What did Lee hope to accomplish by invading the North?

Lee knew that the greatest part of the Union army was still in the north. His idea was to first destroy it and then go from the battlefield to Washington DC and exact surrender from Lincoln. Lee knew he was the superior field commander and had greatly superior generals with him at Gettysburg. Lee's placement of his army prior to the battle was his first mistake, he did not control the high ground, and his missing cavalry commander, J.E.B. Stuart, sealed his fate. He needed both to win but had neither.

Lee hoped to accomplish several objectives by invading the North during the American Civil War. These included:

1. Inflicting significant military defeats on Union forces on Northern soil to weaken Union morale and resolve.
2. Gaining recognition and support from European powers, particularly France and Britain, by demonstrating the Confederacy's ability to wage offensive warfare.
3. Potentially drawing Union forces away from Southern territories, thereby relieving pressure on Confederate territory and resources.
4. Capturing valuable supplies, such as food, weapons, and other resources, from Northern states to bolster Confederate war efforts.
5. Potentially provoking Northern civilians to pressure their government to negotiate an end to the war on terms favorable to the Confederacy.