The organized withdrawal suggests that Grant's commanders may already have understood a fallback position, although a prior contingency discussion remains an inference. An army of roughly 45,000 to 50,000 men could not readily be destroyed if its troops had moderate training, professional leadership, and weapons comparable to the attackers'. Surprise alone did not remove that capacity to resist. Confederate formations also varied sharply in their preparation: good equipment and good training seldom coincided in the same units. These limitations help explain why the first day's advance stopped short of destroying Grant's army.
Notable Point · 2:02:15-2:03:25
Why surprise could not quickly destroy Grant's army
A large army with adequate training and comparable weapons could recover from surprise, especially if its officers understood where to withdraw.