The Maps of Gettysburg: An Atlas of the Gettysburg Campaign, June 3 - July 13, 1863

I’ve read many Civil War campaign and battle-study books, but when it comes to maps, even the best written books often come up short. This is especially true for large, complex, days-long battles such as Gettysburg. Either there are not enough maps or they are too small, too rudimentary, too convoluted, B&W, and/or macro-scale only. And while detailed descriptive narrative and battlefield photos are helpful, they are best used in conjunction with good maps, not in place of them. Thankfully for Gettysburg, Bradley Gottfried effectively fills the void with a thoroughly-researched book containing over 140 high-quality, colored maps of the campaign and battle.THE BOOK: Designed for utility, Gottfried’s map book has multiple applications as: (1) an indispensable complement to other books of the Gettysburg campaign and battle, (2) a unique standalone book with its own concise narrative (3) a walking/driving tour aid, and (4) a go-to reference. The hardback book is relatively large at 10 ¼ x 7 ¼ inches, with high-quality dust and hard covers, and tight binding that still allows pages to lay relatively flat. Page quality is very good with resistance to tears and absorption. The text is dark, clean, well-spaced, and easy to read, although relatively small. As at least one reviewer has noted, the maps are likely more useful/practical in physical book form vs. Kindle.THE MAPS: Maps are organized into three book sections: (1) March to Gettysburg—daily movements of the two armies from Virginia to Gettysburg, PA (including battle maps for Second Winchester and Stephenson’s Depot along Lee’s line of march); (2) Gettysburg Battle (the meat of the book)—map sets for each major engagement/action over the course of the three-day battle (including maps of the battlefield showing the positions of opposing divisions 2 and 3 July prior to Confederate attacks), and (3) The Retreat—the daily movements of the two armies, as Meade hesitantly gives chase in an effort to prevent the escape of Lee’s army across the Potomac River.Gottfried applies the appropriate scale for his maps. Maps of army marches through Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania are macro-scale, showing daily positions of opposing infantry corps and divisions, and cavalry by brigades. Smaller scale maps are used to show army dispositions across the Gettysburg battlefield on 2 and 3 July just prior to attacks. Battle map sets are even smaller in scale showing the immediate topography with the position, alignments, and movements of brigades, regiments, and even companies and skirmishers where appropriate, as well as all batteries. These maps depict the blow-by-blow clashes as they played out by the hour or shorter intervals (e.g., 15-minutes) at various points across the battlefield. For example, the battle map set for “Pickett’s Charge” includes seven sequential maps covering the time period 1:00 to 3:50 PM on 3 July, 1863.Each right-hand page consists of a colored map approximately 7½ x 5½ inches. Details include time, scale, direction, named units and type (Union or Confederate infantry/cavalry/artillery), and topographical features, e.g., population centers, roads, railroads, and waterways. Battle maps also include direction of unit movements, elevation contour lines, vegetation (and type), fortifications, key structures (e.g., homes, barns, etc.), as well as property/field boundaries and even fencing.In comparison to “Gettysburg—The Story of the Battle with Maps” (which I also own), the illustrations in that book are also very good but differ substantially. The maps are physically larger, but depict the battle on a macro scale, i.e., positions of opposing corps and divisions—not the smaller-unit movements and clashes of brigades and regiments. The same map of the entire battlefield is displayed each time, with overlays depicting the progressive changes in large unit dispositions. There are also far fewer maps, and they cover the battle only, not the entire campaign. Because of the large scale, only the largest topographical details are included. The book also includes condensed narrative that serves primarily as an overview of the battle, without the small-unit, “ground level” details associated with each of Gottfried’s many maps.THE NARRATIVE: Each of Gottfried’s maps is accompanied by a single page of supporting narrative on the opposite, left-hand page. This is a map book, so it is not designed to provide the minutiae of the typical campaign or battle-study book. However, the condensed narrative focuses on the most relevant details including the lead-up to the action depicted on the map, description of unit alignments, movements and difficulties encountered, as well as the highlights, turning points, and outcome of the action. Also covered: key communications between, and decisions and actions of leaders, leader casualties, total casualties (numbers or percentages), as well as other key details and excerpts from official records, regimental histories, journals, letters, memoirs, and other sources. Mistakes and unflattering behavior are described on both sides, as well as superior leadership and heroism. Select personal accounts describe close-quarters and hand-to-hand combat, artillery action, violent deaths and injuries, the chaos, carnage, and suffering, and sensory details of the action and its aftermath, as well as feelings of desperation, fear, horror, frustration, anger, sadness, relief, exhilaration, and even admiration for the opponent.Targeted to a wide audience, the narrative is easy to read and comprehend with excellent word choice, sentence structure, and organization. I did not observe any grammatical errors. Transitions are smooth and the narrative flows well chronologically. The writing and editing is very polished.SUPPORT MATERIAL: This scholarly effort includes an Order of Battle, extensive end notes, bibliography, and an index that effectively associates key individuals, participating units (down to regiments), and the many sites with corresponding maps and narrative within the book.CONCLUSION: While Gettysburg was a large, complex battle pitting the corps and divisions of one army against the other, the battle played out on the ground brigade against brigade, regiment against regiment. Gottfried’s scholarly effort substantially fills a void in the Gettysburg chronicle with dozens of meticulously-researched maps illustrating the sequential movements of opposing units over the course of the campaign, including battle map sets depicting the small-unit maneuvering and clashes across the battlefield over three days. The large, high-quality, colored maps are accompanied by condensed narrative focusing on details of most interest. Like David Powell’s “The Maps of Chickamauga,” this book effectively breaks down a complex, large-scale battle into easily-digestible pieces that enable the reader to visually observe the chess match-like tactics and sequence of events as they played out over time. Readers will find it has multiple applications as an indispensable complement to other books of the Gettysburg campaign and battle, as a standalone campaign/battle book with its own concise narrative, as a walking/driving tour aid, and as a go-to reference.As a student of the Civil War, I have purchased dozens of related books over the years but hold on to a select few. This gem is a keeper.

"The Maps of Gettysburg: An Atlas of the Gettysburg Campaign, June 3 - July 13, 1863," by Bradley M. Gottfried (Savas-Beatie, 2013, 363 pages.) This is an outstanding, easy to understand, thoroughly researched reference that is essential for those who don't know very much about the battle of Gettysburg to the historians, authors, and students of the battle. Bradley Gottfried has taken the complex movements from the Divisions to the Regiments of the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia, from June 3, 1863 to July 13, 1863. Through telling the story of the battle with excellent summary of movements and actions of regiments and corps the reader can understand the movements shown in the maps that also have outstanding topography. You get to understand the "gathering storm" that culminated at the battle from July 1st to July 3rd and the winding down of the campaign on July 13, 1863.The battle of Gettysburg was such a tremendous and enormous battle that it can be confusing and difficult for those who aren't intimately familiar with the battle. However, in "The Maps of Gettysburg," Gottfried has made the movements and actions of the regiments extremely easier to understand. He has outstanding detailed maps, with bright colors to distinguish between Union and Confederate in bold blue for the Union and Red for the Confederate regiments. Capitalized the leading Generals that standout, and great topography of the vegetation, walls, fences, hills, etc.Many maps of Civil War battles are difficult to understand due to lengthy arrows that show the movements and they also can intertwine and that can be very confusing. This book doesn't allow that. You get shorter arrows that are descriptive of the movements of advancing and retreating.The author has broken the maps into the sequential time (development) of the battle and tells the story of what the individual regiments and corps commanders actions were next to the maps so you can easily follow along such activities at the initial fighting west of Gettysburg, the railroad cut, the retreating Union forces through the town, the Wheatfield, Devil's Den, Little Round Top, Peach Orchard, Pickett's Charge and other important movements of the battle. Also the movements of the cavalry regiments before, during and after the battle are included.What an outstanding achievement this book is. Gottfried has researched, edited, and written a triumph that is essential to anyone interested in the battle of Gettysburg. Simply put, if you do not have this essential book, then you are missing a very important book in your Gettysburg/Civil War Library. This is the book to take if you want to go and walk and explore the battlefield and surrounding areas. This is the book for researchers and authors to use as a reference guide and source. This is the book for the readers who don't know very much history of the battle of Gettysburg.Many outstanding historians and authors have highly recommended "Maps of Gettysburg," and I 100% agree with their reviews. A truly outstanding work by Bradley Gottfried. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Fantastic resource for anyone following the battle down to the regimental level. You can read the text and view the corresponding map without having to flip pages. The text is concise. Beautiful colors on high quality paper. Savas Beatie and Brad Gottfried hit a home run with this.

However well written and researched, any book dealing with the tactical movements of forces on the battlefield requires detailed maps so as to enable the reader to fully visualise the narrative progression of the battle. "The Maps of Gettysburg" provide the reader/student with the ability to place the opposing forces within the textual context and fully appreciate the narrative. This book is a rich enabler for any student of the battle and a great adjunct to other books dealing with the battle.

Great for scenarios

Fantastic book for the civil war fan a must to trace the battle step by step

excellent clarification of the three days of battle should be used in conjunction with other civil war material to achieve a comprehensive overview

Great book, prompt delivery..well impressed