Lee knew the Confederacy did not have to win the war by defeating the North militarily; it merely needed to make the Northern populace and government unwilling to continue the fight.
Lee vidste, at Konføderationen ikke behøvede at vinde krigen ved at besejre Unionen militært, det var nok at nå dertil at befolkningen og regeringen i Nordstaterne ikke længere ville fortsætte kampen.