Here is yet another good review of "The Siege of Petersburg: The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864." This one is posted both on Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.
An important book that is worth reading!,February 28, 2015
An important book that is worth reading!,
This review is from: The Siege of Petersburg: The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864 (Hardcover)
Petersburg is a siege, long, static and while deadly, it was boring, as all sieges are.
The Battle of the Crater and the breaking of Lee’s line receive the majority of any attention Petersburg receives.
An often overlooked but critical campaign occurred in August of 1864, when Grant extended the line westward to cut the Weldon Railroad.
This action caused the battles of Second Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern and Second Reams Station.
Grant succeeded in cutting the rail line and forcing Lee to keep his army concentrated in Petersburg.
This campaign exposed serious problems within the Army of the Potomac’s command structure and raised questions about the willingness of the rank and file to fight.
The author’s account of these problems and the reasons for them is excellent.
Additionally, he discusses the impact of constantly raising new regiments and bounties have on performance.
The heart of the book is the account of the battles.
Excellent writing, coupled with well-placed maps keeps the reader from getting lost, even in the most chaotic situations.
The result is an understandable intelligent account of these lesser-known battles firmly fitted into the larger picture of the war.
The Siege of Petersburg is starting to receive the coverage it deserves and we need to have.
This is an important book in this development and one that is worth reading.
The Battle of the Crater and the breaking of Lee’s line receive the majority of any attention Petersburg receives.
An often overlooked but critical campaign occurred in August of 1864, when Grant extended the line westward to cut the Weldon Railroad.
This action caused the battles of Second Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern and Second Reams Station.
Grant succeeded in cutting the rail line and forcing Lee to keep his army concentrated in Petersburg.
This campaign exposed serious problems within the Army of the Potomac’s command structure and raised questions about the willingness of the rank and file to fight.
The author’s account of these problems and the reasons for them is excellent.
Additionally, he discusses the impact of constantly raising new regiments and bounties have on performance.
The heart of the book is the account of the battles.
Excellent writing, coupled with well-placed maps keeps the reader from getting lost, even in the most chaotic situations.
The result is an understandable intelligent account of these lesser-known battles firmly fitted into the larger picture of the war.
The Siege of Petersburg is starting to receive the coverage it deserves and we need to have.
This is an important book in this development and one that is worth reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment