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Battle Hymn Cycle #5
Judgment at Appomattox
The ferocious final weeks of the Civil War come alive in Judgment at Appomattox, the final novel of New York Times bestselling author Ralph Peters's breathtaking, Boyd Award-winning series
A great war nears its end. Robert E. Lee makes a desperate, dramatic gamble. It fails. Ulysses S. Grant moves. Veteran armies clash around Petersburg, Virginia, as Grant seeks to surround Lee and Lee makes a skillful withdrawal in the night. Richmond falls.
Each day brings new combat and more casualties, as Lee’s exhausted, hungry troops race to preserve the Confederacy. But Grant does not intend to let Lee escape...
In one of the most thrilling episodes in American history, heroes North and South, John Brown Gordon and Phillip Sheridan, James Longstreet and Francis Channing Barlow, battle each other across southern Virginia as the armies converge on a sleepy country court house.
Written with the literary flair and historical accuracy readers expect from Ralph Peters, Judgment at Appomattox takes us through the Civil War’s last grim interludes of combat as flags fall and hearts break. Capping the author’s acclaimed five-novel cycle on the war in the East, this “dramatized history” pays homage to all the soldiers who fought, from an Irish-immigrant private wearing gray, to the “boy generals” who mastered modern war. This is a grand climax to a great, prize-winning series that honors―and reveals―America's past.
Battle Hymn Cycle
Cain at Gettysburg
Hell or Richmond
Valley of the Shadow
The Damned of Petersburg
Judgment at Appomattox
A great war nears its end. Robert E. Lee makes a desperate, dramatic gamble. It fails. Ulysses S. Grant moves. Veteran armies clash around Petersburg, Virginia, as Grant seeks to surround Lee and Lee makes a skillful withdrawal in the night. Richmond falls.
Each day brings new combat and more casualties, as Lee’s exhausted, hungry troops race to preserve the Confederacy. But Grant does not intend to let Lee escape...
In one of the most thrilling episodes in American history, heroes North and South, John Brown Gordon and Phillip Sheridan, James Longstreet and Francis Channing Barlow, battle each other across southern Virginia as the armies converge on a sleepy country court house.
Written with the literary flair and historical accuracy readers expect from Ralph Peters, Judgment at Appomattox takes us through the Civil War’s last grim interludes of combat as flags fall and hearts break. Capping the author’s acclaimed five-novel cycle on the war in the East, this “dramatized history” pays homage to all the soldiers who fought, from an Irish-immigrant private wearing gray, to the “boy generals” who mastered modern war. This is a grand climax to a great, prize-winning series that honors―and reveals―America's past.
Battle Hymn Cycle
Cain at Gettysburg
Hell or Richmond
Valley of the Shadow
The Damned of Petersburg
Judgment at Appomattox
448 pages, Hardcover
Published August 29, 2017
About the author
Ralph Peters
73 books222 followersRalph Peters is a novelist, an essayist, a former career soldier, and an adventurer in the 19th-century sense. He is the author of a dozen critically acclaimed novels, two influential works on strategy, "Beyond Terror" and "Fighting for the Future".
Mr. Peters' works can also be found under the pen name "Owen Parry." He also appears frequently as a commentator on television and radio networks.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ralphp...
Mr. Peters' works can also be found under the pen name "Owen Parry." He also appears frequently as a commentator on television and radio networks.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ralphp...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 14, 2017
With this novel, LTC Peters once again shows an excellent grasp of Civil War history and how to make it come alive for the reader. In this novel the author covers roughly covers the last 2 1/2 weeks of the Army of Northern Virginia (ANV) and end of the Petersburg/Appomattox campaigns.
All of the major actors in this campaign are present in the novel. On the Union side, this includes Grant, Sheridan, Custer, even Francis Barlow, a division commander feature in the previous novel in the series, makes an appearance. The Confederate side is mainly told through the eyes of John B. Gordon, commanding the 2nd corps of Lee’s army. Other significant Confederates who appear and have a semi major role include Lee himself, George Pickett and A.P Hill
The author opens the novel with the Confederate assault on Ft. Steadman on the 25th of March in a desperate attempt to split the Union siege lines and capture a major Union supply depot. LTC Peters presents this action mainly through the eyes of the man Lee asked to plan execute the attack, J.B. Gordon. The author presents the battle as the last hope for the CSA to change the momentum of the battle and one that everyone involved knows has a scant chance for success. There were just not enough troops available to exploit any success the initial assault might have achieved. Gen Gordon is presented as knowing this going in, but because of his loyalty to Gen Lee went ahead and made the attempt anyway.
After the failure at Ft. Steadman, the scene shifts to the Union HQs, the author has Gen Grant deciding just what to do next. He basically unleashes Sheridan and his command. Sheridan is given the V Corps of Meade’s Army of the Potomac to provide infantry support for his cavalry and LTC Peters uses this to show just how unpleasant and capricious Sheridan could be. Sheridan ultimately relieves the Vth Corps Commander, Gouverneur Warren, s the battle of Five Forks winds down. The way the scene is written, Gen Warren believes he has just achieved a major victory and probably his most important military success since Gettysburg. However, Sheridan is presented as having no use for Warren and relieves him of his command for “moving to slow” in spite of adverse weather conditions and what seems to be a successful engagement.
What comes next is the flight of the ANV from the lines at Petersburg to what would ultimately be the surrender point, Appomattox Court House. The scenes of desperation of the Confederate Forces as well as the confidence of their Union pursuers during the retreat to Appomattox are very well done.
Some thoughts on the two commanders, Lee is presented as a man who knows he has no hope of a successful conclusion of the war, but can’t bring himself to admit it either to himself or those around him. He is still a man who inspires extreme loyalty of his subordinates, all the way down to the privates filling his severely depleted ranks. At the same time many of those privates know the jig is up and are taking leave of the army and just want to get home.
Grant is a man who just wants the blood shed to be over and can’t quite understand why Lee is still fighting. As the chase comes to its inevitable end, he is more than generous to his enemy and as the negations drag on incorporates many of Lee’s suggestions into the final surrender document.
The final scene as the ANV stacks arms in the God awful weather is also memorable. Nobody in the Confederate command wants to be the one to lead the troops in the surrender ceremony and it falls to the ever loyal Gordon to perform the distasteful duty. He shown as stunned and amazed to the honors the Union troops give to the AVN as they march to area where they lay down their arms.
As with all five novels in this series, LTC Peters puts the reader in the minds of those who fought this terrible war and makes it come alive. I can’t recommend this novel or any other in the series highly enough. He is definitely on par with the Shaara's and maybe a touch ahead of Shaara the Younger in depicting the horror of the war and the dedication of the men who fought it, both North and South.
As with the other novels in this series, LTC Peters includes lots of maps. I feel that this makes following the narrative a whole lot easier. This is a 5 star read for me.
All of the major actors in this campaign are present in the novel. On the Union side, this includes Grant, Sheridan, Custer, even Francis Barlow, a division commander feature in the previous novel in the series, makes an appearance. The Confederate side is mainly told through the eyes of John B. Gordon, commanding the 2nd corps of Lee’s army. Other significant Confederates who appear and have a semi major role include Lee himself, George Pickett and A.P Hill
The author opens the novel with the Confederate assault on Ft. Steadman on the 25th of March in a desperate attempt to split the Union siege lines and capture a major Union supply depot. LTC Peters presents this action mainly through the eyes of the man Lee asked to plan execute the attack, J.B. Gordon. The author presents the battle as the last hope for the CSA to change the momentum of the battle and one that everyone involved knows has a scant chance for success. There were just not enough troops available to exploit any success the initial assault might have achieved. Gen Gordon is presented as knowing this going in, but because of his loyalty to Gen Lee went ahead and made the attempt anyway.
After the failure at Ft. Steadman, the scene shifts to the Union HQs, the author has Gen Grant deciding just what to do next. He basically unleashes Sheridan and his command. Sheridan is given the V Corps of Meade’s Army of the Potomac to provide infantry support for his cavalry and LTC Peters uses this to show just how unpleasant and capricious Sheridan could be. Sheridan ultimately relieves the Vth Corps Commander, Gouverneur Warren, s the battle of Five Forks winds down. The way the scene is written, Gen Warren believes he has just achieved a major victory and probably his most important military success since Gettysburg. However, Sheridan is presented as having no use for Warren and relieves him of his command for “moving to slow” in spite of adverse weather conditions and what seems to be a successful engagement.
What comes next is the flight of the ANV from the lines at Petersburg to what would ultimately be the surrender point, Appomattox Court House. The scenes of desperation of the Confederate Forces as well as the confidence of their Union pursuers during the retreat to Appomattox are very well done.
Some thoughts on the two commanders, Lee is presented as a man who knows he has no hope of a successful conclusion of the war, but can’t bring himself to admit it either to himself or those around him. He is still a man who inspires extreme loyalty of his subordinates, all the way down to the privates filling his severely depleted ranks. At the same time many of those privates know the jig is up and are taking leave of the army and just want to get home.
Grant is a man who just wants the blood shed to be over and can’t quite understand why Lee is still fighting. As the chase comes to its inevitable end, he is more than generous to his enemy and as the negations drag on incorporates many of Lee’s suggestions into the final surrender document.
The final scene as the ANV stacks arms in the God awful weather is also memorable. Nobody in the Confederate command wants to be the one to lead the troops in the surrender ceremony and it falls to the ever loyal Gordon to perform the distasteful duty. He shown as stunned and amazed to the honors the Union troops give to the AVN as they march to area where they lay down their arms.
As with all five novels in this series, LTC Peters puts the reader in the minds of those who fought this terrible war and makes it come alive. I can’t recommend this novel or any other in the series highly enough. He is definitely on par with the Shaara's and maybe a touch ahead of Shaara the Younger in depicting the horror of the war and the dedication of the men who fought it, both North and South.
As with the other novels in this series, LTC Peters includes lots of maps. I feel that this makes following the narrative a whole lot easier. This is a 5 star read for me.
September 18, 2017
A moving finale to Peters's Battle Hymn series. Once again, his character portrayals are deeply realized and quite real. I am particularly taken with the author's gift for stripping away the popular myths surrounding the titans of this struggle. Robert E. Lee emerges not as the bigger-than-life hero of the Lost Cause, but a troubled and, at times, a very frail and flawed human being. U.S. Grant earns even more of my respect when portrayed by Peters, here's a man with a remarkable mind and a deep sense of honor and, yes, compassion. The evolution of John Brown Gordon over the course of the series has been remarkable to watch and makes me want to read more about this lesser-known leader of Confederate forces. There's also return appearances by Phil Sheridan--a brilliant fighter but a contemptible human being--George Custer who, in modern parlance would be called a hot dog, and Francis C. Barlow. So much to discuss and praise in this novel and the entire series. I recommend these books and see them as essential reading if you care about history and the stories of men and women confronting horrific situations while wrestling with questions of honor and courage.
February 17, 2019
It is difficult to find a historical fiction book that stirs the imagination over topics that have already been studied to death. Surprisingly enough Judgment at Appomattox by Ralph Peters breaks this mold of historical fiction and engages readers in new and exciting ways. Peters major accomplishment in this book is the individuality and humanization that he brings to all of his characters. After reading this book I can say without a doubt that this book is a five out of five stars because it humanizes the South, its individuality in characters, and its ability to transport the reader’s mind to the Civil War.
In Judgment at Appomattox the readers are forced to see the people who fought for the South in a different way. They are forced to see them as humans. Instead of being portrayed as beasts of men that are hellbent on protecting slave trade and the right to own slaves, they are portrayed as have feelings and emotions. One such man from the Confederate Army is Private Riordan. In a grisly and raw sense, Riordan is transformed from an emotionally dead and hateful character to a character with a deeper set of morals and feelings. This scene forces the reader to look at him in a different perspective. They no longer see him as a mindless raged filled animal, but as a man who is doing his best to preserve his life and morals. Another way that Peters’ humanizes other characters from the Confederate Army is by incorporating their wives and children into the story, and show how most of these men were fighting for their pride and love of their families, not because they hated the African American race and are striving to keep them enslaved. Another reason that Peters’ wrote in the wives and children of the South is to add individuality to the characters.
Peters achieves this individuality in character through a multitude of different strategies. For characters, he alludes back to ancient Greek myths, specifically The Iliad. He also adds in different generals families to diversify them even more. Examples of these allusions through different characters include portraying General John B. Gordon as Hector. Peters uses Gordon to mirror Hector as he fights to try and save the Confederate Army, even though he knows it is a lost cause. Hector shows this same drive to fight as he fights to his last breath, even though he knows Troy is doomed. Another example is how Peters' mirrors Achilles with the character General Sheridan. General Sheridan, like Achilles, is emotionally driven. This works for him in some situations, but in early battles, this causes him to make serious judgment errors, causing men their lives. Achilles was like this as well. When he withdraws his support, the Greek army suffers greatly, and is only able to get back on track once Achilles clears his head. Sheridan again mirrors this by helping to win key battles later on with nothing more than his emotions and gut to back him up. These allusions to myths also give us a clear window into the personalities of these characters and what they acted like in real life.
Being a historical fiction book, this book required extensive amounts of research in order for it to line up with history as close as possible. This means that despite being fiction, this book actually gives the reader a clear and vivid window into the American Civil War. For instance, when referenced to, General Sheridan is often referred to as “Little Phil”. He is also described as having a cannon ball shaped head. These descriptions prove to be right on. When looking at an actual picture of General Sheridan in real life, he has a spherical head that resembles a cannon ball, and he looks like he is about five feet tall. Other examples of character descriptions that match history are General Lee and Grant. They both are the leading generals, and their descriptions of them are so spot on that Peters’ even includes Grant’s smoking habits and his teeth that had turned into black nubs in his mouth. These descriptions make the reader almost feels as though they were there witnessing the war itself.
Nothing makes a historical fiction book better than if it provides a window into the past.
With his use of allusions and family back grounds, his descriptions of men that make the book almost real, and his humanization of the South, Peters creates an unforgettable version of the surrender of the Confederacy. He also breaths new life into a subject that has been studied to death countless times. These among many other reasons are why I rate this book a five out of five. Readers who love historical fiction will find this book will find this book difficult to put down. People who have read the previous installments of the series will enjoy the final book of the series. I would also recommend it to any avid reader of historical fiction.
In Judgment at Appomattox the readers are forced to see the people who fought for the South in a different way. They are forced to see them as humans. Instead of being portrayed as beasts of men that are hellbent on protecting slave trade and the right to own slaves, they are portrayed as have feelings and emotions. One such man from the Confederate Army is Private Riordan. In a grisly and raw sense, Riordan is transformed from an emotionally dead and hateful character to a character with a deeper set of morals and feelings. This scene forces the reader to look at him in a different perspective. They no longer see him as a mindless raged filled animal, but as a man who is doing his best to preserve his life and morals. Another way that Peters’ humanizes other characters from the Confederate Army is by incorporating their wives and children into the story, and show how most of these men were fighting for their pride and love of their families, not because they hated the African American race and are striving to keep them enslaved. Another reason that Peters’ wrote in the wives and children of the South is to add individuality to the characters.
Peters achieves this individuality in character through a multitude of different strategies. For characters, he alludes back to ancient Greek myths, specifically The Iliad. He also adds in different generals families to diversify them even more. Examples of these allusions through different characters include portraying General John B. Gordon as Hector. Peters uses Gordon to mirror Hector as he fights to try and save the Confederate Army, even though he knows it is a lost cause. Hector shows this same drive to fight as he fights to his last breath, even though he knows Troy is doomed. Another example is how Peters' mirrors Achilles with the character General Sheridan. General Sheridan, like Achilles, is emotionally driven. This works for him in some situations, but in early battles, this causes him to make serious judgment errors, causing men their lives. Achilles was like this as well. When he withdraws his support, the Greek army suffers greatly, and is only able to get back on track once Achilles clears his head. Sheridan again mirrors this by helping to win key battles later on with nothing more than his emotions and gut to back him up. These allusions to myths also give us a clear window into the personalities of these characters and what they acted like in real life.
Being a historical fiction book, this book required extensive amounts of research in order for it to line up with history as close as possible. This means that despite being fiction, this book actually gives the reader a clear and vivid window into the American Civil War. For instance, when referenced to, General Sheridan is often referred to as “Little Phil”. He is also described as having a cannon ball shaped head. These descriptions prove to be right on. When looking at an actual picture of General Sheridan in real life, he has a spherical head that resembles a cannon ball, and he looks like he is about five feet tall. Other examples of character descriptions that match history are General Lee and Grant. They both are the leading generals, and their descriptions of them are so spot on that Peters’ even includes Grant’s smoking habits and his teeth that had turned into black nubs in his mouth. These descriptions make the reader almost feels as though they were there witnessing the war itself.
Nothing makes a historical fiction book better than if it provides a window into the past.
With his use of allusions and family back grounds, his descriptions of men that make the book almost real, and his humanization of the South, Peters creates an unforgettable version of the surrender of the Confederacy. He also breaths new life into a subject that has been studied to death countless times. These among many other reasons are why I rate this book a five out of five. Readers who love historical fiction will find this book will find this book difficult to put down. People who have read the previous installments of the series will enjoy the final book of the series. I would also recommend it to any avid reader of historical fiction.
March 4, 2019
An amazing book. By far, the Battle Hymn Cycle is one of the best series of books I have read. Ralph Peters brings the Civil War to life in an compelling style that surpasses the works of the Shaaras.
March 6, 2022
I've always had a small interest in the civil war, so I was curious to read this. I did enjoy the majority of it because we got to see a more personal point of view of the war instead of the facts that we read in history books. The major problem that I had with it is that the actual meeting at Appomattox ended up being such a tiny part of the book. Considering how it pretty much ended the war, I was expecting a little more.
September 30, 2017
Another great read. Judgment sounds too severe in the title, Lee and his men were treated fair. Verdict or something else might work better.
July 28, 2019
Ralph Peter’s novels of the Civil War are, by far, the best written, most factual, most deeply moving of all that I have read. “ Judgment at Appomattox” was a novel that I did not want to end.
Peter’s vivid depictions of the best known of Union generals, Grant, Sheridan and Custer, and of Rebel army, Lee and Longstreet take them out of frozen images of history to reality. No longer statues, but men who fight and fear, bitch and moan, sweat and stink, feel old, feel old wounds , and relive old slights. All except Lee, the paragon, the pure and perfect silver knight of slavery.
Lee does not fare well in Peter’s hands. Unwilling to face defeat and knowing that the soldiers who revere him will suffer any hardship , he continues to try to slip his forces away to the south, thereby prolonging the bloodletting. The portrayal of Lee at the end unable or unwilling to accompany his shattered army to surrender his troops is telling. If he was willing to accept the lauds of of glorious victory , he should hav stood by them in defeat, IMHO.
If Grant is the common man hero of the North, and Custer the blonde, flashy newspaper hero, Sheridan is depicted as a bully, a man striving for preference and stellar future commands. But as always, it is the common soldier on both sides who are the heroes.
There are so many treatments of that war that one might wonder why add to the loaded library shelves with a novelization. “Judgment at Appomattox” gives the answer by bringing to the reader a real sense of what this first of modern total warfare was like. Peters, a former army officer has a deft understanding of the horror of war, the loneliness of command the pure exhaustion of facing death.
That is what makes all of the books in this series so worth reading.
Note: soldier talk is crude among all ranks. Combat is blood soaked and gory. If offended easily At that, you will be appalled at the references to Negroes by the troops-anDofficers- of both sides. There is no “nice”about it, but that is how people talked until people learned better. Also illuminating is rationalizations for slavery among the Southern elites.
Read them all.
Peter’s vivid depictions of the best known of Union generals, Grant, Sheridan and Custer, and of Rebel army, Lee and Longstreet take them out of frozen images of history to reality. No longer statues, but men who fight and fear, bitch and moan, sweat and stink, feel old, feel old wounds , and relive old slights. All except Lee, the paragon, the pure and perfect silver knight of slavery.
Lee does not fare well in Peter’s hands. Unwilling to face defeat and knowing that the soldiers who revere him will suffer any hardship , he continues to try to slip his forces away to the south, thereby prolonging the bloodletting. The portrayal of Lee at the end unable or unwilling to accompany his shattered army to surrender his troops is telling. If he was willing to accept the lauds of of glorious victory , he should hav stood by them in defeat, IMHO.
If Grant is the common man hero of the North, and Custer the blonde, flashy newspaper hero, Sheridan is depicted as a bully, a man striving for preference and stellar future commands. But as always, it is the common soldier on both sides who are the heroes.
There are so many treatments of that war that one might wonder why add to the loaded library shelves with a novelization. “Judgment at Appomattox” gives the answer by bringing to the reader a real sense of what this first of modern total warfare was like. Peters, a former army officer has a deft understanding of the horror of war, the loneliness of command the pure exhaustion of facing death.
That is what makes all of the books in this series so worth reading.
Note: soldier talk is crude among all ranks. Combat is blood soaked and gory. If offended easily At that, you will be appalled at the references to Negroes by the troops-anDofficers- of both sides. There is no “nice”about it, but that is how people talked until people learned better. Also illuminating is rationalizations for slavery among the Southern elites.
Read them all.
May 9, 2020
I made the tragic mistake of putting off going to the library until the library closed. So, when I picked this up in the "Bargain Bin" at the grocery store, I wasn't expecting much. I was quite pleasantly surprised.
This is the last book in a series of historical novels Peters has written. It recounts the two-week battle that would end with Lee's surrender at the Appomattox Court House. A battle that began with a fateful charge from the Confederates in late March and ended with their army totally surrounded and heavily out manned, out gunned and better fed.
What Peters did best was to make me empathize with Confederate soldiers: men who know they're losing a war but keep on fighting. He also does a great job at showing how, on both sides, combatants envisioned a post-bellum society as the United States of America.
I had few problems following the general gist of the campaign. (Although I admit I found the accompanying maps fairly useless.) This has a sprawling cast of characters both real and fictional. At times, I had problems differentiating them. (This is a last in a series.) However, Peters does make many of them distinct and alive, including Phil Sheridan and George Custer.
This was a satisfying read that left me with a better understanding of the final days of America's first civil war.
This is the last book in a series of historical novels Peters has written. It recounts the two-week battle that would end with Lee's surrender at the Appomattox Court House. A battle that began with a fateful charge from the Confederates in late March and ended with their army totally surrounded and heavily out manned, out gunned and better fed.
What Peters did best was to make me empathize with Confederate soldiers: men who know they're losing a war but keep on fighting. He also does a great job at showing how, on both sides, combatants envisioned a post-bellum society as the United States of America.
I had few problems following the general gist of the campaign. (Although I admit I found the accompanying maps fairly useless.) This has a sprawling cast of characters both real and fictional. At times, I had problems differentiating them. (This is a last in a series.) However, Peters does make many of them distinct and alive, including Phil Sheridan and George Custer.
This was a satisfying read that left me with a better understanding of the final days of America's first civil war.
December 6, 2017
Usually, these multi-volume epics of historical fiction run out of literary steam somewhere along the way. Peters has avoided that trap. This fifth book of what originally set out to be a trilogy was, in my view, the best of the set. He captures the growth of the Union army’s hope and the deepening of the Confederate army’s despair through one elegant vignette after another. He lets the frenetic pace of an unrelenting cycle of Northern attack and Southern retreat dictate the pace of the book. And to his credit, Peters keeps up, describing the cascade of sudden collapse that undid Robert E. Lee’s army through the eyes of famous generals and common soldiers. All of Peters’ Civil War books are good. Still, he managed to save the best for last. (Chronologically, anyway: He plans a Chancellorsville prequel that I surely will read.)
January 23, 2018
Absolutely brilliant. Possibly the best book in the entire five-book cycle. I've thoroughly enjoyed the long, bloody journey from Gettsyburg, Pennsylvania to the Appomattox Court House in rural Virginia, but 'Judgement at Appomattox' deserves special praise for detailing the last weeks of the American Civil War and the slow decline of the Confederate forces under Robert E. Lee. A great army in the early days, hemorrhaged almost to nothing in those final weeks. By the end, you feel sorry for the likes of Lee and Gordon and Longstreet.
(Can't wait for Peters' promised tale of Stonewall Jackson at Chancellorsville).
(Can't wait for Peters' promised tale of Stonewall Jackson at Chancellorsville).
May 31, 2018
Ralph Peters' Civil War series concludes with a highly readable, greatly detailed account of the final days of the Virginia campaign.
The inevitable surrender of Lee's forces looms from the day the Union breaks through the lines at Petersburg. But the suffering -- and killing -- continue to the last gasp, until Lee sees there is no future for his army.
The lack of food, supplies and any potential to win don't stop the Army of Northern Virginia from continuing to march and fight o the end.
But Sheridan and Custer pursue relentlessly, while Grant takes a more compassionate note at the end. It's an amazing end to a very worthwhile series.
The inevitable surrender of Lee's forces looms from the day the Union breaks through the lines at Petersburg. But the suffering -- and killing -- continue to the last gasp, until Lee sees there is no future for his army.
The lack of food, supplies and any potential to win don't stop the Army of Northern Virginia from continuing to march and fight o the end.
But Sheridan and Custer pursue relentlessly, while Grant takes a more compassionate note at the end. It's an amazing end to a very worthwhile series.
October 28, 2020
Historical novels always border on missing the mark because they make up information that doesn't match the historical record. Ralph Peters stayed true to the known history while bringing his characters alive and presenting their thoughts, desires and hopes. At times it seemed like he knew Grant and Lee so well that he knew their innermost thoughts. The outcome is known to us, but the outcome wasn't known to the participants. Peters presents the tension of the last ten days of the Army of Northern Virginia. Great read.
June 1, 2020
Judgement At Appomattox is the fifth in Ralph Peters series of novels about the civil war in the East. His skill in de-romanticizing war in general and the civil war in particular is unparalleled and brilliantly done. Historic figures emerge as real persons with their flaws, egos, foibles and failures in full view. The battle scene descriptions are dramatic and reflect history in accurate detail. A real contribution to civil war literature.
November 29, 2017
Really good read that gives color to faded history
You feel the last days of this terrible conflict. Each of the important figures are made alive and human. I think this is a bit hard on General Sheridan but perhaps it is right that all the glory should not belong to him.
You feel the last days of this terrible conflict. Each of the important figures are made alive and human. I think this is a bit hard on General Sheridan but perhaps it is right that all the glory should not belong to him.
February 12, 2018
Incredible book, incredible series. The way Peters bores into the souls of generals and privates alike is truly remarkable. And all the while he quietly fills in historical holes that aren’t general knowledge.
February 16, 2018
Excellent historical fiction
Once again, Ralph Peters demonstrates his narrative talent. As good as or, dare I say, even better than "Killer Angels," Peters is the true master of Civil War historical fiction.
Once again, Ralph Peters demonstrates his narrative talent. As good as or, dare I say, even better than "Killer Angels," Peters is the true master of Civil War historical fiction.
January 27, 2019
Illustrates the best and worst in military leaders
The book is heavy on describing the characters commanding the armies. There are clear favorites but all are described with some flaw.
The book is heavy on describing the characters commanding the armies. There are clear favorites but all are described with some flaw.
June 9, 2017
Excellent!
September 28, 2017
Hopefully Peters's book on Stonewall won't be too long before it is written and published.
November 5, 2017
My favorite kind of military history or military novel--lots of good maps is a real plus.
June 25, 2018
Very interesting read about the Civil War
October 17, 2018
A masterful telling of the final days of the Civil War.
January 12, 2019
What a great series. If you are a Civil War buff,I can not recommend these five books highly enough. I hope that Ralph Peters follows this up with a book on the Chancellorville campaign.
February 11, 2020
The Battle Hymn cycle ranks with the best of Mike and Jeff Sahara.
September 20, 2020
Masterfully written.
August 15, 2021
Well done!
Fleshed our the soldiers and leaders of both armies. Infused a humanity and a reality that often portrayed by cardboard characters!
Fleshed our the soldiers and leaders of both armies. Infused a humanity and a reality that often portrayed by cardboard characters!
February 2, 2022
Another great novel by Ralph Peters. Makes the reader feel as they are on the battlefield with the troops. You feel their pain, elation and defeat in each of the battles.
October 8, 2024
A fitting end to a well written 5- book series. More deserving of 4.5 stars, you must go to TheStoryGraph to do that.
October 12, 2017
Excellent. Offers a full-on review that is seldom offered with many details not generally known.
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July 28, 2017Kirkus
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews