Lee Retreats.

[metalstar316]

On April 3rd, 1865, after abandoning Richmond and Petersburg, the Army of Northern Virginia rendezvoused at Amelia Courthouse, about 30 miles southwest of Richmond. There they expected to find rations, which were ordered by Lee to meet the army there, and an open road into North Carolina, having gained a full day's march on the pursuing Yankees.

But a mix up at the Confederate War Department caused munitions to be sent instead of food. The army arrived and found more guns, bullets, and powder than they could ever need, but not one thing to eat save for feed for the horses.

So the ANV was forced to waste their one day head start foraging for food and requistioning anything they could find from the locals. What little food was left did not prove to be enough, and by the time the army was ready to move, Yankee cavalry under Phil Sheridan was blocking the retreat southward, and the Civil War's final act, the retreat to Appomattox, was on.

My question to you is thus- suppose there was no mix up. The ANV gets to Amelia, finds the food they sought, and, with a full day lead and full bellies, heads southward into North Carolina, where they manage to link up with Joe Johnston. Victory for the South is pretty much out of the question by this point, so what happens next?

 

[HistIdiot]

I think you are right, that victory is out of the question for the CSA. However, with Lee retreating and saving a large portion of his army, and linking up with Johnston, maybe the war would have just dragged on for several more months. I could see a similar situation to OTL Appomatox developing somewhere in N Carolina, in much later 1865 or (if Lee is lucky and extra-careful) in early 1866.

I do wonder, however, if the plot to kill Lincoln would still have been put foward. How would have President Johnson have prosecuted this very late phase of the war?

 

[Anaxagoras]

In an absolute best-case scenario for the Confederacy, Lee would have been able to get out of Virginia, linkof with Johnston, and inflict a tactical defeat on Sherman. But the end result wouldn't have mattered much.

Sherman would have fallen back on Wilmington momentarily, while Grant would be pressing in from the north. Confederate troops would be deserting in droves after the fall of Richmond, especially as there would be no way for the Confederates to keep an army of 50,000 or so supplies in North Carolina. And it was still early in the campaign season.

In this scenario, Lee and Johnston are forced to surrender to the combined forces of Grant and Sherman in June or July, perhaps after Lee tries and fails one final decisive battle.

 

[Nytram01]

Joe Johnston had suggested this course of action to Lee and never gave up with it until he learnt of Lee's surrender. Johnston knew he could not raise an army the size he would need to defeat Sherman from the forces at his disposal alone (he had around 30,000 when he surrendered) and thought that the best chance to win would be for Lee's Army of Northern Virginia to give Grant the slip in Virginia, link up with Johnston Army of the South, defeat Sherman then turn to face Grant.

It could be possible for this to happen. Had Lee and Johnston united their Armies they may have been able to defeat Sherman's Army and turn to face Grant but they would never have been able to win the War. With the lack of supplies available the combined Confederate Army would have to disband or fall West in the hope of finding more supplies there but in doing so they would be marching towards George Henry Thomas' Army and would find themselves trapped between three Behemoths of Thomas', Sherman's and Grant's Armies and be force to capitulate.

The best that could be hoped would be for a last great Confederate Victory but it would only be a brief reprieve before the inevitable surrender.

 

[hzn5pk]

How large was Lee's Army after retreating from the Richmond-Petersburg front? 60,000 max?

Johnston was 30,000 in North Carolina. Correct, or did he have more?

Say Lee does go South, Sheridan will be nipping at his heels all the way. Add to that the fact that Grant's advancing army can smell the victory, they can most likely advance faster and will be fresher for the fight than Lee's army in retreat.

Lee's 60,000 is bound to drop some. Say he only looses another 5000 over that mimimum 120 mile march.

So the union of the Lee and Johnston may occur with a total of 85,000 men (and that number is on the high side)

Sherman was 60,000 before meeting Schofield at Goldsboro, NC with another Corps making Sherman around 80,000.

Could Sherman interpose himself between Johnston and Lee and wait for Grant's hordes (Potomac and James) who would at most be 4 days wait and prepare? Risk beeing attacked on both sides? Being that Sherman would nearly equall the size of the combined Confederate forces, ies, Sherman could probably handle the situation before Grant arrives with both of his armies.

Grant then arrives and the show is over.

If the Confederates are lucky, the war will last into June. This

 

[Anaxagoras]

How large was Lee's Army after retreating from the Richmond-Petersburg front? 60,000 max?

Much smaller. Probably around 35,000 to 40,000. And it melted away on the retreat. I think when Lee surrendered to Grant, there were only about 10,000 men in organized units.

So the union of the Lee and Johnston may occur with a total of 85,000 men (and that number is on the high side)

More to the point, there would have been no way for them to keep such a large force supplied.