Grant's 5 April telegram said he scarcely expected an attack but would be prepared if one occurred. Johnston may have arrived a day earlier than Grant anticipated, so some tactical surprise remained possible. A second explanation is political: Grant may have avoided alarming Halleck because the senior commander might arrive and take direct control. The telegram is therefore ambiguous evidence rather than proof that Grant had given no thought to defence.
Notable Point · 1:25:48-1:27:24
Grant's telegram and the question of surprise
Grant's assurance that he would be prepared for an attack can be read as uncertainty about timing, deliberate understatement to Halleck, or both.