▁time ▁of ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁invasion , ▁Lee ▁had ▁fixed ▁the ▁organiz ational ▁defect s ▁that ▁pl ag ued ▁the ▁army ▁during ▁its ▁early ▁campaign s ▁and ▁the ▁st rag g ling ▁problems ▁of ▁the ▁Maryland ▁Camp aign ▁did ▁not ▁repeat ▁themselves . ▁ ▁After ▁taking ▁over ▁command ▁in ▁mid - 1 8 6 2 , ▁Lee ▁began ▁prepar ing ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁Northern ▁Virginia ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁However , ▁his ▁ag gress iveness ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁Union ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁many ▁troops ▁especially ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Anti et am , ▁which ▁ended ▁up ▁being ▁a ▁turning ▁point ▁in ▁the ▁war ▁for ▁the ▁Union . ▁After ▁the ▁cost ly ▁vict ories ▁during ▁the ▁Seven ▁Days ▁Batt les ▁and ▁at ▁Second ▁Man ass as ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁Lee ▁had ▁now ▁lost ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁of ▁his ▁approximately ▁ 9 2 , 0 0 0 ▁troops ▁within ▁three ▁months ▁of ▁becoming ▁the ▁Confeder ate ' s ▁top ▁general . ▁Lee ▁then ▁planned ▁to ▁take ▁his ▁troops ▁north ▁into ▁Maryland ▁to ▁destroy ▁a ▁critical ▁rail road ▁bridge ▁across ▁the ▁Sus que h anna ▁River ▁at ▁Harris burg ▁in ▁a ▁letter ▁written ▁to ▁President ▁Davis . ▁Lee ▁even ▁question ed ▁his ▁own ▁plan , ▁as ▁he ▁wrote , ▁" I ▁am ▁aware ▁that ▁the ▁movement ▁is ▁attended ▁with ▁much ▁risk , ▁yet ▁I ▁do ▁not ▁consider ▁success ▁impossible ..." ▁In ▁addition , ▁histor ians ▁question ▁Lee ' s ▁ag