Civil War History - "What if..." DiscussionsWhat if they had attacked instead of digging in...? What if he was in charge of the army instead...? Did you ever have a "What if..." question, and you weren't sure where to post it? Here's the place to ask these speculative questions!
in the Wilderness? Would Meade have retired back across the Rappahannock? Or would he have continued fighting in the Wilderness?
Was Grant the only Union general who would have kept up the pressure on Lee?
In my opinion, Meade would have retired. Possibly only as far as the river crossings. He had shown his caution after Gettysburg, when a more vigorous pursuit of Lee may have proved highly profitable. I do not think he would have continued the Wilderness battle. His losses and the poor terrain would have made this pointless. As to whether any other Union general would have continued the campaign, I can not name one.
Meade was a cautious general, he did not seem to have the determination to win no matter how high the price was, like Grant did. I believe he would have turned back after the Battle Of The Wilderness. In Grant's situation, Sherman or Sheridan might have continued the campaign after the Wilderness battle.
Meade could not concieve of a way for the AoP to defeat Lee, once and for all. He determined that even if defeated, the AoNV could always retreat to fight another day and that had certainly been the history of the war so far.
Lincoln would never have entrusted the campaign to a general who not only did not believe he could succeed, but predicted his failure.
Thats almost another what if. How would Meade have approached a campaign against Lee if Grant had not been the overall strategist. Would he have delayed so long that the AoNV made a move north?
All one needs to do is study Meade's actions after Gettysburg against the AoNV and read his ongoing debate with Lincoln (by telegraph) concerning what he and the AoP should be doing.
Agree. Grant was the one able to harness the combat power of the Union Army and properly use it.
I also agree that it might have been possible for Sherman and Sheridan to take up the slack.
__________________ F. S. Powers
Union Ancersor: Pvt Arnuah Norton, 60th Ohio. (G-G-G Grandfather) Died at Salisbury NC, November 3, 1864
Confederate Ancestors: Captain Thomas A. Morrow, 29th Texas Cavalry (G-G-G- Uncle) and 2LT George W. Morrow, 31st Texas Cavalry (G-G-G Grandfather). Both survived the war
I been thinking about this and I think Meade left on his own would have play a chess match with Lee. He would have pressed him in different places looking for an opportunity. Neither making a mistake more a test of wills...
At Gettysburg, I have read recently that when Meade first arrive he looked into attacking on Lee's left but was dissuaded not to the terrain.
The real question without Grant in the east and an election pending would Lincoln have put up with a cautious warrior if the summer campaigh was moving slowly..
In the west Grant would have gone after Atlanta and mostly gotten it quickly. Would Grant have marched to the sea?
Would victories in the west by Grant have been enough for Lincoln to win the election of 1864?
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What if..Grant had not been with Meade 
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