The Last Citadel: Petersburg, June 1864 - April 1865

The Last Citadel is a comprehensive book on the Petersburg campaign during the Civil War, which lasted from June 9, 1864, to April 3, 1865. It was the longest and most costly siege on North American soil, involving an average of 170,000 soldiers and thousands of civilians. The campaign was overshadowed by other actions but was crucial to the war in the East, as Petersburg lay astride five major railroad lines that supplied the Confederate capital, Richmond. The book features the words of those who were there, including officers, common soldiers, and residents of Petersburg, and includes twenty-three maps and drawings by combat artists. The revised sesquicentennial edition includes updated text, redrawn maps, additional new material, and a complete redesign.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 552 pages
Publication date: 18 April 2024
Publisher: Savas Beatie

The Last Citadel is a groundbreaking full-length treatment of the most extensive military operation of the Civil War—the investment of Petersburg, Virginia. The Petersburg campaign began on June 9, 1864, and ended on April 3, 1865, when Federal troops at last entered the city. It was the longest and most costly siege ever to take place on North American soil, yet it has been overshadowed by other actions that occurred at the same time period, most notably Sherman's famous "March to the Sea" and Sheridan's celebrated Shenandoah Valley campaign. The ten-month Petersburg affair witnessed many more combat actions than the other two combined, and involved an average of 170,000 soldiers, not to mention thousands of civilians who were also caught up in the maelstrom. By its bloody end, the Petersburg campaign would add more than 70,000 casualties to the wars total. Petersburg was the key to the war in the East. It lay astride five major railroad lines that in turn supplied the Confederate capital, Richmond. Were Petersburg to fall, these vital arteries would be severed, and Richmond doomed. With the same dogged determination that had seen him through the terrible Overland Campaign, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant fixed his sights on the capture of Petersburg. Grant's opponent, General Robert E. Lee, was equally determined that the "Cockade City" would not fall. The dramatic, moving story of The Last Citadel is told largely through the words of the men and women who were there, including officers, common soldiers, and the residents of Petersburg. What emerges is an epic story rich in human incident and adventure. Based on exhaustive research into official records and unpublished memoirs, letters, and diaries, as well as published recollections and regimental histories, The Last Citadel al.

Weight: 918g
Dimension: 227 x 154 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781611217056