| Tango01 | 03 Oct 2018 12:12 p.m. PST |
…Victory in April of 1864? Interesting question….
link
Amicalement
Armand |
| John the Greater | 03 Oct 2018 1:51 p.m. PST |
Merely delaying the inevitable. |
| Pan Marek | 03 Oct 2018 2:04 p.m. PST |
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| mildbill | 03 Oct 2018 3:46 p.m. PST |
"I intend to fight on this line if it takes all summer." Grant Grant knew that he could attrit the south to death and was willing to do so, if need be. By 1865 the south was doomed.
Even if the 'little Napoleon ' won the election, Mac would have still had to prosecute the war to the end. |
| Bill N | 03 Oct 2018 4:37 p.m. PST |
A U.S. victory, while by far the more likely result in 1864, was not inevitable. The most likely avenue for Confederate independence was to be successful enough that the U.S. lost the will to pursue the conflict. That avenue was still open in 1864. A major victory by Lee at the start of the Overland campaign could have triggered events which would cause the U.S. willingness to pursue the war to collapse. While I think a major victory by the ANV could make a difference, I doubt the ANV could have won that kind of major victory. Another Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Second Manassas Isn't going to do it. Grant's army doesn't have to make it to Petersburg to won the war. It just needs to tie up Lee's army until Sherman can win it in the west. |
Extrabio1947  | 03 Oct 2018 5:22 p.m. PST |
John +2 The Confederacy no longer had the ability to fight a sustained war. The Mississippi was lost, too much territory was lost, and the Western Theater was in shambles. It would only be a matter of time until the ANV was caught in pincers. Two months after the Battle of the Wilderness, Hood was given command of the AOT. Then came Franklin, Nashville, and destruction. Sherman was free to do as he pleased. |
| Tango01 | 04 Oct 2018 11:08 a.m. PST |
So… they chance were only with the help of the British or French…. Amicalement
Armand |
ScottWashburn  | 04 Oct 2018 4:16 p.m. PST |
The chance for foreign intervention was already gone by 1864. |
| donlowry | 05 Oct 2018 1:24 p.m. PST |
About the only way that was going to happen was if Grant somehow got killed during the battle and Meade decided to retreat back across the Rapidan. |
| steve1865 | 06 Oct 2018 11:32 a.m. PST |
A more interesting question is "what if the North won the 7 day Battle and took Richmond? Would the South Surrendered? After all the largest cites in the south had been captured by the Federal's. Would the southern States tried to talk to Lincoln saying they would come back if Slavery was protected? |
| Tango01 | 06 Oct 2018 12:11 p.m. PST |
Interesting indeed…. Amicalement
Armand |
