by Edward G. Longacre.
Mechanicsburg. Pa. : Stackpole Books, 2003. Pp. xvi, 272.
Illus., maps, notes, biblio, index. $46.00. ISBN: 0811700518
Cavalry Operations during the Final Act
The story of Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee at Appomattox is shrouded in myth. Often left out of that narrative is how Grant forced Lee to the negotiating table. The story could not be complete without the great pursuit by the Federal mounted arm. General Phil Sheridan’s aggressive pursuit of demoralized Confederate soldiers led to their demise at Appomattox Courthouse. Sheridan readily knew that the destruction of Lee’s army remained in question after their withdrawal from Petersburg. He intended to get ahead of Lee’s army as Grant persisted, and Sheridan accomplished this goal while never letting his plans be modified. He continued reading Lee’s intentions as he remained one step ahead of his demoralized foe.
Further, Dr. Longacre convincingly argues that the Federals did not win by overwhelming numbers. Instead, many of the engagements remained sharply contested. This definitive study takes the reader from a brief history of Federal and Confederate cavalry throughout the Civil War to the operations around Petersburg in March 1865, and finally Lee’s surrender at the McLean house. This book is for anyone interested in Lee’s final hours as general-in-chief of Confederate forces or how the Federal cavalry became an effective strike force on the battlefield.
Our Reviewer: Nathan Provost is an historian and doctoral candidate under the direction of Dr. Steven Woodworth. His dissertation topic deals with the Battle of Cold Harbor and he is a member of the Emerging Civil War. His previous work includes “A Comprehensive View of the Overland Campaign: Part I,” “A Comprehensive View of the Overland Campaign, Part II: The Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse ,” A Comprehensive View of the Overland Campaign, Part III: The Center of Gravity Lies at Ox Ford,” “A Comprehensive View of the Overland Campaign Part IV: Forgotten Victories,” “Lee’s Last Great Field Victory: A Reassessment of Cold Harbor,” “Continuous Contact: Grant’s Tactical Doctrine in the Eastern Theater,” “Ulysses S. Grant: Clausewitz’s Military Genius,” “If Grant Goes East,” “In Defense of Sheridan,” and is currently working on A Bulldog’s Grip: Grant’s Second Offensive” and “A Stupendous Failure: Grant’s Third Offensive.
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