The Great Battle Never Fought: The Mine Run Campaign, November 26 – December 2, 1863

by Chris Mackowski

The stakes for George Gordon Meade could not have been higher.

After his stunning victory at Gettysburg in July of 1863, the Union commander spent the following months trying to bring the Army of Northern Virginia to battle once more and finish the job. The Confederate army, robbed of much of its offensive strength, nevertheless parried Meade’s moves time after time. Although the armies remained in constant contact during those long months of cavalry clashes, quick maneuvers, and sudden skirmishes, Lee continued to frustrate Meade’s efforts.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., Meade’s political enemies launched an all-out assault against his reputation and generalship. Even the very credibility of his victory at Gettysburg came under assault. Pressure mounted for the army commander to score a decisive victory and prove himself once more.

Smaller victories, like those at Bristoe Station and Rappahannock Station, did little to quell the growing clamor—particularly because out west, in Chattanooga, another Union general, Ulysses S. Grant, was once again reversing Federal misfortunes. Meade needed a comparable victory in the east.

And so, on Thanksgiving Day, 1863, the Army of the Potomac rumbled into motion once more, intent on trying again to bring about the great battle that would end the war.

The Great Battle Never The Mine Run Campaign, November 26-December 2 1863 recounts the final chapter of the forgotten fall of 1863—when George Gordon Meade made one final attempt to save the Union and, in doing so, save himself.

Genres: Civil War, American Civil War

192 pages, Paperback

Published November 30, 2018

Reviews

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and interesting look at an overlooked campaign at the end of 1863. Mackowski writes in a very readable fashion that makes it hard to put down. This was the last large scale movement of the Army of the Potomac before Grant comes east to take overall command of the Union Armies.

[Matthew Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is one thing that is certain, the Emerging Civil War Series, has brought some interesting subjects to our attention. While there are the usual campaigns and battles which the series tackles, the series continues with intriguing studies as well. Here in The Great Battle Never Fought, Chris Mackowski handles the subject of George Meade and the Mine Run Campaign, along with the mistakes made in the commander’s mind after the Battle of Gettysburg. Not only that, the book handles some of the political issues, something that the series has knocked out of the park in the past. The story of pressure from the administration, along with the looming threat of the campaign as a whole, makes for a great read.
Chris Mackowski is a name many in the Civil War realm know as a major voice in the Emerging Civil War Series. He also posts on the blog for Emerging Civil War. He is the editor in chief for that blog and is a writing professor at Saint Bonaventure University. He is also the historian in residence at Stevenson’s Ridge on the Spotsylvania battlefield. He has authored a number of works throughout this series, along with Chancellorsville’s Forgotten Front: The Battles of Second Fredericksburg and Salem Church, and Seizing Destiny.
When it comes to a study of the Mine Run Campaign, most people tend to forget what happened throughout. However, Mackowski works hard to detail everything we would need to know about this campaign and the battles fought throughout. But the other thing which Mackowski does well is the political sphere which Meade suffered through after the major victory in Pennsylvania. But even though the political sphere is important, Mackowski focuses more on the action which occurred in this campaign. I enjoyed the great detail which the author placed into the Battle of Payne’s Farm, along with the road which brought the armies there, and even the aftermath of the campaign. I mention that because it was a pivotal time for General Meade as he juggled the possibilities that he could be removed, while trying to end a campaign at the same time. His surety of being relieved of command was a great insight into the mind of this commander, and gave me a better outlook onto this man whom many have criticized through the years for not following Lee fast enough after Gettysburg.
I highly recommend The Great Battle Never Fought to people interested in the Gettysburg Campaign, especially the aftermath of what occurred with Meade. Mackowski once again brings a great study, along with a tour through the battlefield, to the Emerging Civil War Series. I always look forward to reading one of these works with they are announced and I am never disappointed. Accompanied by fine maps and photographs, this is yet another fine addition to this series. Highly Recommended.

[Alex Halo · Rating 5 out of 5]

For skirmishes and abortive campaigns like this one, there isn't likely to be a wealth of scholarship done when compared to the Big Ones that everyone knows, like Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, Petersburg, and so on. So smaller volumes like this one are a nice supplement able to go into the same level of day by day, hour by hour detail that a book on Gettysburg or The Wilderness would skim over in a few paragraphs as epilogue or prologue.

Narrated by the author, they are as skilled as several other audiobook narrators I've encountered, The various accents applied for certain speakers oftentimes go wild into the realm of exaggerated parody, but they're never unintelligible. The briefness of the abortive campaign and the simplicity of movements means that consulting a map isn't a big concern.


At several moments, landscape and geography is gone into in some detail, including comparing the modern day geography with the 1863 setting, and after several repeated moments of "Please respect the private property of the people living there" that I realize this is essentially a tour guide. Its length is a bit much, especially as the majority of the land involved in the campaign is still privately owned.

A neat aside was with the epilogue detailing the author's history with the land and the battle, including his multiple visits to the various sites and interacting with people living there who gave permission to dig for bullets, and the eventual work done with the American Battlefield Trust to preserve some of the land.


Whether this is meant as a tour guide or a monograph, it's extremely well done and easily fits in as a bridge between major works on the Gettysburg campaign and the Overland campaign.

[William Olenick · Rating 5 out of 5]

As one of a very few books on the campaign in the fall of 1863, this is a keeper. Discussion of the maneuvers of the two opposing armies and and major fight at Payne's Farm. Good maps and numerous photos. Another in an excellent series of books by ECW!!

[W Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to the Mine Run Campaign of 1863. It is an amazing story of moral courage and well worth reading.

[Tim Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief, but decent overview of the Mine Run Campaign that took place in late 1863. I did not know a lot about the campaign so I found this book to be interesting and informative. 3.5/5.