A GRAND OPENING SQUANDERED: The Battle for Petersburg: June 15-18, 1864

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Provides fresh and renewed attention to the ACW Battle of Petersburg. Inside are original maps, new research, and dozens of images. Grant set his armies toward the powerhouse of Petersburg. His bold maneuver, which included the construction of a lengthy pontoon bridge across the broad James River and a surprise march against the city, caught Robert E. Lee by surprise. Petersburg was lightly guarded and seemed at the mercy of the Federals. Its capture would sever the lifelines into Richmond, force the evacuation of the Southern capital, and ensure President Abraham Lincoln's reelection, eliminating whatever thin hopes the Confederacy still had for victory. Somehow, the Confederates managed to hold on against the Federal effort and fight them to a standstill -- and it became one of the last strategic victories for the South. Contains 193 images and seven maps.