Civil War history has consistently framed the final two years of the war as an epic contest between Grant and Lee and has too frequently overshadowed the role of Major General George Meade, commander of the Army of the Potomac.  Grant’s arrival to the Eastern Theater in March 1865 signaled a new command dynamic for Meade and the Army of the Potomac.  An examination of the relationship between Grant and Meade reveals nuance to the army’s 1864 and 1865 campaigns in Virginia and highlights Meade’s role in these operations.  Rather than being relegated to a secondary, supporting role in the army’s command structure, Meade exercised incredible influence on operations during the Overland Campaign.  This program explores the relationship between Grant and Meade during the Overland Campaign, May 4, 1864 to June 15, 1864.

Dr. Jennifer M. Murray is a military historian, with a specialization in the American Civil War, in the Department of History at Oklahoma State University. Prof. Murray is a prolific author and sought after speaker, she is currently working on a full-length biography of George Gordon Meade, tentatively titled Meade at War.  She returns to the NJCWRT with a  reprisal of her successful 2023 series that had over 140 participants for each of her lectures.

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