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John Horn
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The Siege of Petersburg: The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864 Kindle Edition

by John Horn (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 38 ratings
A revised and expanded tactical study General Grant’s Fourth Offensive during the American Civil War.

The nine-month siege of Petersburg was the longest continuous operation of the American Civil War. A series of large-scale Union “offensives,” grand maneuvers that triggered some of the fiercest battles of the war, broke the monotony of static trench warfare. Grant’s Fourth Offensive, August 14–25, the longest and bloodiest operation of the campaign, is the subject of John Horn’s revised and updated Sesquicentennial edition of The Siege of Petersburg: The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864.

Frustrated by his inability to break through the Southern front, General Grant devised a two-punch combination strategy to sever the crucial Weldon Railroad and stretch General Lee’s lines. The plan called for Winfield Hancock’s II Corps (with X Corps) to move against Deep Bottom north of the James River to occupy Confederate attention while Warren’s V Corps, supported by elements of IX Corps, marched south and west below Petersburg toward Globe Tavern on the Weldon Railroad. The move triggered the battles of Second Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern, and Second Reams Station, bitter fighting that witnessed fierce Confederate counterattacks and additional Union operations against the railroad before Grant’s troops dug in and secured their hold on Globe Tavern. The result was nearly 15,000 killed, wounded, and missing, the severing of the railroad, and the jump-off point for what would be Grant’s Fifth Offensive in late September.

Revised and updated for this special edition, Horn’s outstanding tactical battle study emphasizes the context and consequences of every action and is supported by numerous maps and grounded in hundreds of primary sources. Unlike many battle accounts, Horn puts Grant’s Fourth Offensive into its proper perspective not only in the context of the Petersburg Campaign and the war, but in the context of the history of warfare.

“A superior piece of Civil War scholarship.” —Edwin C. Bearss, former Chief Historian of the National Park Service and award-winning author of The Petersburg Campaign: Volume 1, The Eastern Front Battles and Volume 2, The Western Front Battles

“It’s great to have John Horn’s fine study of August 1864 combat actions (Richmond-Petersburg style) back in print; covering actions on both sides of the James River, with sections on Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern, and Reams Station. Utilizing manuscript and published sources, Horn untangles a complicated tale of plans gone awry and soldiers unexpectedly thrust into harm’s way. This new edition upgrades the maps and adds some fresh material. Good battle detail, solid analysis, and strong characterizations make this a welcome addition to the Petersburg bookshelf.” —Noah Andre Trudeau, author of The Last Citadel: Petersburg, June 1864–April 1865
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  1. Print length
    475 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Savas Beatie
  4. Publication date
    August 19, 2014
  5. File size
    24.9 MB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“It’s great to have John Horn’s fine study of August 1864 combat actions (Richmond-Petersburg style) back in print; covering actions on both sides of the James River, with sections on Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern, and Reams Station. Utilizing manuscript and published sources, Horn untangles a complicated tale of plans gone awry and soldiers unexpectedly thrust into harm’s way. This new edition upgrades the maps and adds some fresh material. Good battle detail, solid analysis, and strong characterizations make this a welcome addition to the Petersburg book shelf.”
Noah Andre Trudeau, author of The Last Citadel: Petersburg, June 1864–April 1865

“A superior piece of Civil War scholarship.”
Edwin C. Bearss, former Chief Historian of the National Park Service and award-winning author of The Petersburg Campaign: Volume 1, The Eastern Front Battles and Volume 2, The Western Front Battles

“Grant’s Fourth Offensive at Petersburg proved one of his two most successful offensives of the entire siege, prior to finally capturing that city and Richmond in April, 1865. That operation is excellently covered in John Horn’s The Siege of Petersburg: The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864. This revised, expanded edition of his original 1991 book ranks as the foremost study of the Fourth Offensive. It belongs in every Civil War library.”
Richard J. Sommers, author of Richmond Redeemed: The Siege at Petersburg: The Battles of Chaffin’s Bluff and Poplar Spring Church

About the Author

A native of the Chicago area, John Horn received a B.A. in English and Latin from New College (Sarasota, Florida) in 1973 and a J.D. from Columbia Law School in the City of New York in 1976. He has practiced law around Chicago since graduation, occasionally holding local public office, and living in Oak Forest with his wife and law partner, H. Elizabeth Kelley, a native of Richmond, Virginia. They have three children. He and his wife have often traveled to the Old Dominion to visit relatives, battlefields, and various archives. John has published articles in Civil War Times Illustrated and America’s Civil War. His books include The Destruction of the Weldon Railroad (republished in 2015 as The Siege of Petersburg: The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864, with a dust jacket based on a painting of a soldier from the town where John has his law office winning a Medal of Honor on August 16, 1864), and The Petersburg Campaign. With Hampton Newsome (author of Richmond Must Fall) and Dr. John G. Selby (author of Virginians at War), John co-edited Civil War Talks: The Further Reminiscences of George S. Bernard & His Fellow Veterans. This was a sequel to Bernard’s War Talks of Confederate Veterans, which was published in 1892. Civil War Talks was ready for publication in 1896 but disappeared until 2004, when it was found in a flea market, purchased for fifty dollars, and sold to the History Museum of Western Virginia for $15,000. Bernard served in the Petersburg Regiment. John blogs at petersburgcampaign@blogspot.com.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00TGBP89W
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Savas Beatie (August 19, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 19, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 24.9 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 475 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 38 ratings

About the author

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John Horn

John Horn

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A native of Illinois, John Horn received a B.A. in English and Latin from New College (Sarasota, Florida) in 1973 and a J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1976. He has practiced law in the Chicago area since graduation, occasionally holding local public office, and living in Oak Forest with his wife and law partner, H. Elizabeth Kelley, a native of Richmond, Virginia. They have three children. Horn and his wife travel to the Old Dominion often to visit relatives, battlefields, and various archives. He is a member of the Chicago Civil War Round Table and has published articles in Gettysburg Magazine, North & South, Civil War Times Illustrated and America's Civil War.

His books include "The Petersburg Regiment in the Civil War: A History of the 12th Virginia Infantry from John Brown's Hanging to Appomattox, 1859-1865" (Savas Beatie, 2019), winner of the 2019 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award for Unit History. Other books are "The Destruction of the Weldon Railroad" (reissued by Savas Beatie in 2015 in a revised and expanded Sesquicentennial Edition as The Siege of Petersburg: The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864") and "The Petersburg Campaign" (Combined Books, 1993). With Hampton Newsome (author of "Richmond Must Fall") and Dr. John G. Selby (author of "Virginians at War"), Horn co-edited "Civil War Talks: The Further Reminiscences of George S. Bernard & His Fellow Veterans" published by the University Press of Virginia in 2012.

He is currently working on a history of Grant's second offensive at Petersburg: "Grant Besieges Lee at Petersburg: Jerusalem Plank Road and the Wilson-Kautz Raid, June 20-July 1, 1864."

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Customers find the book enjoyable and informative, with one noting it fills a major gap in historical accounts.

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Customers find the book enjoyable, with one noting it is very thorough.

"...tells the story in a clear and lucid manner that is easy and enjoyable to read...." Read more

"Great book, highly detailed and gives a localized perspective of the fighting that took place. Focuses on a small part of the overall battle" Read more

"Worth you time to read." Read more

"...Two things mar this otherwise interesting and informative book...." Read more

8 customers mention "Information quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative, with one customer noting it fills a major gap in historical accounts and provides carefully researched facts to tell the story.

"...The book is well written and documented and will add greatly to the knowledge of this important portion of the war...." Read more

"...Horn uses carefully researched facts to tell the story, and he doesn't shrink from assigning praise and blame where called for--and honoring the..." Read more

"This is a useful examination of one of General Ulysses Grant's efforts to move ahead the results of his siege of Petersburg and, ultimately, Richmond..." Read more

"Great book, highly detailed and gives a localized perspective of the fighting that took place. Focuses on a small part of the overall battle" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Henry W. Persons, Jr.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Horn tells the story in a clear and lucid manner that is easy and enjoyable to read
    Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2015
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    My original review was in error. Mr. Horn's book is full of valuable footnotes that support his narrative. Mr. Horn tells the story in a clear and lucid manner that is easy and enjoyable to read. Additionally he makes use of maps that help to graphically depict the events taking place. The book is well written and documented and will add greatly to the knowledge of this important portion of the war. I heartily recommend this book as a must have for one's library on this campaign.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Gram Gram
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed the book
    Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2020
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    The reason I bought this book is my Great, Great Grandfather was in this battle. John Decker, with the Pennsylvania Volunteers. I thought the author did his homework on this book. The soldier that won a Medal of Honor in this battle was in John Decker’s Company (Read). So I’m pretty sure John was in the thick of it. I am amazed how many hard fought battles (Gettysburg, Spotylvania, etc.) the Pennsylvania Volunteers we’re in.
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  • Justin Glenn
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Major Achievement
    Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2020
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    This impressive book fills a major gap in historical accounts of the protracted siege of Petersburg. Horn gives us a clear, balanced, and insightful treatment of the confused and desperate struggles at Petersburg in August of 1864. There is a generous sprinkling of clear and helpful maps. Horn uses carefully researched facts to tell the story, and he doesn't shrink from assigning praise and blame where called for--and honoring the valor and sacrifices of soldiers on both sides. Wade Hampton emerges as perhaps the stellar commander in the book.
    Justin Glenn, author of "The Washingtons: A Family History"
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  • Steven Peterson
    4.0 out of 5 stars Bloody fights that gained not so much
    Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2015
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    This is a useful examination of one of General Ulysses Grant's efforts to move ahead the results of his siege of Petersburg and, ultimately, Richmond. He had a number of motives for the Weldon Railroad caper. At one level, to take the Weldon Railroad and end the supplies moving along its battered tracks to support the Confederate forces and others. At another level, a major attack might prevent Lee from reinforcing General Jubal Early's forces in the Shenandoah Valley.

    The attack had two components--first, an attack at the northern end of the Confederate trenches around Richmond and Petersburg; second, an attack at the other end of the Confederate lines on the Weldon Railroad. It was a complex operation (more so than my rendering of events). First, the Second Corps under General Winfield Scott Hancock, would be the primary voice attacking the Confederate lines outside Richmond. A part of the motivation here was to draw Confederate forces from other trenches to defend against this attack. Then, led by General Gouverneur Warren's Fifth Corps, there would be an attack on the Weldon Railroad at the other end of Confederate defenses, now hopefully denuded of some of its defenders.

    The fight at both ends was sanguinary. Union losses were heavy, but Confederate forces bled as well, as they could afford casualties less than Union forces. There were poor tactical movements throughout--especially by Union forces. Hancock "the Superb" was not at the top of his game (he actually ended up involved in both attacks!).

    This is a detailed analysis of the "one-two" punch launched by Grant. End results were rather meager, but in the end the Confederate lines were spread further, stretching the limited manpower that much more. And troops intended for Early's mission did not join him.
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  • casimir kukielka
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2020
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    Great book, highly detailed and gives a localized perspective of the fighting that took place. Focuses on a small part of the overall battle
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Get this book
    Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2016
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    John Horn has significantly expanded and broadened his analysis of the Fourth Offensive in this new edition of his original 1991 book, The Petersburg Campaign. With useful maps and a plethora of photographs Horn guides the readers through the complicated maneuvers of the battles of Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern, and Reams Station. Based on a deep reading of the sources, Horn provides a balanced interpretation of the Fourth Offensive, capped by an astute final chapter that measures the successes and failures of everyone involved, from the commanders to the privates who fought the battles. This book should be on the shelf of every student interested in the war in the East.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Hermies Hermits
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book on the battle of Petersburg
    Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2017
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    Worth you time to read.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • WAL
    3.0 out of 5 stars Understanding the Fourth Offensive
    Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is an informative account of the actions around Petersburg in August 1864, Second Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern, and Second Ream’s Station. These battles are described at a level of detail beyond that given in histories of the Petersburg Campaign.

    The context of these operations are put in the context of the overall Civil War, which is crucial to understanding why they took place at all; taken on their own they would seem to make little sense as there was minimal impact on the situation around Richmond and Petersburg. However, it is difficult to overemphasize their impact on operations in the Shenandoah, where RE Lee decided to recall cavalry and infantry reinforcements headed there, given that Early’s Confederate forces were soon to suffer a major defeat. The role of these battles in confirming Grant’s strategy of creating an opening on his left to advance toward and threaten the Southside Railroad while attacking on his right is not specifically covered. However, the logistical impact of the loss of the Weldon Railroad on the Army of Northern Virginia is discussed.

    Two things mar this otherwise interesting and informative book. First, the description of Second Ream’s Station after the Confederate breakthrough seems incomplete in that the text does not clearly account for the disposition of the engaged forces given in the final map of the battle. This is a relatively minor issue. The other problem, which is not minor, is the last chapter, which is a judgmental evaluation of the officers and men involved. This type of armchair generalship, done with the benefit of 150+ years hindsight, is the bane of Civil War military history as it denies the role of contingency, the “fog of war”, and intelligence limitations.
    3 people found this helpful
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