MAY 1, 1864:
After a long hiatus in
the Eastern Theatre, the Army of The Potomac and The Army of Northern Virginia
are about to grapple again.
The Army of Northern Virginia is in northern
Virginia, just south of the Rapidan River, miles inland, west of the Atlantic
coast which is occupied by General Benjamin Butler’s Army of The James, comprised of 30,000 men.
To the north, just across
the Rapidan River, lies the main body of The Army of The Potomac, 125,000 strong, under
Generals Grant and Meade.
To the South, in Tennessee and Georgia, William Tecumseh Sherman is in
overall command of The Army of The Cumberland, The Army of The Tennessee, and
The Army of The Ohio (a total of 100,000 men).
Any of these forces could move
to attack Lee, or all of them. Against more than a quarter-million Union
troops, Lee has 65,000 men.
