Again, there are countless writings on the subject analyzing it from all sides. In the end, Lee made the decision he did based on what he thought was best at the moment. Second-guessing by subordinates who didn't bear the responsibility for the decision, or Monday-morning quarterbacking, is always easier.
Certainly, Lee may have been wrong, and Longstreet right. General Eisenhower, when questioned about his opinion of Lee's tactics at Gettysburg, commented, "Why he didn't go around there [Little Round Top], I'll never know." And Eisenhower, responding to General Montgomery, who commented that he'd never have fought the battle the way Lee did, said, "If you had, I'd have sacked you." So there are certainly modern military experts who had doubts about Lee's choices, adding fuel to the idea suggested by the novel that Lee was obsessed with attacking at all costs.
However, it has also been noted that General George Patton's bold thrusts in World War II with his Third Army were the direct result of studying Lee's methods. Was Lee mad to stay and fight, or was he correct given the facts he had at the moment? The bottom line is that it is a very subjective question, and the portrayal in this novel is weighted heavily in Longstreet's favor. The reader needs to be aware that this may or may not be right and not to accept the novel's portrayal as the final word on the subject.
