I think that’s when Lee had his first heart attack. He certainly was not at his best that day but he took all the blame onto himself although Pickett never forgave him.
General Lee accepted responsibility for the failure at Gettysburg, as the Army Commander should. In the 150 years since then, copious quantities of ink and paper expended to explain how General Lee could have been defeated at Gettysburg. In the course of this literary firestorm, the only two names not mentioned prominently in Generals Lee’s
defeat at Gettysburg is General George Meade, USA and Stonewall Jackson. Virtually every senior officer of the Army of Northern Virginia has been accused of causing Lee’s failure. I have read green apples give him severe indigestion, I have heard he had a heart attack. All beg the point. General Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia. General Lee developed the battle plan, General Lee ordered the battle plan into action. The battle plan failed, Responsibility for the ANV’s defeat rests at the feet of it’s Commanding Officer. General Lee recognized that fact. He accepted ultimate responsibility for the army’s failure at Gettysburg, because it was his responsibility.