Tuesday, January 29, 2013

July 3,

     Well, this really sucks. It's a few days into the battle, and Lee and I just aren't see eye to eye on what's going on here in Gettysburg. Hours ago, since his morning attack obviously wasn't going to work out, he gave an order for me to send George Pickett's men straight into Hell; somehow he thought we could miraculously break through the center of the Union line. That's exactly the line I had in Fredericksburg! It crushed any assault that was thrown at it, and somehow Lee has forgotten that experience completely.
     I even went up to him and said, "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 fifteen thousand men ever arranged for battle can take that position." Of course, he wouldn't listen. And I had to follow my orders, no matter how questionable they were. So, it was time, I ordered Pickett to charge his men out to their own death. Except I couldn't bring myself to say it, to just tell them to go die; instead, I motioned the order, and already knowing the plan from previous debriefings, he carried it out. I just hope Lee realises the grave mistake he made today.

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