By the end of the day on March 19th it was clear that the Union forces were reunited. Johnston, however, chose to delay at Bentonville for another two days in order to remove the wounded. This action was not nested in Lee’s intent because it jeopardized one of the only remaining Confederate armies for the sake of a few hundred wounded (Barrett, 1963). Lee was clear when he stated “a disaster to your army will not improve my condition” and that he “would not recommend you to engage in a general battle without a reasonable prospect of success” (Barrett, 1963). The element of surprise was lost and Union forces were no longer separated, precluding any hope of the decisive victory that Lee authorized. Johnston was aware of these facts, yet chose to remain on the field in direct contradiction to Lee’s