The only way that Lee could escape from the trap that Grant had set was to destroy the Army of the Potomac while he still had sufficient force to do so, but Grant was too skilled to allow that to happen.
Den eneste måde Lee kunne undslippe den fælde som Grant havde opstillet var ved at ødelægge Army of the Potomac mens han stadig havde tilstrækkelig styrke til at gøre det, men Grant var alt for erfaren til at tillade dette at ske.