Final answer:
General Lee decided to attack both flanks of the Union forces at Cemetery Ridge on July 2, and when that failed, he ordered an attack on the Union center on July 3, known as Pickett's Charge. His reason was a tactical attempt to break the Union's defensive line. Lee attributed the Confederate defeat to the Union's superior numbers and resources.
Step-by-step explanation:
On July 2, during the Battle of Gettysburg, General Robert E. Lee decided to attack the flanks of the Union forces in a classic military maneuver. He positioned his Confederate army around the Union's defensive position at Cemetery Ridge and launched attacks on both ends.
After his failure to turn the Union flanks on July 2, Lee ordered Lieutenant General James Longstreet to attack the Union center at Cemetery Ridge on July 3.
This pivotal assault became known as Pickett's Charge. General Lee's reason for this was tactical; he aimed to break the Union's defensive position by striking its center.
The outcome of the battle was ultimately a defeat for the Confederates, which Lee attributed to the overwhelming numbers and resources of the Union as mentioned in his farewell address post-war. He did not blame specific individuals in this address but spoke generally of the superior forces of the Union leading to their defeat.
Lee blamed himself for the outcome of the battle. He felt responsible for the tactical failure of Pickett's Charge and acknowledged that his decision to attack the Union center was a mistake.