Grant's goals against Lee at the Wilderness and Spottsylvania Court House were the same in both battles, to drive Lee from the field. Grant failed in both cases with very high casualties, much higher than was inflicted on the Confederates, against a force half his size. Grant does not impress me as a military genious, competant yes, but easy to figure out by a strategist like Lee. For gosh sakes General Grant let Van Dorn whip him and almost lost to Pillow and Floyd!! Had it not been for reenforcements from another army he would have lost at Shilo. I understand General Lee thought General McClellan was his closest match, he was harder to read.

Again, Grant was on the offensive and knew he would lose more men. If Grant was so easy to figure out why is it that Lee had no clue that the entire AOP was crossing the James?? Also, Grant being ALMOST whipt doesn't mean a thing. He had three confederate armies surrender to him. How many did Lee have? I am not surprised Lee would say McClellan was his closest match - the words of somebody that got whipt by somebody else. The one thing I'll give Lee is that he had better officers. Which is why Grants plans for Wilderness and Spottsylvania failed. Remember the war was won in the west. Grant won in all the theaters. Lee could onl win in his home state.