The Battle of New Market Heights: Freedom Will Be Theirs by the Sword
by James S. Price
BTC’s Take: As the first monograph dedicated solely to the fighting around New Market Heights, The Battle of New Market Heights: Freedom Will Be Theirs By the Sword furthers readers’ understanding of an important event in the Siege of Petersburg. Like the Crater two months prior, the Battle of New Market Heights was an important step in proving African-Americans were the equals of White men as soldiers. Author Jimmy Price has provided a perfect stepping stone for further study of this overlooked and under appreciated battle. Those who enjoy detailed tactical histories of Civil War battles will find this to be a fine addition to their libraries. Students of the Petersburg Campaign will likewise want to own this book as it is yet another first time look at an individual battle of the siege. Those who want to understand the role of Black troops in the Union army should find this book to be an important piece of the puzzle. This book and this battle go beyond just the battlefield and point to important social and political fights as well. It is a fine addition to the Civil War literature on USCT regiments and the Siege of Petersburg.
Book Summary/Review:
BTC Siege of Petersburg Book Notes:
BTC Siege of Petersburg Book Sources:
In the predawn darkness of September 29, 1864, black Union soldiers attacked a heavily fortified position on the outskirts of the Confederate capital of Richmond. In a few hours of desperate fighting, these African American soldiers struck a blow against Robert E. Lee’s vaunted Army of Northern Virginia and proved to detractors that they could fight for freedom and citizenship for themselves and their enslaved brethren. For fourteen of the black soldiers who stormed New Market Heights that day, their bravery would be awarded with the nation’s highest honor—the Congressional Medal of Honor. With vivid firsthand accounts and meticulous tactical detail, James S. Price brings the Battle of New Market Heights into brilliant focus, with maps by master cartographer Steven Stanley.
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Paperback Edition:
ISBN: 978-1-60949-038-6
Publisher: The History Press
Release Date: September 2011
Pages: 128 pages
The Siege of Petersburg Online: Beyond the Crater Pages Which Mention This Book: