Robert E. Lee Leadership Style

The Battle of Gettysburg is considered the most crucial engagement of the American Civil War. The leaders involved in this battle and their decisions, directly impacted the outcome of the war and ultimately determined the fate of our nation. History offers us a great resource for the study of leadership. General Robert E. Lee himself said, “A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday does not know where it is today.” In this paper I would like to focus on positive and negative leadership traits from key leaders in the battle of Gettysburg. We can become more effective leaders in our present day operational environment by learning from their examples, both good and bad. First, let me describe the situation. On July 1, 1863 the

Lee was known for his bold, aggressive tactics. He was not afraid to take calculated risks which often resulted in his success against larger superior forces. His strategic thinking enabled him to make hard decisions for the benefit the organization. Conversely, Meade’s failure to follow through following Lee’s retreat from Gettysburg, allowed the confederates to escape and ultimately the war continued for another two years. President Lincoln himself criticized Meade calling it a missed opportunity which he believed would have ended the war. Leaders must be able to adapt. The Battle of Gettysburg was unplanned. Commanders of both armies had to quickly adapt to their circumstances and remain fluid throughout the battle. Lee was unable to adapt his leadership style to accommodate his newly appointed commanders following the loss of his long-time friend and “right-hand-man” General “Stonewall” Jackson. In contrast, Meade was appointed only three days prior to the battle but was able to continuously adapt his strategy and leadership style throughout the

Union General Winfield Hancock was known for his presence on the battlefield. He was chosen above a senior officer to serve as a corps commander and temporarily commanded the Union’s entire left wing consisting of the I, II, III, and XI Corps. He was often found among his men on the front lines on horseback, reviewing and encouraging his troops. When one of his subordinates protested, "General, the corps commander ought not to risk his life that way," Hancock is said to have replied, "There are times when a corps commander's life does not count." When wounded in battle he refused to evacuate the battlefield and leave his