belief that the civil war was reaching its culmination, that this is not the time to leave any card unplayed. the impending presidential election in the north and the military stalemate in virginia nowt battles had to be won or never. are remarkably bloody and costly to the north and very costly to lincoln. we talk about what that is doing in the summer of 1864 at the same thing all this is happening -- at the same time all this is happening to undermine lincoln's political power. , for early moves rapidly the reasons you heard, which was washington in order to put political pressure on it and also try to get grant to send men to washington, which he in fact does. the expansionat into maryland and into be not fora seems to any particular military goal because i do not believe -- i would be curious to hear the discussion if he thinks he can really take washington, d.c. i don't think he does. i think he thinks he can shift the focus of attention to the continuing threat at the confederate army still poses after all the sacrifice the north has made. lee'sis eager to fulfill plan to use the vall

this is not the time to leave any card unplayed. the impending presidential election in the north and the military stalemate in virginia meant that battles had to be one now or never. and these battles of the overland campaign are just remarkably bloody and costly to the north, and very costly to lincoln. we told you about what that is doing in the summer of 19 -- 1864, also undermine lincoln's political power. as soon as hunter retreated to they movedia, rapidly. for the reasons you heard, which washington and in order to put the political pressure on, and also to try and get grant to send them to washington, which he does. you can see that early expansion into maryland and pennsylvania seems to be not for any political -- military goal, because i do not believe, and i would be curious to hear in the discussion, if they believed they could actually take washington dc. i think he thinks he can shift the focus of attention to the continuing threat that the confederate army still poses after all of the sacrifice the north has made. so