Why did Robert E. Lee push into the North?

[martybegan]

After a few days of review, I came to the conclusion that the Confederacy should have fortified their positions and just sued for peace.

Why did Robert E. Lee continue advancing north?

For the South a "draw" would have also been a win.

Noted that Lee's tactical blunders invading the north also led to the English observer recommending that the Crown withdraw their support for an effort that was going to fail.

Considering the blockade, the Northern advances in the West, and the fact the Union wasn't going to accept a "draw", they had no choice but to invade, try to beat whatever army came after them, and then threaten either Philadelphia or Washington D.C.

the goal was international recognition and support.

 

[martybegan]

After a few days of review, I came to the conclusion that the Confederacy should have fortified their positions and just sued for peace.

Why did Robert E. Lee continue advancing north?

For the South a "draw" would have also been a win.

Noted that Lee's tactical blunders invading the north also led to the English observer recommending that the Crown withdraw their support for an effort that was going to fail.

Because tactically for Lee if he could surround the capitol, from the North and South, then the Rebels could demand the surrender of the US. But God didnt want the south to win, which was why so many things went wrong at Gettysburg....

The British took the capitol and burned the White House in the War of 1812. We didn’t surrender, we just vacated.

Also remember that DC was a new capitol at the time, not many people had much pride invested in it.

Now if they would have done that to NY, Boston, Richmond, etc...

 

[rightwinger]

After a few days of review, I came to the conclusion that the Confederacy should have fortified their positions and just sued for peace.

Why did Robert E. Lee continue advancing north?

For the South a "draw" would have also been a win.

Noted that Lee's tactical blunders invading the north also led to the English observer recommending that the Crown withdraw their support for an effort that was going to fail.

Because tactically for Lee if he could surround the capitol, from the North and South, then the Rebels could demand the surrender of the US. But God didnt want the south to win, which was why so many things went wrong at Gettysburg....

The British took the capitol and burned the White House in the War of 1812. We didn’t surrender, we just vacated.

Also remember that DC was a new capitol at the time, not many people had much pride invested in it.

Now if they would have done that to NY, Boston, Richmond, etc...

Capturing a capitol does not end a war. Lee allowed himself to be tied up in Petersburg in order to protect Richmond at all costs. Richmond had only been capitol for three years. It took him out of the war and eliminated his strongest asset......mobility