The Last Citadel: Petersburg, Virginia, June 1864-April 1865
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Rated 5 starsA Very Good Treatment of the Petersburg Campaign
Many Civil War histories cover the Petersburg Campaign in a fell swoop of attrition warfare, privation among the defenders and inhabitants of Petersburg and Grant's slow and methodical picking of Lee's lock hold on this strategic Southern transportation hub. Trudeau gives description to the very many major battles that encompassed Grant's attempts to first break through Lee's stout defensive lines then string the Confederates...
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Rated 4 starsComprehensive, but not Perfect
There are a lot of good things about Trudeau's book. It's meticulous, easy to read, interesting, and most importantly, it encompasses the entire siege campaign. Trudeau's sequel to Bloody Roads South has the same strengths as the first book. With that said, it has the same problems: #1 - The maps are pitiful. Like the prequel, this book's maps are few and far between, and the maps themselves are cluttered. The battle...
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Rated 4 stars"If it becomes a siege, it's just a matter of time..."
"I have ordered a general assault along the lines". With these words, Ulysses Grant initiated the attack that ended the siege at Petersburg in April of 1864 and set in motion the slow retreat of the Confederacy that ultimately ended with their surrender at Appomattox Court House. Noted Civil War historian Noah Trudeau covers this episode of the war comprehensively with "The Last Citadel". Using many first-person accounts and...
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Rated 4 starsThe Siege of Petersburg
I was moved to read this book by a recent visit to the Petersburg National Battlefield in Virginia. I spent the better part of a weekend touring various parts of the Battlefield with Park Rangers, but I still came away confused. The siege lines are lengthy and the key locations of the battle are separated and distant from each other. (I got lost several times driving.) For some battlefields I have seen, such as Gettysburg,...
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Rated 4 starsExcellent summary of an overlooked part of the Civil War
This book seems to be the only resource out there for people wanting to better understand the ten month seige of Petersburg. Trudeau writes in an engaging narrative style and handles his subject skillfully. The parts that mention the explosion at the docks in City Point and the rapid narrative that describes the battle of Fort Stedman stand out as a few of the many satisfying moments in the book. Having been a Seasonal Park...
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