Mistakes Of The Third Day

1. Lee, once again, not listening to Longstreet's advice about attacking the Union left flank to the south and sweeping in from behind the Union line.

2. Lee misjudges the strength of the Union army. He underestimates its' numbers and thinks that they were weak and beaten down.

3. Meade remained in a defensive posture. Although he did predict that Lee would attack his center and prepared for it, he does not counterattack the Confederates after they were beaten back at the stone wall. Meade had the opportunity to wipe out the entire main body of the Confederate army and possibly capture Lee himself. Instead, he waits for two more days before pursuing Lee who was already at the banks of the Potomac river trapped by high water. Meade does nothing to stop Lee from escaping and misses a second chance to defeat him once and for all.