A new hardcover book co-edited by Chris Mackowski, professor of journalism and mass communication at St. Bonaventure University, examines the 11-month struggle between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee that was the beginning of the end of the American Civil War.
On April 9, 1865, Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee met in the village of Appomattox Court House to negotiate the surrender of Lee鈥檚 Army of Northern Virginia. The fateful meeting in the front parlor of Wilmer McLean was the beginning of the end of the American Civil War.
A new hardcover book co-edited by Chris Mackowski, professor of journalism and mass communication at St. Bonaventure University, examines the 11-month struggle between the two generals that ended in the McLean parlor.
鈥淕rant vs. Lee: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War,鈥 published by Savas Beatie, LLC, picks up with the first battle between the two generals, which took place May 5-7, 1864, in an area of Virginia known as the Wilderness. It then follows them through battles at Spotsylvania Court House, the North Anna River, and Colder Harbor 鈥 a six-week series of engagements collectively known as the Overland Campaign.
鈥淭he stakes were incredibly high because Lincoln faced reelection in 1864, and if Grant didn鈥檛 shake things up, Lincoln faced near-certain defeat at the polls because the war in Virginia had settled into a stalemate,鈥 said Mackowski.
Grant backed Lee up to the gates of Richmond but could not break through, so in mid-June, Grant鈥檚 army jumped the James River and assaulted Petersburg, south of the Confederate capital. Lee checked Grant again, and the fighting settled into a nine-month siege. By the end, Confederates were too weak to resist a spring surge by Grant鈥檚 army, which finally broke Lee鈥檚 line and drove the Southern army into retreat. Grant finally cornered Lee at Appomattox Courthouse a few days later.
鈥淕rant versus Lee was the marquee match-up of the Civil War 鈥 not just the two most successful commanders produced by either side but the two largest and most fabled armies of the war,鈥 Mackowski said.
For the book, he and co-editor Dan Welch drew on the work of 22 historians to tell the story of the last 11 months of the war in Virginia.
鈥淢any of the pieces were originally published as blog posts at but have since been updated, expanded, and footnoted,鈥 said Mackowski, who co-founded Emerging Civil War (ECW). 鈥淲e also have several original pieces written for the book, as well as new maps.鈥
The book is part of the Emerging Civil War 10th Anniversary Series, which collects the 鈥渂est of鈥 ECW from the organization鈥檚 first 10 years. 鈥淓CW provides a platform for 鈥榚merging鈥 voices in the field to get published for the first time, so we have a lot of fresh, young talent,鈥 said Mackowski. 鈥淲e really try to do a lot to nurture that talent. It鈥檚 a central part of our mission.鈥
鈥淕rant vs. Lee鈥 is the third book in the series. The first two volumes, 鈥淭he Summer of 鈥63: Gettysburg鈥 and 鈥淭he Summer of 鈥63: Vicksburg and Tullahoma,鈥 came out last summer. Several other volumes are also in the works.
Mackowski has taught in St. Bonaventure鈥檚 Jandoli School of Communication since the fall of 2000. He also serves as the Jandoli School鈥檚 associate dean of undergraduate programs.
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