ROBERT E. LEE



sources of supply of the Southern armies; fourthly,
destroy those armies themselves and finally capture
Richmond. In accordance with this plan, Sher-
man, with his army of 100,000 men, was to march
from Chattanooga eastward through Georgia and
the Carolinas; Sigel, with his army of 20,000 inen,
was to march from Western Virginia on the two
lines that connected Richmond with the valley
of Virginia at Staunton and with the South-west
at Lynchburg; Butler was to march on Richmond
with his army of 40,000 men from Fortress Monroe
by way of the Peninsula and the James and co-
operate with Grant; and finally, Grant himself was
to march on Richmond with his great army of
140.GOO men by way of the region lving between
the Virginia Central Railroad and the Richmond
and Fredericksburg Railroad.
  On the day agreed on, the 4th of May, the
campaign began. Grant crossed the Rapidan on
his march to Richmond, Butler moved on Rich-
mond from Fortress Mlonroe by way of the James,
Sherman set out on his march across the South,
and Sigel proceeded with his movements, a col-
umn of 6,000 men, under Averell, marching on
South-west Virginia, while Sigel himself, with his
main army, moved on the upper Shenandoah
Valley to menace the Virginia Central Railway
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