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In May of 1864, the two foremost generals of the North and South finally met in battle: the withdrawn Grant, fresh from a string of victories, and the beloved Lee, struggling to hold together an army short on men and supplies. In Virginia, the Union army began its relentless pursuit of the smaller Confederate force, fighting fierce battles at Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor. In Petersburg, the two armies stalled. Lee and his troops remained entrenched for ten months, withstanding sun, rain, flies, and sharpshooters. Throughout the wilderness campaign, Union casualties proved so heavy that critics of the war labeled Grant a butcher. The casualties on both sides overwhelmed hospitals, leading many to look on these facilities as warehouses for the dying. Meanwhile, Grant's friend, General Sherman, began to move south from Chattanooga, TN, pushing General Johnston's troops back until both armies halted before Atlanta. Lincoln was pleased with both generals, but the extended war had undermined his popularity. He badly needed a victory to support his dwindling chances for re-election in the fall.