I've got all four of the Gordon Rhea books on the Overland Campaign (he has yet to publish his fifth and final book) and was thumbing through the Cold Harbor book last night. Some very fascinating analysis and I think he frames it beautifully within the context of the campaign and the conditions. He thinks the assault on June 3 was a logical choice for Grant, and I think his arguments were compelling, especially in light of the casualty numbers he derives, 3500 for the AOP and 500 for the ANV, which cuts the ratio in half from the most oft cited figures.
Was the assault a good idea poorly executed or a bad idea from the start?
Was the assault a good idea poorly executed or a bad idea from the start?
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