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Imagine it's the evening of May 6, 1864, near the front lines of the Civil War in Virginia.

You're a Brigadier General in the Union's Army of the Potomac, and for the past two days, you've been fighting Robert E. Lee's Confederate Forces in an area called the Wilderness.

Right now, you're galloping toward the headquarters of your new commander, General E. Lissie's S. Grant. Panic course it through your body.

The rebels have just delivered a crushing blow, and you have the unfortunate job of breaking the bad news to Grant.

You come to a stop at a circle of tents in the woods and tie up your horse. Aides and couriers dash around.

You spot Grant leaning up against a tree, hoffing a cigar, and looking like a man without a care in the world.

You rush toward him.

General Grant! I fear all is lost. Lee has rolled up our right flank and halted our offensive. They've captured two of our generals.

Grant fixes you with a cold stare, and Lee's repeating Jackson's tactics from last year, and he's saying woods.

Please, General, tell me your orders. Our armies in crisis. What crisis would that be?

I've seen these moves before. I know Lee's methods. He'll throw his whole army between us and the river. He'll cut us off completely from our communications and supply lines.

Grant takes a short sharp puff of his cigar and glare at you. You know, I'm sick and tired of hearing what Lee is going to do.

Some of you seem to think he's suddenly going to grow wings, fly his whole army behind our rear.

No, sir, I... but he has outmaneuvered us. Shouldn't you order a retreat?

No, of course not. Nothing Lee does is going to change our plans or make us turn back. We'll keep bringing the fight to him.

You're momentarily stunned. You've been an officer in the Union Army for over two years under a string of generals whose only strategy was to retreat at the first sign of trouble.

A grant is clearly made of sternor stuff. Sir, you think we can still defeat him? Of course we can. We have the superior weapons and numbers. All we need is the resolve.

Now go back to your command, General. Get busy thinking about what you're going to do. Instead of what Lee's going to do.

You quickly compose yourself and give Grant a salute. As you walk back to your horse, you feel a new sense of confidence.

Face with bleak news you expected Grant to weather just as General Hooker did a Chancellor Bill a year ago.

Instead, he's convinced you that even after his latest setback, victory might still be within your grasp.

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