NF Books on Mine Run campaign?

[OldReliable1862]

Hi, I'm looking for books on the Eastern theater in late 1863-early 1864, notably the Mine Run campaign. A quick glance on Amazon has turned up Mine Run: A Campaign of Lost Opportunities by Martin Graham and The Great Battle Never Fought: The Mine Run Campaign by Chris Mackowski. Are these any good, and are there any others worth looking at?

 

[luinrina]

I have the book by Mackowski on my wish list and am curious to hear others' thoughts about it too. The two reviews on Amazon do sound like it's a good book.

Another one I have on my list is The Maps of the Bristoe Station and Mine Run Campaigns: An Atlas of the Battles and Movements in the Eastern Theater after Gettysburg by Bradley M. Gottfried. It covers the time period from July 1863 to February 1864. Gottfried has written other books like that. It's basically a map on one page and the opposite page the action that corresponds to the map is described. I started with his Gettysburg Maps and found this level of detail really helpful for the beginning of the campaign up to Gettysburg Day 1. For my taste, however, his writing style is a tad too dry, and when I got ahead with Sears' Gettysburg, I eventually put Gottfried aside for the time being. But his style might be right for you.

 

[jackt62]

I always find it difficult to get books on the less well known engagements of the CW, like the Mine Run Campaign. So I'd also be interested in hearing which ones are worth reading.

 

[ErnieMac]

It doesn't help right now, but Jeffrey Wm. Hunt is about 2/3 of the way thru a trilogy covering the War in the East between Gettysburg and the Overland Campaign. The first volume, titled Meade and Lee After Gettysburg: The Forgotten Final Stage of the Gettysburg Campaign, from Falling Waters to Culpeper Court House, July 14-31, 1863 was published in 2017. The second, Meade and Lee at Bristoe Station: The Problems of Command and Strategy after Gettysburg, from Brandy Station to the Buckland Races, August 1 to October 31, 1863 was released in hardback last month. My understanding is that the third volume will cover Mine Run and Rappahannock Station, but guess it will not be released for a year or two.

 

[Jamieva]

I read mackowskis book last week. Its a great starting point for mine run. There really is scant work done it out there. It's an emerging civil war book so it's not a super detailed battle book. It's about 120 pages but to get you started on it, I would go there.

 

[James N.]

I read mackowskis book last week. Its a great starting point for mine run. There really is scant work done it out there. It's an emerging civil war book so it's not a super detailed battle book. It's about 120 pages but to get you started on it, I would go there.

Another brief account I own is a Special Issue devoted to the campaign published many years ago by then-Civil War Times Illustrated Magazine, probably in the 1970's. It's the only thing I've ever seen on it.

 

[rpkennedy]

It doesn't help right now, but Jeffrey Wm. Hunt is about 2/3 of the way thru a trilogy covering the War in the East between Gettysburg and the Overland Campaign. The first volume, titled Meade and Lee After Gettysburg: The Forgotten Final Stage of the Gettysburg Campaign, from Falling Waters to Culpeper Court House, July 14-31, 1863 was published in 2017. The second, Meade and Lee at Bristoe Station: The Problems of Command and Strategy after Gettysburg, from Brandy Station to the Buckland Races, August 1 to October 31, 1863 was released in hardback last month. My understanding is that the third volume will cover Mine Run and Rappahannock Station, but guess it will not be released for a year or two.

I didn't realize that Hunt's second volume had come out so thanks for the heads up. I would highly recommend the first book in the trilogy for anyone who wants to understand what the armies were doing when they returned to Virginia. It was an excellent read.

Ryan

 

[ErnieMac]

I didn't realize that Hunt's second volume had come out so thanks for the heads up. I would highly recommend the first book in the trilogy for anyone who wants to understand what the armies were doing when they returned to Virginia. It was an excellent book.

Ryan

Agreed.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

I just finished the Mackowski book. It was really good as a starting point. Since I am more or less at the starting point myself regarding Mine Run, it was excellent for me. I am looking forward to reading more about it because I have often thought of Mine Run as a missed opportunity -- really for both sides.

Has anyone read the older book?

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

My understanding is that the third volume will cover Mine Run and Rappahannock Station, but guess it will not be released for a year or two.

You are correct, Ernie.

 

[Jamieva]

I just finished the Mackowski book. It was really good as a starting point. Since I am more or less at the starting point myself regarding Mine Run, it was excellent for me. I am looking forward to reading more about it because I have often thought of Mine Run as a missed opportunity -- really for both sides.

Has anyone read the older book?

If your talking about the 80s book, they point out in mackowskis book that the maps for that old book are all completely wrong

 

[Jamieva]

Are you sure hunts 2nd book came out because I cannot find it on Amazon

 

[luinrina]

Here's the link for you, @Jamieva . It says publication was on January 2, 2019. Which is weird because for amazon.de where I order it says December 1, 2018. I preordered in November and received an email that it will be delivered sometime between beginning of February and end of March.

 

[Jamieva]

Amazon has their dates off. Savas Beatie site says March

 

[George Thomas]

I visited the area in the fall of 2018 and found Bradley Gottfried's book "Maps of the Bristoe Station and Mine Run Campaigns," to be a great resource. It was mentioned earlier in this thread, but I wanted to second the recommendation. I posted a few photos here:
https://civilwartalk.com/threads/paynes-farm-battlefield-trail-photos.151727/#post-1928689

 

[Ole Miss]

I am currently reading Gottfried's The Maps of the Bristoe Station and Mine Run Campaign. It is an excellent source of detailed maps and commentary of this lesser known campaign. I highly recommend this book to all.
Regards
David