Examines the Civil War clash between Grant's Army of the Potomac versus Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Inlaid with detail, analysis, and an abundance of supporting primary evidence, the book discusses the maneuvers and battles from May 7, 1864, when Grant left the Wilderness through May 12, when his attempt to break Lee's line by frontal assault reached a chilling climax at the Bloody Angle. It shows how Grant orchestrated his threadbare veterans in a defensive performance at Spotsylvania that ranks as a classic in military history, and describes advances in weaponry which resulted in massive casualties, and the role of the cavalry in the campaign. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.