General Lee, with the outnumbered but hardened veterans of the Army of Northern Virginia dug in at a crossroads east of Richmond near the old Gaines Mill battlefield to again thwart Grant's 'flank by the left' attempts to draw Lee into the open. Since time was not on his side, Grant decided on a frontal assault. There is a story that many veterans of the Army of the Potomac could see what was to take place, and the evening before the battle the pinned their names and addresses on a piece of paper to their backs so that their bodies could be identified and their loved ones told of their fate. They weren't mistaken and in the main assault of the 3rd they were met with a wall of musketry and artillery. More than 7,000 Yankees fell for a cost of less than 1,500 rebels. Grant said later that "I regret this assault more than any one I have ever ordered" and he again manoeuvred to the flank.