Final answer:
Ulysses S. Grant exploited the Confederate army’s lack of resources and inability to replenish its soldiers during his 1864-1865 Virginia campaign, ultimately leading to Confederate surrender at Appomattox Court House.
Step-by-step explanation:
During his campaign in Virginia between 1864 and 1865, Ulysses S. Grant exploited the South's resource shortages and its inability to replenish its forces. The Confederate army struggled with food scarcity, with soldiers often lasting days without proper nutrition, which impacted their ability to fight effectively.
In addition to the shortages, the poor conditions led to rampant diseases within their camps. These disadvantages were compounded by the South’s smaller population compared to the Union, making manpower replenishment a critical issue.
Grant's relentless offensives, especially in the Overland Campaign, including battles like the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor, demonstrated a strategy that took advantage of the Union’s ability to replace lost troops—a luxury the Confederacy did not have.
The Union forces’ sheer numerical advantage was highlighted in confrontations like the Battle of Cold Harbor, where Grant commanded a force of between 100,000 and 110,000 soldiers compared to the Confederate forces, which numbered just over half that.
By the spring of 1865, the Confederacy's state of depletion became evident as Union forces captured vital Confederate cities and supply lines, culminating in Lee surrendering to Grant at Appomattox Court House in April 1865, signifying the de facto end of the Civil War.