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Emerging Civil War
A Grand Opening Squandered: The Battle for Petersburg: June 15-18, 1864
The Battle of Petersburg’s intense four-day clash marked a missed Union opportunity, prolonging the Civil War with dramatic consequences.
May and June 1864 in Virginia witnessed some of the most brutal and bloody fighting of the Civil War. Combined losses for the two armies after the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna, and Cold Harbor exceeded 80,000 killed, wounded, and captured. The result? A stalemate outside Richmond.
The carnage notwithstanding, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant set his armies toward their next the logistical powerhouse of Petersburg. His bold maneuver, which included the construction of a lengthy pontoon bridge across the broad James River and a surprise march against the city, caught Confederate commander Gen. Robert E. Lee by surprise. Petersburg was lightly guarded and seemed at the mercy of the Federals. Its capture would sever the lifelines into Richmond, force the evacuation of the Southern capital, and ensure President Abraham Lincoln’ s reelection, eliminating whatever thin hopes the Confederacy still had for victory.
Petersburg’s small garrison was determined to hold the city. Its department commander, Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard, realized the danger and shifted as many men as he could spare into the defenses and took the field himself. North of the river, meanwhile, Lee remained unconvinced that Grant had stolen a march on him. The four days of fighting that followed (June 15–18) would determine if the war would end or drag on.
Somehow, the Confederates managed to hold on against the bungled Federal effort and fight them to a standstill. Lee’s army finally began arriving on June 18. Petersburg would hold—for now. Beauregard’s impressive achievement was one of the South’s last strategic victories.
Sean Michael Chick’s A Grand Opening The Battle for Petersburg, June 15–18, 1864 provides fresh and renewed attention to one of the most important, fascinating, and yet oddly overlooked battles of the war. Inside are original maps, new research, and dozens of images—many published here for the first time. A Grand Opening Squandered is the first in a series on the Petersburg operation, which will provide readers with a strong introduction to the war’s longest and most complex campaign.
May and June 1864 in Virginia witnessed some of the most brutal and bloody fighting of the Civil War. Combined losses for the two armies after the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna, and Cold Harbor exceeded 80,000 killed, wounded, and captured. The result? A stalemate outside Richmond.
The carnage notwithstanding, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant set his armies toward their next the logistical powerhouse of Petersburg. His bold maneuver, which included the construction of a lengthy pontoon bridge across the broad James River and a surprise march against the city, caught Confederate commander Gen. Robert E. Lee by surprise. Petersburg was lightly guarded and seemed at the mercy of the Federals. Its capture would sever the lifelines into Richmond, force the evacuation of the Southern capital, and ensure President Abraham Lincoln’ s reelection, eliminating whatever thin hopes the Confederacy still had for victory.
Petersburg’s small garrison was determined to hold the city. Its department commander, Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard, realized the danger and shifted as many men as he could spare into the defenses and took the field himself. North of the river, meanwhile, Lee remained unconvinced that Grant had stolen a march on him. The four days of fighting that followed (June 15–18) would determine if the war would end or drag on.
Somehow, the Confederates managed to hold on against the bungled Federal effort and fight them to a standstill. Lee’s army finally began arriving on June 18. Petersburg would hold—for now. Beauregard’s impressive achievement was one of the South’s last strategic victories.
Sean Michael Chick’s A Grand Opening The Battle for Petersburg, June 15–18, 1864 provides fresh and renewed attention to one of the most important, fascinating, and yet oddly overlooked battles of the war. Inside are original maps, new research, and dozens of images—many published here for the first time. A Grand Opening Squandered is the first in a series on the Petersburg operation, which will provide readers with a strong introduction to the war’s longest and most complex campaign.
192 pages, Paperback
Published January 29, 2025
About the author
Sean Michael Chick
8 books1,114 followersSean Michael Chick graduated from University of New Orleans with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Communications and from Southeastern Louisiana University with a Master of Arts in History. He currently works in New Orleans, leading historic tours of his hometown and helping residents and visitors appreciate the city’s past. He is also a boardgame designer, concentrating on the period of Western warfare from 1685-1866. His main American Civil War research interests include Shiloh, the Army of Tennessee, New Orleans during the Civil War, P.G.T. Beauregard, the Petersburg Campaign, and Civil War tactics in relation to linear tactics from 1685-1866.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 6, 2025
The Battle Of Petersburg In The Emerging Civil War Series
From mid-June, 1864 through April 2, 1865 the Union Army of the Potomac conducted a siege of Petersburg, Virginia, defended by the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee. Petersburg was a crucial railroad supply line to Richmond, about 25 miles to the north. When Petersburg fell, the Union Army quickly seized Richmond and would force Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.
Before the long and ultimately successful siege, there were other actions at Petersburg that deserve to be better known. Sean Michael Chick's recent book "A Grand Opening Squandered: The Battle for Petersburg, June 15-- 18, 1864", explores the Army of the Potomac's initial failed attempt to capture Petersburg that resulted in the lengthy siege. He explores as well the background leading to the Battle of Petersburg. Chick is the author of several books on Civil War history and also works as a tour guide in his home town of New Orleans. He brings the flair and enthusiasm appropriate for a good tour guide to his historical writing in this engaging book.
Grant had been moving south towards Richmond during the Spring of 1864 while suffering great casualties. Chick's book begins with the Union Army's heavy defeat at the Battle of Cold Harbor. Grant swung his army south to move on Petersburg and cut its rail lines. Robert E. Lee remained convinced that Grant would move on Richmond. Grant was able to cross the James River virtually unmolested in one of the great actions of the Civil War and to move on Petersburg which was lightly defended by troops under General Pierre Beauregard. Capturing Petersburg might have brought a swift end to the war. The Union failed to take the city, resulting in the long siege. For all the subsequent mistakes, the crossing of the James River would eventually bring the Civil War to an end.
Chick offers a succinct, readable account of a complex, bloody battle. He sets the stage with two chapters involving the Battle of Cold Harbor followed by Grant's crossing of the James River. The remaining four chapters of his book are devoted to the efforts of the Union to take Petersburg from June 15 -- 18, and to the failure of these attempts at great loss of life. The Union had strong chances to take Petersburg on the first three days. When the Union under General George Meade at last launched a full-scale attack on June 18, much of Lee's army had come up at last and the assaults were repulsed with great loss.
The account reads well and will give most readers what they need to know about this battle. Chick explores decisions of the high command on both sides. Beauregard receives deserved praise for his defense. Lee and Grant receive criticism for their performance as do many Union generals including Meade, Hancock. Warren, "Baldy" Smith and others. Chick's assessment of the leadership is clear and fair.
The book also examines the actions of the soldiers on the ground. The unit that stand out include the United States Colored Troops (USCT) for their performance early in the battle and the First Maine Heavy Artillery which sustained the largest regimental loss suffered during the Civil War during a murderous charge across a cornfield on June 18. Chick's text is enhanced throughout by by many contemporaneous photos and drawings of the battle and the soldiers, by photos of the monumentation at Petersburg National Battlefield, and by Hal Jesperson's maps.
In addition to Chick's text, the book includes six appendices. They cover a driving tour of the battlefield beginning with Cold Harbor, a study of related actions in the Shenandoah Valley, studies of the roles of Joshua Chamberlain and of the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters at Petersburg, a history of the formation of the Petersburg National Battlefield, and a concluding brief essay on how Petersburg has been seen over the years. These materials add a great deal to the study. An Order of Battle and a brief annotated list of books for further reading conclude the volume.
The book is part of the "Emerging Civil War Series" designed to provide "compelling and easy-to-read overviews of some of the Civil War's most important battles and issues." This book fulfills the goals of the series. It offers a moving thoughtful account of Petersburg and its place in the broader Civil War. The publisher, Savas Beatie, kindly sent me a review copy of the book.
Robin Friedman
From mid-June, 1864 through April 2, 1865 the Union Army of the Potomac conducted a siege of Petersburg, Virginia, defended by the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee. Petersburg was a crucial railroad supply line to Richmond, about 25 miles to the north. When Petersburg fell, the Union Army quickly seized Richmond and would force Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.
Before the long and ultimately successful siege, there were other actions at Petersburg that deserve to be better known. Sean Michael Chick's recent book "A Grand Opening Squandered: The Battle for Petersburg, June 15-- 18, 1864", explores the Army of the Potomac's initial failed attempt to capture Petersburg that resulted in the lengthy siege. He explores as well the background leading to the Battle of Petersburg. Chick is the author of several books on Civil War history and also works as a tour guide in his home town of New Orleans. He brings the flair and enthusiasm appropriate for a good tour guide to his historical writing in this engaging book.
Grant had been moving south towards Richmond during the Spring of 1864 while suffering great casualties. Chick's book begins with the Union Army's heavy defeat at the Battle of Cold Harbor. Grant swung his army south to move on Petersburg and cut its rail lines. Robert E. Lee remained convinced that Grant would move on Richmond. Grant was able to cross the James River virtually unmolested in one of the great actions of the Civil War and to move on Petersburg which was lightly defended by troops under General Pierre Beauregard. Capturing Petersburg might have brought a swift end to the war. The Union failed to take the city, resulting in the long siege. For all the subsequent mistakes, the crossing of the James River would eventually bring the Civil War to an end.
Chick offers a succinct, readable account of a complex, bloody battle. He sets the stage with two chapters involving the Battle of Cold Harbor followed by Grant's crossing of the James River. The remaining four chapters of his book are devoted to the efforts of the Union to take Petersburg from June 15 -- 18, and to the failure of these attempts at great loss of life. The Union had strong chances to take Petersburg on the first three days. When the Union under General George Meade at last launched a full-scale attack on June 18, much of Lee's army had come up at last and the assaults were repulsed with great loss.
The account reads well and will give most readers what they need to know about this battle. Chick explores decisions of the high command on both sides. Beauregard receives deserved praise for his defense. Lee and Grant receive criticism for their performance as do many Union generals including Meade, Hancock. Warren, "Baldy" Smith and others. Chick's assessment of the leadership is clear and fair.
The book also examines the actions of the soldiers on the ground. The unit that stand out include the United States Colored Troops (USCT) for their performance early in the battle and the First Maine Heavy Artillery which sustained the largest regimental loss suffered during the Civil War during a murderous charge across a cornfield on June 18. Chick's text is enhanced throughout by by many contemporaneous photos and drawings of the battle and the soldiers, by photos of the monumentation at Petersburg National Battlefield, and by Hal Jesperson's maps.
In addition to Chick's text, the book includes six appendices. They cover a driving tour of the battlefield beginning with Cold Harbor, a study of related actions in the Shenandoah Valley, studies of the roles of Joshua Chamberlain and of the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters at Petersburg, a history of the formation of the Petersburg National Battlefield, and a concluding brief essay on how Petersburg has been seen over the years. These materials add a great deal to the study. An Order of Battle and a brief annotated list of books for further reading conclude the volume.
The book is part of the "Emerging Civil War Series" designed to provide "compelling and easy-to-read overviews of some of the Civil War's most important battles and issues." This book fulfills the goals of the series. It offers a moving thoughtful account of Petersburg and its place in the broader Civil War. The publisher, Savas Beatie, kindly sent me a review copy of the book.
Robin Friedman
May 2, 2026
Really good fast paced and clear account of the opening of the battle for Petersburg. Chick does a good job of painting a picture of the carnage on display. Ill definitely check out some of his other works.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews