"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!
