Comment:
Further study on the subject reveals that the Confederates at the time didn't think they could hold Little Round Top for long. The attacks on the flanks on the previous day was a failure. General Lee believed that the Union Army was going to be watching for an attack on the flanks again. But Union Gen. Meade predicted the attack on the center.
Lee also thought his artillery could break up the enemy artillery before they had to make the 1 mile plus charge across the open field. That didn't happen. There wasn't enough ammunition. Their lines were too long to get additional help to support the attack.
There is also some discussion that Gen. Longstreet tried to call off the attack. But that did not happen either. Given the fog of war, even if he did, it was too late.
It all may have been inevitable. Lee was outnumbered and outgunned. His only advantage was the will to win, but after the battle on the previous day, it wasn't altogether certain that the South had the greater will to win than the North. If Meade was prepared for the attack, then Lee made a mistake in attacking. At any rate, he did attack and the attack failed.
Lee made a big gamble on winning it all on one battle. Recent history has shown that the long term approach may have had the better chance.
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