Richmond Redeemed: Opportunities Won and Lost in the Siege of Petersburg

Opportunities Won and Lost in the Siege of Petersburg by Dr. Richard Sommers
As the brutal summer of 1864 closed, the Federal Army under General Ulysses S. Grant pinned the hard-fought troops of General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia down in the town of Petersburg, Virginia. This roundtable presentation analyzes the generalship, strategy, operations, and tactics of the Federal Fifth Offensive in the Siege of Petersburg in the early autumn of 1864. This onslaught overran the outer defenses of Richmond and gave the Northerners the greatest opportunity they ever had to capture the Confederate capital with a field army capable of holding the city. So dire was the danger, that the Graycoats were prepared to abandon their main rail center, Petersburg, if required, to rescue Richmond. How the Unionists came so close to taking one or both cities -- and yet fell short -- and how the Confederates fought back, not just defensively but offensively, and succeeded in prolonging the war for another half year forms the focus of our roundtable presentation.
These operations pitted Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee directly against each other. Their generalship is assessed, as is that of their senior subordinates, Benjamin F. Butler and George G. Meade for the North and Richard S. Ewell and A.P. Hill for the South. In this offensive, Pennsylvania was well represented, with such generals as Meade, Winfield Scott Hancock, John G. Parke, David B. Birney, Andrew A. Humphreys, and David M. Gregg. Some 83 Keystone State regiments, battalions, batteries, and detachments participated in these operations including six regiments of U.S. Colored Troops credited to Pennsylvania. Indeed, the first of these fights, Chaffin's Bluff, marked the biggest, bloodiest battle for black troops in the entire Civil War. Fourteen black soldiers and one of their white officers earned the Medal of Honor for their service in these battles. Twenty-nine soldiers and officers of white units were comparably recognized.
This presentation features Dr. Richard Sommers and is based on his new book, the expanded 150th anniversary edition of Richmond Redeemed: The Siege at Petersburg, published by Savas-Beatie in September of 2014. Dr. Richard J. Sommers served for over 43 years at the U.S. Army Military History Institute of the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, until nominally “retiring” as the Senior Historian in January of 2014. He continues teaching at the U.S. Army War College, writing about the Civil War, and speaking to Civil War groups across the nation, and he has published over 100 books, articles, chapters, entries, and reviews on the Civil War. Two expert panelists will join him to discuss the battle, its results, and its long term effects on the outcome of the Civil war.
Roundtable Date: March 19, 2016
Length: 2 Hours 26 Minutes

Пікірлер: 36

  • @williamstall4420
    @williamstall44204 жыл бұрын

    Extremely well researched and informative. An excellent presentation.

  • @JohnnyRebKy
    @JohnnyRebKy4 жыл бұрын

    I like to think I wouldn’t want to match across a field like at Gettysburg, but I wouldn’t want to be in Petersburg either! Constant bombardment drives men literally insane. The Civil War produced shell shock long before WW1

  • @BradWatsonMiami

    @BradWatsonMiami

    4 жыл бұрын

    Petersburg's trench warfare was a glimpse of WWII. Lee was reincarnated as Dwight Eisenhower.

  • @mykofreder1682
    @mykofreder16823 жыл бұрын

    Wanted more information about the molasses campaign to encircle Petersburg in 9 months while Sherman encircled Atlanta in a month. Difference in objectives in engaging the enemy vs establishing supplies then advancing to the next Confederate supply line avoiding entrenchments. The whole talk was about the move due south of the city by September and only half way to cutting off the supply lines. I looked at the map and it looks like WW1 with battle lines and entrenchments going south and west over the summer, those far reaching lines did not exit in June but slow movement allowed them to be constructed.

  • @zettle2345
    @zettle23456 жыл бұрын

    I like this guys message, but he is a dreamer. I'd have to guess that he is also a big fan of General Lee. The Confederate States never, had a railroad network designed to move men and materials from state to state. The railroads in the confederacy, looked like trees in the winter, with their trunks at the major port cities. Designed to move exports from the heartland to the harbors. Tennessee had already fallen, by the summer of 1864. And when Atlanta fell, Richmond and the 2 Carolina's were all that was left of the CSA.

  • @jonathanrice1070

    @jonathanrice1070

    3 жыл бұрын

    Too many want to pretend the the CSA and Union were equal powers. The Union held massive advantages in virtually every category. Sherman’s March was the Union finally getting semi serious and pressing their might by opening up a second front. It really wasn’t a front insomuch as it was Sherman driving through the south virtually unopposed.

  • @HiFi39
    @HiFi397 жыл бұрын

    Would I be in the right place , looking to see if there was a General E.W.HINKS in the battle of Petersburg ,

  • @markcrampton5549

    @markcrampton5549

    3 жыл бұрын

    Edward Winslow HinksJr. commanded Union troops at Petersburg. Just Google him for a Bio.

  • @imortalones
    @imortalones6 жыл бұрын

    great info. Thanks for upload.

  • @imortalones

    @imortalones

    6 жыл бұрын

    I also kinda want to add something: which wasn't touched on.. Is that the South only started adding slave soldiers to their ranks: since the Union African/free Soldiers were leaving the south out numbered. To encourage the slaves to fight, the south were freeing them and even promising free land. So it made the whole war pretty pointless.

  • @Duseika72

    @Duseika72

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@imortalones too late

  • @benhaney5843

    @benhaney5843

    4 жыл бұрын

    Obviously a very controversial move in the South. Like, "if were freeing and ARMING the slaves then what's the point." But remember, although the South fought to maintain slavery, not every one who fought did. Lee was in favor of arming slaves in exchange for freedom and his prestige put it through. A few were even in favor of total emancipation. I remember reading a quote from someone, can't remember who, who said basically, " even though we got into this war to preserve slavery, if we believe any price should be paid to acheive independence then we must consider everything. Even emancipation of the slaves." Plenty of the common men didn't care much about slavery one way or another because they didn't own slaves themselves and in some says resented dying for those rich people who owned slaves who didn't fight. You could even get draft exemptions if you owned a certain amount of slaves, for you and a certain number of your overseers. The poor who fought and died wouldn't have liked that of course.

  • @JohnnyRebKy

    @JohnnyRebKy

    4 жыл бұрын

    Ben Haney the ultimate goal of the South was independence. We often forget that as slavery is thrown around. By the end of the war the Confederacy was willing to do about anything to gain its independence including freeing slaves and arming them

  • @12rwoody

    @12rwoody

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@JohnnyRebKyif Independence was the goal, then why weren't they willing ro free slaves and arm them at the beginning of the war? Doesn't seem like they were, as you said, "willing to do anything" .

  • @BlondeinNYC
    @BlondeinNYC4 жыл бұрын

    I disagree with the idea that the South wanted Democracy. It seems to me that what they wanted was a Spartan type of government and state set up.

  • @jacksons1010

    @jacksons1010

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Dom_510 Have you ever read the CSA's Constitution? The idea that the Confederacy was weak central government entirely dedicated to "state's rights" is belied by the actual government structure. The Confederate President was granted a line item veto, empowering him to selectively accept or ignore the legislative decisions of the States in the Confederate legislature. Confederate States explicitly lost the right to abolish slavery within their borders. Confederate States lost the power to enter into free trade agreements with other states. Confederate States lost the right to grant or deny voting rights to immigrants. It's not at all clear that on balance Confederate States gained any more freedom than they had with the Union.

  • @12rwoody

    @12rwoody

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@jacksons1010 Exactly. FACTS: something neoconfederates aren't interested in.

  • @miskwaad

    @miskwaad

    2 жыл бұрын

    Other than that treating people as property while whipping, killing and raping them at will, I suppose you could argue that.

  • @TulsaDem

    @TulsaDem

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Dom_510 How about a stat e's right not to return runaway slaves? Where was the freedom there?

  • @ae1586

    @ae1586

    2 жыл бұрын

    Except they installed a democracy. With a 6 year one term limit for presidents and senators .

  • @IvoryColonizer
    @IvoryColonizerАй бұрын

    2:10:00

  • @12rwoody
    @12rwoody4 жыл бұрын

    This guy makes delicious fried chicken.

  • @J.B24
    @J.B242 жыл бұрын

    Aside from knowing why the civil war was fought and who won, why do we care about the minutia and specifics?

  • @patrickwatrin5093

    @patrickwatrin5093

    2 жыл бұрын

    What an idiotic question. You wanna answer? Or are you just kidding me

  • @manuelkong10
    @manuelkong103 жыл бұрын

    I dont' think Petersburg was that important THE game changer was Sherman's march to the sea then up into the Carolinas

  • @SandfordSmythe

    @SandfordSmythe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Lee knew the war was over when he became bogged down in defense.

  • @shiloh6519
    @shiloh65194 жыл бұрын

    Jackson was overrated. Under performed during the 7 days battles and again at Antietam.

  • @TorianTammas

    @TorianTammas

    4 жыл бұрын

    People do prefer to stamp.someone to be a hero, but we are humans and sometimes our choices are outstanding and a lot if time mediocre or worse.

  • @seppshlllearningcenter419

    @seppshlllearningcenter419

    3 жыл бұрын

    So we just completely ignore the first Shenandoah Campaign? Lol ok

  • @shiloh6519

    @shiloh6519

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@seppshlllearningcenter419 His force was less than 5,000 men. That campaign was brilliant. But still doesn't rank him as a great commander.

  • @ae1586

    @ae1586

    2 жыл бұрын

    He barely slept for the whole of the 7 days and that what directly after his valley campaign, where he whips banks , shields , Fremont, while keeping them separate and away from Richmond. At Antietam you realize a copy of the battle plans was found by the Yankees and McClellan knew the exact plan and still couldn’t deliver a decisive blow . It was AP hills division of Jackson’s corp that numbered less than 4K that was able to hold off the federals while lees army’s escaped . You realize they still teach Jackson’s valley campaign around the world to military officers ? You realize the British military advisor said of Jackson that he was the most superior field commander in the world and that on the field of battle no man was even his equal ? It was his plan at Chancellorsville, it was he who stood and held his line as first manassas became “the great skeedadle” . Totally over rated I guess . Didn’t rape any women or order any homes burned so he must lose some points for that .