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Except for some critical mistakes, the victory was Lee's and the world today would be a much different place.

But would it? Lee wins and then what? He's hundreds of miles behind Union lines with tens of thousands of casualties to care for and having shot off most of his ammunition. So he goes back to Virginia, what else can he do? In the mean time the Army of the Potomac is still intact, Grant still takes Vicksburg, Lincoln still calls him east in the fall. Spring comes and Grant still moves South, Sherman still goes after Atlanta, and at the end of the day the South still loses.

Had Lee won at Gettysburg then we'd be talking about the upcoming 145th anniversary of Vicksburg, and Gettysburg would be just another Chancellorsville.

"But would it? Lee wins and then what? He's hundreds of miles behind Union lines with tens of thousands of casualties to care for and having shot off most of his ammunition. So he goes back to Virginia, what else can he do?"

Good points. On the other side, consider that Lee was building a reputation of invincibility. A Gettysburg victory would have magnified that.

If I remember, Lee's intention was to defeat the Union Army, then camp at Harrisburg, PA, -- a major rail and depot center -- thus crippling the Union's ability to transport troops & supplies. It would also help resupply his own troops.

Obviously, the South's goal was to convince the Union it had no chance of victory, and so should negotiate a peace settlement.

That was Lee's intention at Gettysburg. And it was his "last chance for victory."

Lee wins and then what?

This topic is explored in New Gingrich’s series - Gettysburg, Grant Comes East, and Never Call Retreat.

In this alternate history, Lee wins Gettysburg, completely routing Mead’s army, and then Lee tries to win the war by taking Washington D.C.

Two problems - Washington D.C. is heavily fortified, and Grant brings his army east on the railroads to attack Lee from his rear.

“Lee wins and then what?”...head straight down rt.97 into D.C....that was the whole point of Pickett’s charge...break on thru to the other side.

“He’s hundreds of miles behind Union lines”
...not as bad off as you would think....it’s only about 55 miles over to Harper’s Ferry....less to Point-of-Rocks....besides, across the Mason-Dixon line in Maryland there were many families whose sons were in his army...and many more who were Southern sympathizers....Lee’s problem would have been the longer he was outside of VA the greater the chance he would be trapped....he went North in 1862 and 1863 and was lucky to get out both times.

But would it? Lee wins and then what? He's hundreds of miles behind Union lines with tens of thousands of casualties to care for and having shot off most of his ammunition. So he goes back to Virginia, what else can he do? In the mean time the Army of the Potomac is still intact, Grant still takes Vicksburg, Lincoln still calls him east in the fall. Spring comes and Grant still moves South, Sherman still goes after Atlanta, and at the end of the day the South still loses. Had Lee won at Gettysburg then we'd be talking about the upcoming 145th anniversary of Vicksburg, and Gettysburg would be just another Chancellorsville.

Huh? There would have been nothing between Lee and Washington at that point. Maryland was very much sympathetic to the south... forced into the Union by jailing politicians without a trial. Grant would have been forced to return to the area... possibly putting Vicksburg back into play. Everything changes if Lee wins at Gettysburg.