On the subject of different wins, there are plenty to choose from the Overland-Petersburg Campaign:
- Buford as Army of the Potomac’s Cavalry Corps commander: With Buford (a far superior cavalryman to the likes of Sheridan) in command of Grant’s cavalry, Grant stands a better chance of winning the Race to Spotsylvania Court House. Winning the race means that the high ground that served the Confederates so well in repulsing Warren’s V Corps is in Union hands and Grant’s odds of inflicting heavy damage onto Lee’s army increases drastically.
- IX Corps strikes hard: On May 10, the IX Corps had the opportunity to crack open the back door of Lee’s defensive line. Lee had seriously stripped his right to reinforce his left and Burnside, just as he had at Antietam, dropped the ball when there was an opportunity to achieve a decisive victory over Lee.
- Hancock strikes Petersburg: After crossing the James River Baldy Smith had allowed himself to be bluffed by Beauregard and the formidable appearance of the Petersburg entrenchments into not pressing his advantage, as the city was next to defenseless in terms of troops to man the entrenchments. Hancock took command as the senior officer when he arrived, and could have renewed the attack and won the war in Virginia for the Union right then and there.