The south didn't have to win the war, they only had to not lose it.
The real blunder on behalf of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was crossing the Mason Dixon Line.
They lost a war they didn't have to win at Gettysburg. All be it, it took another 2 years to play out. It was only General Meade's indecision and hesitation to immediately follow up his victory and trap Lee's army against a swollen Potomac River that allowed the war to go on another 2 years. Meade could have, should have, destroyed Lee's army in that place and time and he had ample opportunity to do it in the days following Lee's failed July 3rd assault on the Union center, and with Pemberton's surrendered of Vicksburg to Grant on the fourth of July, that would have surely ended the war and saved 10's of thousands of American lives. Nobody talks about what Meade didn't do, history only remembers what Lee didn't do.
Lee should have stayed in Northern Virginia.
Hindsight in war is always 20/20.
In Meades defense his Army arrived at Gettysburg with three days rations and ammo and they had just fought a three day battle. Their supplies were still 25 miles behind them on July 4
