which union commander was directed to attack the principal confederate army?
This answer gives several names.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_was_the_union_commander_that_was_directed_to_attack_the_principle_confederate_army
To find out which Union commander was directed to attack the principal Confederate army, you can follow these steps:
1. Start by identifying the principal Confederate army during the American Civil War. The most prominent Confederate army was the Army of Northern Virginia, led by General Robert E. Lee.
2. Next, think about the major Union campaigns and battles that involved the Army of Northern Virginia. One of the most significant campaigns was the Eastern Theater campaign, specifically the Appomattox Campaign towards the end of the war.
3. During the Appomattox Campaign, the Union commander who was directed to attack the Army of Northern Virginia was Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant.
4. Grant served as the overall commander of the Union army and was responsible for directing multiple campaigns and battles against the Confederates, including the confrontation with Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.
Therefore, the Union commander who was directed to attack the principal Confederate army, specifically the Army of Northern Virginia, was Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant.