"Peninsula Campaign Animated Map" Topic

Love this American Battlefield Trust Series.

Didn't realise I'd missed this one released in September last year.

YouTube link

Thanks for the link. Excellent piece.

Somehow this campaign is always treated as an after thought. What's a good, readable account of this campaign that ties together both strategy and individual battle/unit actions and color?

The narrative of the campaign is pretty complicated at times but I found Stephen W. Sears – To The Gates Of Richmond a good, clear read.

I second Sears, though its the only one I have on the subject.

Sears book is a fine single volume treatment of the entire campaign and is the place to start if your time or interest is limited. It is particularly good at examining McClellan's role in the drama. Dowdy's book, "The Seven Days, the emergence of Robert E. Lee" while an older book is a good read although telling the story from the Confederate side. Both of these, particularly Dowdy's are " top down" looks at the campaign.

My favorite volume on the subject is Extraordinary Circumstances ( Indiana University) by Brian Burton . It is an excellent look at the Seven Days Battles at a tactical (regimental and Brigade) level. The book covers the entire Seven Days from Oak Grove through Evelington Heights. It is a "battle book" in the traditional style, and I recommend it highly. He has also written a companion tour guide of the battles.

The Battle of Williamsburg is well covered in " A Pitiless Rain" and The Battle of Seven Pines is fairly well described in Steve Newton's book of the same name.

A new offering is due for release tomorrow on the Battle of Gaines Mills. It will be the first book length treatment of this, arguably the most important battle of the Seven Days.