- A naval blockade would strangle the Confederate economy.
- The Union would control the Mississippi River, splitting the Confederacy in two.
- The Union would advance on Richmond, Virginia, the Confederate capital.
George B. McClellan's Peninsula Campaign:
- McClellan's army would land on the Virginia peninsula and advance on Richmond.
- This plan was ultimately unsuccessful due to McClellan's slow and cautious approach.
Ambrose Burnside's Fredericksburg Campaign:
- Burnside's army would cross the Rappahannock River and attack the Confederates at Fredericksburg, Virginia.
- This plan was a disaster, with the Union army suffering heavy casualties.
Joseph Hooker's Chancellorsville Campaign:
- Hooker's army would cross the Rappahannock River and attack the Confederates at Chancellorsville, Virginia.
- This plan was also unsuccessful, with the Union army again suffering heavy casualties.
Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign:
- Grant's army would advance on Richmond overland, fighting a series of battles along the way.
- This plan was ultimately successful, with the Union army capturing Richmond in April 1865.