The Overland Campaign of 1864 brought a new kind of combat to the American Civil War. Instead of armies maneuvering in search of decisive battle, followed by a period of resting and refitting, the confrontation between Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee evolved into a series of clashes that lasted nearly seven weeks, with the armies shifting from just below the Rapidan River all the way to the James River and beyond. One of the most prominent features of the campaign was the widespread use of field fortifications. In this volume, which covers the period from the opening of the campaign to the stalemate at Cold Harbor, Earl J. Hess offers the most detailed explanation yet of the evolution of trench warfare during the war in Virginia.
As Hess convincingly demonstrates, the use of field fortifications underwent a fundamental shift during the Overland Campaign, although he adds that it would be a mistake to conclude that soldiers on both sides had never before constructed fieldworks. What was different was the increased role of entrenchment in battlefield operations. No sooner had either army taken up position than it started to fortify in anticipation of future combat. Much has been made of Lee's use of fortifications prior to the Seven Days to allow him to thin out his defensive lines in order to mass troops for offensive operations; Hess argues that Grant employed the same approach in the spring of 1864. The continuous contact between the two armies, especially at Spotsylvania, eroded the combat effectiveness of both armies, although the damage was more evident in the Army of the Potomac because of Grant's commitment to offensive operations. After the disastrous assault of June 3 at Cold Harbor, Grant commenced employing siege techniques for a week as he made preparations to swing southward once more, this time by crossing the James River.
Hardcover in excellent condition.