North Anna What if....

[AlexPensFan86]

What do you think would have happened had Lee not taken ill and been able to spring his trap against Grant's/Meade's army at North Anna. Recently read Rhea's Overland Campaign Series and couldn't help but wonder what would have happened, would the Army of the Potomac been decimated or would Grant have simply continued with his strategy of trying to outflank Lee's army.

 

[brass napoleon]

What do you think would have happened had Lee not taken ill and been able to spring his trap against Grant's/Meade's army at North Anna. Recently read Rhea's Overland Campaign Series and couldn't help but wonder what would have happened, would the Army of the Potomac been decimated or would Grant have simply continued with his strategy of trying to outflank Lee's army.

Welcome to the forum, Alex. Good question.

In order for Lee to "spring his trap", Grant would have had to take the bait. He didn't. He ordered Hancock to "intrench" and await an attack by Lee:

"Immediately after the beginning of the attack upon Warren, Hancock moved forward. The rebels were intrenched, and in considerable force between the creek he had crossed and the river, and made a pertinacious resistance to his onset, but before dark he had forced them from their works and driven them across the stream. Taylor's Bridge is in his possession. General Grant has ordered him to cross his corps and intrench himself on the south shore, if possible, calling upon Burnside for any re-enforcements of which he may stand in need. Wright is also ordered over to the support of Hancock, so that if Lee should attack in the morning he may be suitably received."

- Charles A. Dana, May 23, 1864

Source: http://books.google.com/books?id=Urw9AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA77&lpg=PA77​

I think by this time Lee had learned the folly of attacking intrenched positions, sick or not.

 

[chellers]

Welcome to CivilWarTalk.

 

[Gandycreek]

Welcome.

 

[5fish]

I did a "what if" on this topic tooo...long back... welcome...