Confederate General Robert E. Lee led his tough and confident Army of Northern Virginia into Maryland in a bold gamble to force a showdown that would win Southern independence. The future of the Union hung in the balance. The campaign that followed lasted only two weeks, but it changed the course of the Civil War.For the sesquicentennial of Antietam and the Maryland Campaign, D. Scott Hartwig delivers a two-volume study of the campaign and climactic battle. This riveting first installment takes the reader from the controversial return of George B. McClellan as commander of the Army of the Potomac through the Confederate invasion, the siege and capture of Harpers Ferry, the day-long Battle of South Mountain, and ultimately, to the eve of the great and terrible Battle of Antietam.794 pages in total, 652 pages of narrative

    As the contest approached, cautious optimism buoyed the President's supporters in the wake of Union victories at Atlanta and in the Shenandoah Valley. With all eyes on the upcoming election, Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant conducted a series of large-scale military operations outside Richmond and Petersburg, which have, until now, received little attention.In Richmond Must Fall, Hampton Newsome examines these October battles in unprecedented scope and detail. The narrative begins with one of Lee's last offensive operations of the war at the Darbytown Road on October 7, 1864, and ends with Grant's major offensive on October 27 to seize the South Side Railroad, the last open rail line into the Confederate stronghold at Petersburg. The offensive would spark sharp fighting at Burgess Mill south of Petersburg and on the Williamsburg Road east of Richmond.The October 1864 operations offer important insights into the personalities and command styles of Lee and Grant, including Lee's penchant for audacity and overwhelming thirst to strike a blow against his opponent even against bitter odds and Grant's willingness to shoulder heavy responsibility in the face of great risk. The narrative explores the relationships within the high command of both armies, including Grant's sometimes strained partnership with the cautious George Meade. It also illustrates Grant's efforts to guide the strong-willed political general Benjamin F. Butler, whose steadfast support for African American troops would spark a prisoner controversy that would bring the war's underlying issues of slavery and race into bold relief. For the Confederates, the month's operations illustrate Lee's necessary reliance on his key combat commanders at Petersburg, including the formidable William Mahone.

    Known as the Pennsylvania Reserves, or simply the Reserves, the division saw action in most of the major battles of the Civil War, including Mechanicsville, New Market Crossroads, Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House. This history chronicles the division's service from its organization in May 1861 through June 1864, when most of its soldiers reached the end of their service commitment. The book includes short biographical sketches, most with photographs, of the Reserves leadership. Throughout, excerpts from letters, journals, diaries, and books from more than 150 members of the Reserves provide a personal perspective on the action and reveal the human side of battle.

    The fighting that began in early June 1864 when advance elements from the Union Army of the Potomac crossed the James River and botched a series of attacks against a thinly defended city would not end for nine long months. This important--many would say decisive--fighting is presented by legendary Civil War author Edwin C. Bearss in The Petersburg Campaign: The Eastern Front Battles, June-August 1864, the first in a ground-breaking two-volume compendium.Although commonly referred to as the "Siege of Petersburg," that city (as well as the Confederate capital at Richmond) was never fully isolated and the combat involved much more than static trench warfare. In fact, much of the wide-ranging fighting involved large-scale Union offensives designed to cut important roads and the five rail lines feeding Petersburg and Richmond. This volume of Bearss' study of these major battles includes:The Attack on Petersburg (June 9, 1864)The Second Assault on Petersburg (June 15 - 18, 1864)The Battle of the Jerusalem Plank Road (June 21 - 24, 1864)The Crater (July 30, 1864)The Battle of the Weldon Railroad (August 18 - 21, 1864)The Second Battle of Ream's Station (August 25, 1864)Accompanying these salient chapters are original maps by Civil War cartographer George Skoch, together with photos and illustrations. The result is a richer and deeper understanding of the major military episodes comprising the Petersburg Campaign.About the Authors: Edwin C. Bearss is a world-renowned military historian, author, and tour guide known for his work on the American Civil War and World War II. Ed, a former WWII Marine wounded in the Pacific Theater, served as Chief Historian of the National Park Service from 1981 to 1994 and is the author of dozens of books and articles. He discovered and helped raise the Union warship USS Cairo, which is on display at Vicksburg National Military Park.Bryce A. Suderow is a Civil War writer and researcher living in Washington, D.C. He received his B.A. at Knox College and earned a Masters in American History at Sonoma State University. His Masters' Thesis, Thunder in Arcadia Valley, was published in 1985 (Univ. of Missouri). Bryce has also published many articles in a number of Civil War periodicals and is recognized as one of the finest archival researchers working today.