on march 24, 1865, the day before the confederate attack on fort stedman, grant already had planned an offensive for march 29, 1865. the objectives were to draw the confederates out into a battle where they might be defeated or to cut the remaining road and railroad supply and communication routes between areas of the confederacy still under confederate control and petersburg and richmond if the confederates held their lines. the battle of fort stedman had no effect on grant's plans. the union army lost no ground due to the attack and their casualties were a small percentage of their force.