? He knew that the sooner he ended the war, the better it'd be and that given the high morale of his army, this was a good time to take the offensive.
The goal of the Gettysburg campaign wasn't merely to recapture supplies (though the relief on confederate supply lines was a nice bonus). The goal of the Gettysburg campaign was a major northern city like Baltimore, Philidelphia, or even Washington DC.
If I were you, I'd start by doing some reading on Fredricksburg and Chancellorsville, which will give you some idea of the military situation in june and july 1963. The big western events all revolve around Vicksburg. Read about that, and the difficulties the confederate forces were having with Grant in the early half of 1863. As for the non-military considerations, I think the thing to look into is the interventionist positions of England and France.
That should be plenty to get you started, eh?
This is mostly from Foote's Civil War: A Narrative.
What do you mean Lee was low on supplies? One tactical part of Lee's plan was to draw enemy troops out of Virginia long enough so the land could "heal" sort of speak. Two armies waging war it's a hell of a thing for farmland.