I know there are a number of books that cover various battles during the campaign, but does anyone have a recommendation for a onevolume operational treatment of the campaign. His civil war gaming system is well established and enjoyed by many. The spring 2014 issue of the civil war trusts hallowed ground magazine highlights the overland campaign of 1864. When i sign copies of strike them a blow, i include the following inscription. The overland campaign took place in may and june 1864. Looking for a good book on grants overland campaign. While often recognized as a leading advocate for the lost cause during reconstruction and having a storied civil war career fighting for the confederacy, jubal early is best known for his 1864 valley campaign and his raid on washington, d. This is my second design title for john tiller games, and it has turned out to be, in its own way, as much of a monumental effort for the game designer as it was for the generals in blue and gray in 1864. Change in diplomatic activities goal of the campaign map of campaign also referred to as the wilderness campaign or grants campaign changes in governmental policies the union army.
Lees first invasion of the north was repulsed by the army of the potomac under maj. Future accounts of the wilderness will stand on the shoulders of rheas book. The overland campaign is the name given to a number of battles between the union and confederate armies during the american civil war. The loss of the notes taken during the campaign which were captured by the enemy with the staff officers who had them in charge prevented me making an earlier report of the operations of the first part of the campaign of 1864. The overland campaign was a series of battles in the eastern theater of the american civil war. Jubal earlys 1864 raid on washington essential civil war. Grant during the 1864 overland campaign in virginia, which included the battle of the wilderness. One of the most important campaigns of the war, a campaign which began the 11month journey to appomattox court house, started in a small cornfield in orange county, virginia. Some users may encounter difficulties opening these files from the server. The first round of combat between the two renowned generals spanned about six weeks in may and early june 1864.
A guide to the 1864 overland campaign, from the wilderness to cold harbor, may 4 june, 1864 emerging civil war series dunkerly, robert m. Although he suffered severe losses, it was a strategic union victory. After the crossing of the james, a whole new field of study is devoted to the trench warfare around petersburg. For the 6week period of may 4 to june 15, the average was nearly 2,100 casualties every day in near constant fighting. Although initially pushed back, the confederates counterattacked with the brigade of brig. The bermuda hundred campaign essential civil war curriculum. The maryland campaignor antietam campaignoccurred september 420, 1862, during the american civil war. Grants objective was to force an engagement with lee, outside of his mine run fortifications, by either drawing his forces out or turning them. Overland campaign simple english wikipedia, the free.
May 16, 2014 which turned out to be trueso in terms of military objectives, which i think this poll is about, one would say that the union definitely won the overland campaign. In a perfect game of chess, general leeas army evades general grant in the overland campaign while both forces endure horrific casualties. The initial confrontation between union general ulysses s. The best civil war books of 2017 articles civil war monitor. Matter, the battle of the wilderness may 56, 1864 b. I urge you, faithful readernot just with north anna but with the entire warto take a closer look at the things you tend to overlook. Thank you for taking a closer look at this most overlooked phase of the overland campaign. See what you know about the overland campaign in the civil war with an interactive quiz and printable worksheet. Jan 24, 2014 gordon rhea is a must for the overland campaign.
The series of confederate red and union blue troop movements and engagementsincluding the battle of north anna may 2326are outlined in this map of the overland campaign of 1864. This twopart series starts with the first two weeks of the campaign covering the wilderness and the battles for spotsylvania. The overland campaign stunned americans in 1864, but cold harbor would be the last major battle of the overland campaign because grant would reach his objective by stealing a march on lee to cross the james river, beginning the actions that would lead to the siege of petersburg. Grant pushed south as well, following in lees wake. Gary has been a guest every year, even going back to when he was teaching at penn state before he moved to charlottesville and the university of virginia. When the push did come, at least lee could count on his thor. Jul, 2017 inner sunsets great overland book company set to close, owner to embark on new chapter. Notes for the overland campaign scenario design center. While grant sought to destroy lees army of northern virginia along the way to richmond, lee aimed to defend his capital while staying alert for a golden opportunity to strike a decisive blow against grants army of the potomac. Mar 21, 2016 one of the most important campaigns of the war, a campaign which began the 11month journey to appomattox court house, started in a small cornfield in orange county, virginia. The first military operations took place in northwestern virginia, where nonslaveholding prounion virginians sought to secede from the confederacy. The overland campaign, fought between grant and lee in the spring of 1864 was, in many ways, the showpiece confrontation of the war. American civil war american civil war the land war. Talk about what you love with other committed bibliophiles.
Lee in virginia during the overland campaign has not until recently received the same degree of scrutiny as other civil war battles. The confederates were literally sprinting away from the field. An awardwinning author, rhea has walked the entire campaign in extraordinary detail and has composed five awardwinning books that detail the dramatic events of six weeks that riveted the nation. Grants overland campaign from the wilderness to petersburg, gordon rhea. Overland campaign grant started this campaign in a brutal attempt to end the war. His topic was the overland campaign and the more specific question of which side could claim to have come out ahead by the beginning of the siege of petersburg. The overland campaign, 4 may15 june 1864 us army center of. The attack at cold harbor ended the overland campaign against richmond. This chaotic struggle touched off the overland campaign, a brutal grind toward. The battles some facts changes in course of the war outcome of the campaign when did it occur. Lee, displaying the audacity that characterized his generalship.
Its the best general on each side, leading the most famous army on each side, in the area perceived to be most critical by citizens on each sideit had all the elements of high drama and potentially enormous consequences. The overland campaign of 1864 civil war 150 pinhole project. The overland campaign, 4 may 15 june 1864 by david w. In his gripping fourth volume on the spring 1864 overland campaignwhich pitted. See also noah andre trudeaus bloody roads south, mark grimsleys and keep moving on. While often recognized as a leading advocate for the lost cause during reconstruction and having a storied civil war career fighting for the confederacy, jubal early is best known for his 1864 valley campaign and.
Dec 15, 2016 the confederates were literally sprinting away from the field. Brutalized by the destruction of the overland campaign, sodergren finds that the. Apr 11, 2016 continuing from a previous installment, we move to the next stop of the overland campaign, and our tour of civil war battlefields. The emerging civil war series, published by savas beatie llc, offers compelling and easytoread overviews of some of the civil wars most important battles and issues. The overland campaign, also known as grants overland campaign and the wilderness campaign, was a series of battles fought in virginia during may and june 1864, in the american civil war. Grants overland campaign, which was a series of battles fought in virginia during may and june of. The bermuda hundred campaign was one of three campaigns launched to support grants 1864 overland campaign by tying down confederate troops in other sectors. A guide to the 1864 overland campaign, from the wilderness to cold harbor, may 4 june, 1864 emerging civil war series 9781611211931 by dunkerly, robert m. Grant had succeeded in his goal to wear down lees army. There was very little potential left for flanking manoeuvres in the vicinity of richmond, and the swamps around the chickahominy were just as big a barrier to movement as they had been two years earlier.
Snag a book from over 2000 earlyrelease books every month. Grant had been appointed as generalinchief of the union army. It ended with union forces beginning the siege of petersburg and was the bloodiest campaign of the war with more than 80,000 casualties. Each volume features more than a hundredandfifty photos and graphics, plus sharp new maps and visually engaging layouts. Grants overland campaign american battlefield trust. Appomattox, bennett place, and the surrenders of the confederacy and no turning back. The overland campaign began as grants forces crossed the rapidan river on may 4, 1864. Lee rode into the midst of this and, in actions that anticipated a pattern that would be in place for much of the rest of the overland campaign, lee began to operate not only as the army commander but, in effect, as his own corps commander as well.
Inner sunsets great overland book company set to close, owner to embark on new chapter. Inner sunsets great overland book company set to close. In this article and its subsequent chapters, well take a look at why you should visit sites associated with the overland campaign and what you should see during your tour. Project muse lees army during the overland campaign. Lee, and to capture the confederate capital of richmond, virginia. Mcclellan, in command of federal forces in southern ohio, advanced on his own initiative in the early summer of 1861 into western virginia with about 20,000 men. I suppose i could crack open shelby foote and peruse until i hit the appropriate spot, but im looking. The overland campaign of 1864 american battlefield trust.
Peter carmichael and gordon rhea talked about the tactics of generals robert e. The overland campaign chapter 15 the cambridge history of. Overland campaign armchair general and historynet the. Grant wanted to defeat the confederate army of northern virginia, commanded by robert e. Meades army of the potomac, while the confederate army of northern virginia was commanded by general robert e. Catalog your books from amazon, the library of congress and 4,941 other libraries. He works as a park ranger at richmond national battlefield park. Professor brooks simpson talked about union general ulysses s. The overland campaign, also known as grants overland campaign and the wilderness. Dont forget earl hess books on field fortifications in the overland campaign. The overland campaign was part of the american civil war and lasted from may 4th to june 9th, 1864. If the entire document will not open, select save instead of open. On may 23, the union army converged at mount carmel church, a handful of miles above the north anna river.
Continuing from a previous installment, we move to the next stop of the overland campaign, and our tour of civil war battlefields. The battles of the wilderness, spotsylvania court house, north anna, and cold harbor by charles river editors. Although with approximately 100,000 casualties between them its pretty hard to say that either side won. The butchers bill for the overland campaign was around 88,000 combined casualties. Mcclellan, who moved to intercept lee and his army of northern virginia and eventually attacked it near sharpsburg, maryland. I urge you, faithful readernot just with north anna but with the entire warto.
The overland campaign refers to the operations from the rapidanjames because that is the period of open field campaigning between grant and lee. Staff ride handbook for the overland campaign, virginia, 4 may to 15 june 1864 by curtis s. The main game covers may to june 1864, with all the battles and difficulties grant and lee face. Oct 18, 2006 his topic was the overland campaign and the more specific question of which side could claim to have come out ahead by the beginning of the siege of petersburg. Know as the overland campaign, the two rival armies slugged it out in four distinct bloody contests in the wilderness, at spotsylvania courthouse, the north anna river and cold harbor from may 5th to june 9th before ending up face to face in a siege of petersburg, virginia. This is his fourth volume on the spring 1864 overland campaign. Grant union general in chief of all union armies directed the actions of the army of the potomac commanded by meade and the other forces against r. We see grant, in one of his most brilliant moves, pull his army across the. The most overlooked phase of the overland campaign emerging. Jun 27, 2017 when i sign copies of strike them a blow, i include the following inscription. The overland campaign, some 40odd days of maneuver and combat between the rapidan and james. Grant is one of the most famous campaigns of the civil war, and perhaps its greatest chess match.
Despite over 66,000 casualties in six weeks, he pressed against lee, pinning down the confederate army in the siege of petersburg, where the two armis engaged in trench warfare for over nine months. This twopart series starts with the first two weeks of the campaign covering the wilderness and the. Best booksweb materials on the overland campaign the. It refers specifically to the encounters that took place between may 4 and june 24, 1864, after lieutenant ulysses s. Gordon rhea was interviewed about his book cold harbor. Also, check the biographies of grant, meade, lee, and others involved, as well as microhistories of specific battles. New from john tiller software is a true giant of a game on the overland campaign.
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