Campaign for Petersburg

"Campaign for Petersburg" by Richard Wayne Lykes is a historical narrative from the 1970s that recounts the pivotal military campaign for Petersburg, Virginia, during the American Civil War. The book examines Petersburg's vital role as a transportation hub and its impact on the struggle between the Union and the Confederacy. It chronicles Major General Ulysses S. Grant's determined push to seize Petersburg and, consequently, Richmond, the Confederacy's capital, as the war heads toward its conclusion in 1864 and 1865. Lykes vividly describes the fierce battles, failed attacks, and the long ten-month siege, spotlighting critical moments like the Battle of the Crater and the eventual collapse of Petersburg and Richmond. By analyzing military plans and soldiers' stories, the book shows the brutal wearing down of forces that defined this crucial campaign, leading to the Confederate Army's surrender and the Civil War's end