- Joined
- Apr 4, 2017
- Location
- Denver, CO
And that was one of the lessons Grant had to learn in the west. The roads had to be scouted and at times an order had to specify which road the officer was to follow with his command. Many fewer errors in the Vicksburg campaign.Regarding the Peninsula Campaign in the area of Richmond, the base map available was an 1853 map of Henrico County that left out a lot about local roads, etc. Ironically, the Federals probably had better cartography that was prepared by the Topo Engineers during the campaign, using the base map. some other material, and information generated by reconnaissance. During the battles around Richmond late May-July 1, the Army of the Potomac exhibited less confusion about road networks than Lee's army.
And by 1864, one of the objects of Sheridan's raid to the outskirts of Richmond was to finish out a map between the wilderness and Richmond. The roads Meade and Grant were going to use for the next 3 weeks had to be located precisely. And the Army of the P had to know all the roads so that they wouldn't be in each others way.