Books in Military Leaders of the Civil War series

Between the end of May and the beginning of August 1864, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Gen. Robert E. Lee oversaw the transition between the Overland campaign—a remarkable saga of maneuvering and brutal combat—and what became a grueling siege of Petersburg that many months later compelled Confederates to abandon Richmond. Although many historians have marked Grant's crossing of the James River on June 12–15 as the close of the Overland campaign, this volume interprets the fighting from Cold Harbor on June 1–3 through the battle of the Crater on July 30 as the last phase of an operation that could have ended without a prolonged siege. The contributors assess the campaign from a variety of perspectives, examining strategy and tactics, the performances of key commanders on each side, the centrality of field fortifications, political repercussions in the United States and the Confederacy, the experiences of civilians caught in the path of the armies, and how the famous battle of the Crater has resonated in historical memory. As a group, the essays highlight the important connections between the home front and the battlefield, showing some of the ways in which military and nonmilitary affairs played off and influenced one another.Contributors include Keith S. Bohannon, Stephen Cushman, M. Keith Harris, Robert E. L. Krick, Kevin M. Levin, Kathryn Shively Meier, Gordon C. Rhea, and Joan Waugh.

Since his military school days, Robert E. Lee excelled as a soldier. He was the first cadet to receive the rank of sergeant while at West Point, where he graduated at the head of his class in artillery and tactics, and ranked second in his class overall. Lee continued his distinguished military career, and was asked by Abraham Lincoln to take control of the entire Union army against the Confederates. Instead, he fought for his native Virginia out of loyalty during the Civil War. After surrendering to Ulysses S. Grant of the North in Appomattox Court House, Virginia, Lee supported reconciliation between North and South. He became known as the great Southern hero of the war, and his popularity grew in the North as well after his death in 1870. Today, Lee is remembered for his character and his devotion to duty, and he remains an iconic figure of American military leadership.

[Read by Barry Press] Essay Contributors include: Keith S. Bohannon, Stephen Cushman, Gary W. Gallagher, M. Keith Harris, Caroline E. Janney, Robert E. L. Krick, Kevin M. Levin, Kathryn Shively Meier, Gordon C. Rhea, and Joan Waugh. This collection of ten essays takes a fresh look at a pivotal period in the Civil War. Between the end of May and the beginning of August 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant and General Robert E. Lee oversaw the transition between the Overland Campaign -- a remarkable saga of maneuvering and brutal combat -- and what became a grueling siege of Petersburg that many months later compelled Confederates to abandon Richmond. Although many historians have marked Grant's crossing of the James River on June 12 to June 15 as the close of the Overland Campaign, this volume interprets the fighting from Cold Harbor on June 1 to June 3 through the Battle of the Crater on July 30 as the last phase of an operation that could have ended without a prolonged siege. The contributors to this volume assess the campaign from a variety of perspectives, examining strategy and tactics, the performances of key commanders on each side, the centrality of field fortifications, political repercussions in the United States and the Confederacy, the experiences of civilians caught in the path of the armies, and how the famous Battle of the Crater has resonated in historical memory. As a group, the essays highlight the important connections between the home front and the battlefield, showing some of the ways in which military and nonmilitary affairs played off and influenced each other.