Book Review: The Overland Campaign for Richmond: Grant vs Lee, 1864

The Overland Campaign for Richmond: Grant vs Lee, 1864. By Bradley Gottfried. Havertown, PA: Casemate Publishers, 2025. Softcover, 128 pp. $24.95.

Reviewed By Sam Flowers

For those who started down the path of studying the Civil War, most do not immediately pick up Ron Chernow’s biography of Ulysses S. Grant or a thick military history on the battles of Gettysburg or Antietam. Instead, many beginners start with some form of light reading to ease into the subject and not be overwhelmed. In my personal experience, my introduction to this era came from brief overviews of the war that included pictures, maps, and other visual aids. Casemate Publishers has become the newest company to provide these introduction overviews of campaigns and battles.

Bradley Gottfried’s The Overland Campaign for Richmond does an astounding job at being a gateway drug for those who wish to begin understanding one of the most critical campaigns of the Civil War. In a 128-page single volume, Gottfried captures the military maneuvering from both Union and Confederate viewpoints, as well as using quotes and accounts from the common soldier to give the reader the ability to feel as if they are there in the moment. Although this series is to target beginners of the Civil War, Gottfried’s use of language when detailing military history is just as captivating for even veteran history buffs.

One of the most standout attachments to this overview of the Overland Campaign is the maps that are included and were made by the author himself. Gottfried’s most popular books are arguably his map series of Civil War battles that provide visual troop movements, which are detailed for every hour or half hour. In this specific book for Casemate Illustrated, Gottfried reuses some of his maps from his book series on the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and beyond, to provide the reader not only with visuals to match the writing, but also to entice readers into furthering their interest by looking at more of the author’s map monographs

There are a couple of things that were questionable in this book, but that does not mean that they damaged the reputation of the author or the book’s overall goal in the slightest. First, the order of battle is positioned in the middle of the book instead of traditionally at the end. Another fellow reviewer of the Casemate series had said something similar, and it seems preferable to agree with the idea of moving that section further back in the book.

Second, throughout the book, there are little mini-sections that focus on quick biographies of generals and weapons technology. Depending on how the pages are laid out, the reader might be flipping from the main campaign narrative into a completely different section on Robert E. Lee or George G. Meade. Although this is something to acknowledge, it does not take away from the thrilling metaphorical boxing match between the two armies that clashed in Central Virginia.

To conclude, Bradley Gottfried’s addition to the Casemate Illustrated series is a must-have for any historian or enthusiast’s collection. It is a robust and comprehensive read for both beginners and more advanced Civil War buffs. Gottfried finishes his work by providing the readers with suggested reading on specific battles of the Overland Campaign, ensuring that those who have “caught the bug” by the end can continue their quest with more extensive readings and the opportunity to learn more.