Echoes of Thunder is the only guide to the 1862 Seven Days Battles. Taking the reader over the ground where the five battles were fought between the Union and Confederate armies from June 26 to July 1, 1862, the book is for the Civil War expert as well as the newcomer. For each battlefield the book provides information to orient the reader about where the opposing units were positioned and what happened. Appropriate excerpts from the official records are included, written by commanders whose units were fighting at each stop. This technique of presentation allows the reader to see the development of each battle as the participants and decision makers saw it. A chapter is dedicated to each of the Seven Days Battles: Beaver Dam Creek, Gaines Mill, Savage Station, Glendale, and Malvern Hill. The reader can follow the battles in their entirety from Stop 1 to Stop 30; however, as each chapter is designed to stand alone, the reader can tour the battlefields in any order or visit only selected battlefields. Detailed topographical maps show the battlefield areas as they were in 1862 and are marked with unit locations and movements. Modern day road maps and instructions allow the reader to follow the same routes—from battlefield to battlefield—used by the armies. Operational and planning maps show overall situations and maneuver plans. Because of the detailed maps and orientation information, a reader can use Echoes of Thunder effectively even without being on the battlefields, making this a valuable reference work on this important series of battles.
