View single post by COOK_R_S
 Posted: Tue Sep 12th, 2006 01:12 am
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COOK_R_S
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Joined: Thu Sep 7th, 2006
Location: Belmont, USA
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Mana: 
 In some ways a larger force is more difficult to control.  Add on the political and otherwise cumbersome nature of the aotp, and you have part of Grant's problem in Virginia. (same for previous commanders).   On the other hand, Davis gave Lee a lot of power to streamline and customize the aonv,  which included getting rid of dead wood. 

But by the same token, the confederacy was unable/unwilling to go for broke in it's prosecution of the war.  (sort of like the U.S. in 2 or 3 wars I could mention).  Lee knew that, and told Davis that a situation like Petersburg was pretty much inevitable as the aonv was ground down by union numbers and desertion by southern troops.    Grant knew that too.  A reb officer told Lee that Grant was a butcher, and Lee's response was "General Grant knows exactly what he is doing."