Hampton Newsome contacted me recently to point out his interview with Gerry Prokopowicz on Civil War Talk Radio this week. In the episode the author briefly discussed his earlier efforts producing Civil War board games, but the show quickly moved on to the main topic, the Sixth Offensive at the Siege of Petersburg. Regular readers know Hampton Newsome has had two recent Petersburg related projects:
- Civil War Talks: Further Reminiscences of George S. Bernard and His Fellow Veterans
- Richmond Must Fall: The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign, October 1864
It’s the latter book which was the topic of the day at Civil War Talk Radio. Newsome focused on the things which made the Sixth Offensive interesting to study, including the proximity to the Presidential Election of 1864 and the increased magnitude of any setback to either side, the almost unique, swirling nature of the Battle of Boydton Plank Road, and the use of Black troops in the Second Battle of Fair Oaks. Although the host and author were unable to spend any time on the Second Battle of Fair Oaks, I found the episode to be a perfect introduction to Newsome’s book. Go check out the episode, and if you find your interest peaked, be sure to go buy the book as well.