Spring 1865: The Closing Campaigns of the American Civil War by Perry D. Jamieson (review)

Abstract

Gettysburg Magazine, no. 54 Aft er the fall of Fort Fisher, Jamieson charts the falling dominos, revealing how developments in South Carolina and North Carolina infl uenced the military situation in Virginia, and vice versa. Th is is the true value of Jamieson’s work; Spring 1865’s broad scope allows the reader to see the connections between the individual theaters of action. One of the great benefi ts of Jamieson’s approach is the way he places the Carolinas Campaign on equal footing with the Petersburg and Appomattox Campaigns. Spring 1865 underscores the importance of the actions in South Carolina and North Carolina by covering these developments fi rst. Th e quick movement and desperate actions in this campaign off er a counterpoint to the stalemate at Petersburg. Jamieson also skillfully covers the tense and complicated negotiations between Sherman and Johnston at Bennett Place, a set of multiple meetings with varied participants held over the course of ten days. Jamieson’s ability to weave together the campaigns and show their connectivity tempts one to think that perhaps an even wider view— to include the TransMississippi region— would make this book’s message more eff ective. To be fair, Jamieson mentions the campaigns in the West in his fi nal chapter, “Scattered Embers,” but these portions of Jamieson’s book are cursory compared to the depth of his analysis of the Carolinas and Virginia. Overall, Jamieson should be applauded for his work in synthesizing not just the most recent scholarship but also these important campaigns, which benefi t equally by being viewed together. Jeremiah DeGennaro Alamance Battleground State Historic Site Perry D. Jamieson. Spring 1865: Th e Closing Campaigns of the American Civil War. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2015. 286 pp., 15 illustrations, notes, bibliography, index. Hardcover, $34.95. isbn 9780803225817.