The battle of Gettysburg was one of the most climactic and deadly of the American Civil War, and has been heavily debated ever since it ended. No I ask, what would you do, if you had the place of either commander?

well lee could have pulled back towards washington forcing the union to leave big round top and little round top...he could have marched towards wahington forcing the union to follow and had the battle on grounds of his chossing on more favorable terrain...just my viewpoint always open to critque

I think you're right, but I think if Lee pulled away, period, it could've changed, or slowed, the outcome of the war. Or, he could've fled, forced Buford to pursue, then turn around and ambush Buford's wearied forces.

gettsburg was the point when lee changed his strategy towards the war from defensive to offensive

If I was in Lee's position, and I realize that this is getting nowhere at all, I would order the men to pull back immediately. And keep pulling back, and keep pulling back. Pull back, not farther, but faster than the Union army. Then, set a few shock troops to stop their advance by ambush, and spread them out so that it seems that the whole Confederate Army was there. Then, all of my remaining heavy guns/artillery would flank the Union. In those moments of shock, I would set a time for about 15 seconds. When the Union army recalibrates within those seconds, the artillery stops at the 15th second and the first shock troops flank them from the other side. When they recalibrate again, I start with the artillery again. Finally, after they recalibrate to both forces on the left and right (now they're focusing on left and right), I order a full attack from their behind.

LEE (I beleive) was one of the greastest Generals America has ever produced. Gettysburg was one of a few battles where LEE seemed to have his mind elsewhere. When every General under his command (except for one) is suggesting the Confederate Army withdraw, he decided to fight. Even LEE himself years later stated that he made a mistake.

But it should also be noted that he wasnt in possession of all the facts of the battle. Some Battalions had lost more than half their men on the first day of battle yet he wasnt informed. Thus when he prepared battle plans for the 2nd day he increased his mistake, committing units to battle that he would normally have let rest and refit.

Little round top was found to be free of Union troops when two officers from the rebel army conducted a recon of it early in the battle. But the Confederate commander who was tasked with taking and holding it stopped his trroops and gave then time to rest. This break allowed the Union troops to take up position first.

LEE thought about withdrawing to Washington (his troops were now closer than the Union troops but it had a large garrision for defence and it would have left his rear cut off. Moving an army with o supply line wold have been an all or nothing action. As his calvary was away conducting recon and mis-direction he was without any upto date information on Union movements.

It wasnt until the Confederates had commenced their withdraw after the battle that a line of hills/mountains was found that would have been ideal for defence.

The Confederates didnt ahve the option of not fighting. The Union had more States, more soldiers, more guns. And every month the war went on the ratio went up. LEE never had the chance for a defensive war, he had to take the fight North.

Atauzeromind, your talking about a time when communication was transmitted via horse back. If you look at the war you will see most losses for the Confederates were when commanders changed from LEE's stated orders. He was the General of the Army but once battle was joined, Divisioncomanders tended to do what they thought was best with the information they had. LEE was famous for his sidels (side ways movemens to attack) but often they took days to achieve. 15 second attacks from artillery never occurred. The shot flight time was longer than that.

Well, my two cents worth.

The Confederate soldier was better lead and fought harder (in the early parts of the war) But the Union had more of everything. You cant win a war when you best keeps getting killed and you have nothing to replace it with. The Union had to win, even with all the mistakes their Generals made.