iculars of your plan I
neither know nor seek to know. You are vigilant and self-reliant; and,
pleased with this, I wish not to obtrude any constraints or restraints
upon you. While I am very anxious that any great disaster or capture of
our men in great numbers shall be avoided, I know these points are less
likely to escape your attention than they would be mine. If there is
anything wanting which is within my power to give, do not fail to let me
know it. And now, with a brave army and a just cause, may God sustain
you."

Grant's immediate reply confessed the groundlessness of his
apprehensions:

"From my first entrance into the volunteer service of the country to the
present day, I have never had cause of complaint--have never expressed
or implied a complaint against the administration, or the Secretary of
War, for throwing any embarrassment in the way of my vigorously
prosecuting what appeared to me my duty. Indeed, since the promotion
which placed me in command of all the armies, and in view of the great
responsibility and importance of success, I have been astonished at the
readiness with which everything asked for has been yielded, without even
an explanation being asked. Should my success be less than I desire and
expect, the least I can say is, the fault is not with you."

The Union army under Grant, one hundred and twenty-two thousand strong,
on April 30, was encamped north of the Rapidan River. The Confederate
army under Lee, numbering sixty-two thousand, lay south of that stream.
Nearly three years before, these opposing armies had fought their first
battle of Bull Run, only a comparatively short distance north of where
they now confronted each other. Campaign and battle between them had
surged far to the north and to the south, but neither could as yet claim
over the other any considerable gain of ground or of final advantage in
the conflict. Broadly speaking, relative advance and retreat, as well as
relative loss and gain of battle-fields substantially balanced each
other. Severe as had been their struggles in the past, a more arduous
trial of strength was before them. Grant had two to one in numbers; Lee
the advantage of a defensive campaign. He could retire toward cumulative
reserves, and into prepared fortifications; knew almost by heart every
road, hill, and forest of Virginia; had for his friendly scout every
white inhabitant. Perhaps his greatest element of strength lay in the
conscious pride of the