Better than anyone else, Ed made sense of the often conflicting official reports, field communications, and personal narratives, to craft highly cogent and insightful studies of many of the principal actions. Bearss at the time of the Civil War Centennial.

'Serious historians researching the nearly year-long campaign to capture Petersburg and Richmond in 1864-65 have long known of the series of battle narratives written by the legendary Edwin C. The result is a richer and deeper understanding of the major military episodes comprising the Petersburg Campaign. The Second Battle of Ream’s Station (August 25, 1864)Īccompanying these salient chapters are original maps by Civil War cartographer George Skoch, together with photos and illustrations. The Battle of the Weldon Railroad (August 18 - 21, 1864) The Battle of the Jerusalem Plank Road (June 21 - 24, 1864) The Second Assault on Petersburg (June 15 - 18, 1864) This volume of Bearss’ study of these major battles includes:

In fact, much of the wide-ranging fighting involved large-scale Union offensives designed to cut important roads and the five rail lines feeding Petersburg and Richmond. Bearss in The Petersburg Campaign: The Eastern Front Battles, June–August 1864, the first in a ground-breaking two-volume compendium.Īlthough commonly referred to as the “Siege of Petersburg,” that city (as well as the Confederate capital at Richmond) was never fully isolated and the combat involved much more than static trench warfare. This important-many would say decisive-fighting is presented by legendary Civil War author Edwin C. The fighting that began in early June 1864 when advance elements from the Union Army of the Potomac crossed the James River and botched a series of attacks against a thinly defended city would not end for nine long months. The wide-ranging and largely misunderstood series of operations around Petersburg, Virginia, were the longest and most extensive of the entire Civil War. This title may be reprinted in paperback, but not in hardcover.

Richmond redeemed by Richard J. Sommers