Jerusalem Plank Road

SpartanGSG said:
Peace Brett, no problem. At the end of the day if thats what he is going to give us us Rhea fans then we will be all too ready to read what he delivers. Disappointed that he would stop short at where you say he intends to. This campaign has enough to offer the reader in it's entirety that he could easily match the detail of his Wilderness and Spotsylvania books. I think those two represent the zenith of his work but I do very much look forward to this release. With regards, Spartan.

Spartan,

It does stink that Rhea is apparently burned out, but I've heard rumors (and I can't reveal my sources on this one unfortunately) that another author has set out to write a multi-volume study of the Siege of Petersburg. If the rumors are true, I'm pretty sure the first book is still in its early stages.
 
Thanks much on the reference guide Brett. Though still bleak by the standards of source material availability on many other ACW campaigns, pleasantly surprised at what you presented. Having read Trudeau(and I do agree this book exceeds his work on the Overland Campaign) as a "primer" what do you suggest aming your sources next? I do want a little more meat on the bones as it relates to individual engagements within the campaign at large. Being well read on the campaign what are your views on the condition and overall operational efficiency of the Union II Corps going in? Like the Iron Brigade on a smaller scale it is disheartening to study the steady decline of such a fine body of troops. At the risk of oversimplification, it seems their commander. like the fine corps itself had by and large shot their bolt by the end of May '64. With regards, Spartan
 
SpartanGSG said:
Thanks much on the reference guide Brett. Though still bleak by the standards of source material availability on many other ACW campaigns, pleasantly surprised at what you presented. Having read Trudeau(and I do agree this book exceeds his work on the Overland Campaign) as a "primer" what do you suggest aming your sources next? I do want a little more meat on the bones as it relates to individual engagements within the campaign at large. Being well read on the campaign what are your views on the condition and overall operational efficiency of the Union II Corps going in? Like the Iron Brigade on a smaller scale it is disheartening to study the steady decline of such a fine body of troops. At the risk of oversimplification, it seems their commander. like the fine corps itself had by and large shot their bolt by the end of May '64. With regards, Spartan

Spartan,

Of the books I have listed, I recommend either Sommers' Richmond Redeemed or Wil Greene's book on the final assaults and "the Breakthrough". Several of the H.E. Howard books are decent, but the maps are a little tough from time to time. I've also got the Bearss manuscripts from the 1960's. These are fun and informative to read, but they have no maps.

The Union II Corps was in terrible shape from the beginning of the Siege, and the other Corps of the AotP weren't much better off. It only got worse as Grant used Hancock's men in the Deep Bottom operations and at Reams Station. There is a great article on Reams Station in North & South, Volume 9, No. 2 (the latest issue), BTW.
 
Sommers' book is probably my favorite book the Petersburg campaign. He just goes into the most detail on a particular aspect of the campaign. I have always been dissapointed that Richmond Redeemed was the only book Sommers wrote (as far as I know).
I also enjoyed Greene's book but I thought that everything up to the breakthrough itself was sort of week. His coverage of the pre-breakthrough actions (Hatcher's Run and White Oak Road mostly) are more detailed than just a brief summary but not detailed enough to satisfy me. In a way it would have been better, I think, for Greene to cut out some of the pre-breakthrough stuff and summarize it. To me at least, the moderate level of detail raised more questions than answers. The Blue and Gray tour guide of Hatcher's Run/White Oak Road/Five Forks didn't really help all that much, nor did the Bearss/Calkins installement of the Battles and Leaders series on Five Forks really add much to my knowledge of the Lewis Farm/White Oak Road actions. The coverage of the breakthrough itself is very good, but the prelude actions remain to be suffieciently covered.

Respectfully
 
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