It was still sending 15,000 men across an open field, up a slope, against entrenched infantry, heavily supported by artillery. Not the wisest course of action, it had failed Lee at Malvern Hill and it had failed the Union at Fredericksburg. The Union army was consolidated, it was in a compact position where it could easily reinforce any part of it's line, it had the entire VI corps (the largest in the Army of the Potomac) in reserve. Lee must have known all this, but he carried out his plan anyway. All in all, it was a last ditch effort by Lee, one not very well thought out given his commanders, and not one which was likely to succeed.
All in all, it was a last ditch effort by Lee, one not very well thought out given his commanders, and not one which was likely to succeed.
I must say I agree.
Personally I feel that Lee should have taken Longstreets advice and move around the Union left in order to put himself between the Union army and Washington. He would have forced Meade to attack him in order to safeguard Washington.