Overland Rhea’s Overland Series

(Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor)
Does anyone know if Gordon Rhea is writing a book on the actual Siege of Petersburg? I am on “Cold Harbor”, the 4th of his 5 part series and just ordered “On to Petersburg”.
if he isn’t, what is the equivalent to Rhea for the siege? I like details, details, and more details.
I don't believe that he is. For the siege Will Greene's (excellent) first volume is out. The late Richard Sommers and Hampton Newsome have excellent, highly-detailed volumes on two of Grant's several offensives during the siege. John Horn has one on a third offensive. Earl Hess is very good on the Crater.
 
That volume isn't about the siege - it's about the decision to cross the James and to attack Petersburg. The siege resulted from the failure of the June 15 attack.
 
Hey Chattahooch

Good to see you. @Rebforever provided above the link to Gordon Rhea's On to Petersburg.

Here's the link to Wil Greene's A Campaign of Giants...Volume 1

Merry Christmas to you and yours~!
 
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A. Wilson green's multi volume will be the go to once he completes it. Volume 1 is quite good
Agree on Vol. 1. If Chattahooch33 wants details on top of details, Greene is the start and he can supplement for getting even more "into the weeds" with Sommers, Newsome, Horn, and Hess.
 
Does anyone know if Gordon Rhea is writing a book on the actual Siege of Petersburg? I am on “Cold Harbor”, the 4th of his 5 part series and just ordered “On to Petersburg”.
if he isn’t, what is the equivalent to Rhea for the siege? I like details, details, and more details.
I do not know if Rhea plans on writing a series on Petersburg. It'd be a natural progression for him, but it seems he was going to end this with "On to Petersburg". So...I have my doubts he ever would.
 
Does anyone know if Gordon Rhea is writing a book on the actual Siege of Petersburg? I am on “Cold Harbor”, the 4th of his 5 part series and just ordered “On to Petersburg”.
if he isn’t, what is the equivalent to Rhea for the siege? I like details, details, and more details.

Gordon has told me that he's now finished. It's been a long slog, and he's tired of it.
 
I wish he would. The siege of Petersburg does not seem to get as much attention as say, the Overland Campaign, or many others.
 
If you are looking for a 1 book volume work that tries to cover the entire 10 months, check out The Last Citadel by Noah Andre Trudeau. It's from the early 90s but if you want an easy to read 1 volume, it's a good starting spot.
I absolutely agree. I love his writing style and the maps were really good.
 
I absolutely agree. I love his writing style and the maps were really good.


Agree completely I love Trudeau's writing style. He gives you enough detail without getting too bogged down, but also the big picture as well. His books always flow really well. I remember when Bloody Roads South came out I was in high school and I read it in 2 days. I was mesmorized by it.
 
Great stuff here, everyone. Going to check out Greene’s. Thanks!
That would be a great start. Keep in mind that it's an operational study and vol. one ends with the Crater. If you still want more tactical detail, Hess, Horn, Sommers, and Newsome will give you more than enough. Greene is to those as Robertson is to Powell on Chickamauga.
 
As many have stated, Wil Greene''s trilogy is going to be the standard, probably for a very long time. I run a Siege of Petersburg site and I've reviewed a lot of the books mentioned in this thread. Here's a list of books on the various Offensives. Each book title links to its page on my site and anything I've written about it. I will say that in my opinion Sommers on the Fifth, Newsome on the Sixth, and Horn on the Second are the best accounts of individual offensives.




Siege of Petersburg Overviews

Other Petersburg Related Materials

Butler’s Offensive

First Offensive

Second Offensive

Third Offensive

Fourth Offensive

Hampton’s Beefsteak Raid

Fifth Offensive

Sixth Offensive

Seventh Offensive

Eighth Offensive

Ninth Offensive

 
I see you recommended Robertson's 2 books on Butler, Back Door to Richmond as a lead in to those 2 would help the reader as well.

Jamie,

Yes, specifically for Butler's June 9 offensive against Petersburg. I read and enjoyed Back Door to Richmond on the Bermuda Hundred Campaign. I have one other one on Bermuda Hundred that I'm blanking on right now, but I liked Backdoor to Richmond better.
 
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