Like Sherman, Grant had the larger army and a steady flow of supplies, but he could not find a means of crushing or dispersing his opponent. Both Lee and Johnston were clever and accomplished generals, and the men they commanded were seasoned, passionate fighters.

After Spotsylvania, Lee moved quickly to stay between Grant and Richmond. The two armies sparred at the North Anna River and then again at Totopotomy Creek on May 30. Grant shifted left and south, settling in near a small town outside Richmond called Cold Harbor. A charge against Lee's trenches resulted in massive Union casualties.

Nor were Grant's plans going much better further afield. General Benjamin Butler's plan to attack Richmond from between the capital city and Petersburg stalled. Grant had ordered an army under Franz Sigel to march up the Shenandoah Valley, run Rebels out of that region, and occupy it for the Union. But Confederate general John Breckinridge defeated Sigel near New Market.

Meanwhile, Union general David Hunter had moved from West Virginia into Lynchburg, Virginia, a rail hub for supplies to Lee's army. Lee could not well afford for the North to control Lynchburg or to advance from there to help Grant at Richmond.