Anaxagoras
Banned
IOTL, the Battle of the Wilderness was essentially a standoff. Arguably it was a tactical Confederate victory, as the Southerners repulsed the Union attacks and proceeded to smash in both Union flanks, but it was arguably a strategic Union victory because Lee failed to drive Grant back across the Rapidan River and Grant was therefore able to continue his offensive.
What if Lee had actually won a clear victory over Grant at the Battle of the Wilderness? There are numerous PODs that could allow for this. If Gordon's attack on the Union right flank had been launched at the same time as Longstreet's counter attack on the Union left flank, the result could have been disastrous for the Yankees. If Hill had been more attentive during the night of May 5, rather than trusting that Longstreet would come up on time, the Union attack that smashed his line on the morning of May 6 might instead have been repulsed, allowing for a more decisive blow to be struck against the Yankees later that morning.
The battle was so touch-and-go that there are probably dozens of opportunities for clear Rebel win (there are also innumerable opportunities for a decisive Union victory, too, but that's for another thread).
Suppose that Lee had been able to win such a clear victory that Grant was forced to withdraw back across the Rapidan River, having suffered even heavier losses than he did IOTL. What impact would this have had on the subsequent course of events? Would the grand strategy Grant and Lincoln had worked out would have come unravelled? Would Butler's army near Richmond have faced defeat at the hands of reinforcements dispatched be Lee? What would have been Grant's next move?
What if Lee had actually won a clear victory over Grant at the Battle of the Wilderness? There are numerous PODs that could allow for this. If Gordon's attack on the Union right flank had been launched at the same time as Longstreet's counter attack on the Union left flank, the result could have been disastrous for the Yankees. If Hill had been more attentive during the night of May 5, rather than trusting that Longstreet would come up on time, the Union attack that smashed his line on the morning of May 6 might instead have been repulsed, allowing for a more decisive blow to be struck against the Yankees later that morning.
The battle was so touch-and-go that there are probably dozens of opportunities for clear Rebel win (there are also innumerable opportunities for a decisive Union victory, too, but that's for another thread).
Suppose that Lee had been able to win such a clear victory that Grant was forced to withdraw back across the Rapidan River, having suffered even heavier losses than he did IOTL. What impact would this have had on the subsequent course of events? Would the grand strategy Grant and Lincoln had worked out would have come unravelled? Would Butler's army near Richmond have faced defeat at the hands of reinforcements dispatched be Lee? What would have been Grant's next move?