Into The Crater: The Mine Attack at Petersburg
by Earl J. Hess
BTC’s Take:
The best book on the Battle of the Crater, period. Hess uses the most sources, uses them well, and doesn’t take anything for granted. He debunks some “facts” as myths and only further reinforces others. In addition, Hess does a good job of placing the Battle of the Crater in the wider context of Grant’s Third Offensive and the entire Siege of Petersburg. Many excellent maps are tied well to the text. This book is worth the cover price for the extensive bibliography alone.
Book Summary/Review:
BTC Siege of Petersburg Book Notes:
Publisher Info:
A comprehensive examination of the iconic Civil War battle, its tragic outcome, and the personalities involved
The battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864, was the defining event in the 292-day campaign around Petersburg, Virginia, in the Civil War and one of the most famous engagements in American military history. Although the bloody combat of that “horrid pit” has been recently revisited as the centerpiece of the novel and film versions of Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain, the battle has yet to receive a definitive historical study. Distinguished Civil War historian Earl J. Hess fills that gap in the literature of the Civil War with Into the Crater.
Click here to read more at the University of South Carolina Press site…
Hardcover Edition
ISBN: 978-1561900107
Publisher: University of South Carolina Press
Release Date: September 30, 2010
Pages: 352 Pages
The Siege of Petersburg Online: Beyond the Crater Pages Which Mention This Book: