A Campaign of Giants—The Battle for Petersburg, Vol. 2: From the Crater’s Aftermath to the Battle of Burgess Mill

Historian Greene’s second volume about the Civil War’s Battle of Petersburg chronicles events from August 1864, amid the fallout of the Battle of the Crater, to the end of October of that same year. During this period, the Confederacy’s hope for victory and independence declined significantly due to several setbacks. Although General Ulysses S. Grant’s Union forces suffered heavy losses during the fourth, fifth, and sixth Petersburg offenses, by the end of October, General Benjamin Butler established a firm hold in southeastern Virginia to threaten Richmond. Lee’s main supply line had been severed. Union reinforcements continued to pour in, threatening the overextended Rebels. The U.S. Colored Troop regiments also saw some of their most extensive fighting during this time, and their contributions in the hard-fought combat are given their due. This thoroughly researched account is based on official reports, diaries, and letters from Union and Confederate officers and soldiers. Thirty-five detailed maps help to visualize troop movements and positions in the various battles and actions.