Hell or Richmond

by Ralph Peters

  Last, but certainly not least, my thanks to our National Battlefield Park historians and Rangers, as well as to the licensed battlefield guides, for all they do for the education of our citizenry and to honor the memories of those who shaped the country we’re blessed to live in.

  Given space constraints, I can’t list the hundreds of reference works that underpin this novel, but I’m obliged to alert readers to key works that either influenced me more powerfully than others or provide excellent texts for those who want to learn more about the men and events of this bloodiest month in American history—and the birth of modern war in Virginia’s fields.

  The 986 pages of series 1, vol. 36, part 3, of War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies never left my desk during the writing of Hell or Richmond. There is no substitute for the actual messages written on the battlefields and the unit reports drafted shortly thereafter (as self-serving as many reports inevitably are). From timelines to temper tantrums, the raw information waits in the Official Records. They are indispensable.

  Next in importance are the letters, notebooks, and diaries of the participants. My own favorites are the notebooks and letters of Theodore Lyman, who was both a trained scientist with a sharp capacity for critical thought and a talented writer with a tart sense of humor. No one left us better accounts of the campaigns he witnessed or wrote with greater integrity.

  Fortunately, ever more letter collections have been published, and I recommend those of Barlow, Meade, Grant, and Upton and the annotated collection of letters home from Company C, 50th Pennsylvania, skillfully assembled by J. Stuart Richards. As for notebooks and diaries, Marsena Patrick’s are grumpy and grand, but I’ve never picked up a Civil War diary that wasn’t well worth reading.

  Among the memoirs I found useful (and which must, of course, be taken with very large grains of salt), the best were those of John B. Gordon, William C. Oates, Andrew A. Humphreys, Louis Napoleon Beaudry (of the Fifth New York Cavalry, an amazing outfit about which a splendid, stand-alone novel waits to be written), Edward Porter Alexander, and, the finest memoirist of them all, Ulysses S. Grant. Cyrus Comstock’s diary is useful for cross-referencing, but Adam Badeau’s memoir is fiercely prejudiced against all persons and deeds of the Army of the Potomac. Fitzhugh Lee’s biography and memoir of General Lee is useful, if inevitably hagiographic.

  Contemporary biographies well worth reading are Gettysburg Requiem: The Life and Lost Causes of Confederate Colonel William C. Oates, by Glenn W. LaFantasie; The Boy General: The Life and Careers of Francis Channing Barlow, by Richard F. Welch; John Brown Gordon: Soldier, Southerner, American, by Ralph Lowell Eckert; General James Longstreet: The Confederacy’s Most Controversial Soldier, by Jeffry D. Wert; a seemingly inexhaustible supply of Grant biographies (take your pick); General A. P. Hill: The Story of a Confederate Warrior, by James I. Robertson, Jr.; Hancock the Superb, by Glenn Tucker (an oldie but goodie); Richard S. Ewell: A Soldier’s Life, by Donald C. Pfanz; and the classic Meade biographies by Cleaves and Pennypacker, as well as the fine new Searching for George Gordon Meade: The Forgotten Victor of Gettysburg, by Tom Huntington. As for Robert E. Lee, he deserves more scrupulous, less infatuated biographers: His greatness was inseparable from his deficiencies.

  For a well-written introduction to several key generals featured in Hell or Richmond, I strongly recommend Thomas B. Buell’s The Warrior Generals: Combat Leadership in the Civil War.

  As for books specifically about these battles, the remarkable work of Gordon C. Rhea is brilliant, convincing, and humbling to fellow writers of fiction or nonfiction. His research is impeccable; his analysis is astute; and his writing is compelling. Of all the many contemporary works I consulted, none was of as much value as Rhea’s four volumes: The Battle of the Wilderness, May 5–6, 1864; The Battles for Spotsylvania Court House and the Road to Yellow Tavern, May 7–12, 1864; To the North Anna River: Grant and Lee, May 13–25, 1864; and Cold Harbor: Grant and Lee, May 26–June 3, 1864. This is a magnificent body of work. I do not agree with every one of his conclusions (although I find most inarguable), but I respect the quality of mind that led to each of them. Reportedly, Rhea has been at work on a follow-up volume that moves the armies to Petersburg. His admirers are waiting.

  For those who would like a solid one-volume introduction to the Overland Campaign, Bloody Roads South: The Wilderness to Cold Harbor, May–June 1864, by Noah Andre Trudeau, is a good place to start. Other worthy and relatively compact volumes are Into the Wilderness with the Army of the Potomac, by Robert Garth Scott; If It Takes All Summer: The Battle of Spotsylvania, by William D. Matter; and Not War but Murder: Cold Harbor 1864, by Ernest B. Furgurson. There are, of course, many more books, old and new, on these battles, with more doubtless on the way for the sesquicentennial. These simply turned out to be my favorites.

  I also must mention a book I did not use, but only because I discovered it near the end of my work on Hell or Richmond. That is The 50th Pennsylvania’s Civil War Odyssey: The Exciting Life and Hard Times of a Union Volunteer Infantry Regiment: 1861 to 1865, by Harold B. Birch. This was a fascinating unit composed of deeply committed soldiers, many of whom served from the early months of the war to its final shots.

  And then there are the maps to which I referred: With the blessing of the National Park Service, master historian Frank O’Reilly and his team have produced what for me were indispensable map series of the Battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania. Painstakingly researched and beautifully executed, these maps, in their dozens, covered the floor of my home office during much of the work on this novel, and when they were not at the foot of my desk, they were in my hands as I walked the battlefields. Of course, the pioneer of such diligent map making was the great, immeasurably influential Edwin C. Bearss, whose Cold Harbor maps of a half century ago set new research standards and whose extensive work on our Civil War remains peerless. A Marine Corps veteran of the Pacific theater in World War II, Ed Bearss still leads a tough and instructive staff ride.

  My apologies to any authors who may feel unfairly passed over. I cannot claim to have read everything, nor can my publisher afford me any more space. My purpose here is not to exhaust the resources, but to guide readers who may have developed a deeper interest in these battles toward a few good books to get them started.

  History is endless.

  “Man proposes, God disposes.” I like epilogues that tell me what ultimately became of the characters in a historical novel. I did not provide one to this novel for a straightforward reason: I hope to follow the key characters—Barlow and Gordon, Upton and Oates, Grant, Meade, Lee, and the others—through two more novels that will deliver them, at last, to Appomattox or wherever the war’s finale overtook them. But I learned long ago that the pride and plans of man are subject to confounding turns of fate. So while I hope to live with these remarkable men for a few years more, I know that depends on everything from accidents of the flesh to sales figures and the state of the publishing industry. God willing, you and I will meet next at Petersburg, on the Monocacy, and in the Valley. Should fate intervene, I hope you will have found the book in hand sufficient in itself.

  —Ralph Peters

  Advent, 2012

  Key Characters

  UNION

  AYRES, Romeyn B. “Rome,” Brigadier General. Commanding First Brigade, First (Griffin’s) Division, Fifth Corps.

  BADEAU, Adam, Lieutenant Colonel. Military secretary to Grant.

  BARLOW, Francis Channing, Brigadier General. Commanding First Division, Second (Hancock’s) Corps. Descended from old New England blood; first in the Harvard class of 1855; successful lawyer before the war; a ruthless fighter.

  BEAUDRY, Louis Napoleon. Chaplain, Fifth New York Cavalry, and temperance advocate.

  BILL. Manservant to Grant. Freed slave.

  BIRNEY, David B., Major General. Commanding Third Division, Second (Hancock’s) Corps.

  BLACK, John D., Captain. Aide to Barlow.

&nbs
p; BROOKE, John R., Colonel. Commanding Fourth Brigade, First (Barlow’s) Division, Second Corps.

  BROWN, Charles E., Sergeant. Company C, 50th Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Canal boatman before the war.

  BURKET, Daniel F., Captain. Commanding Company C, 50th Pennsylvania. Canal harbormaster before the war.

  BURNSIDE, Ambrose E., Major General. Commanding Ninth Corps (initially a separate corps, later integrated into the Army of the Potomac).

  BYRNES, Richard, Colonel. Commanding Second (“Irish”) Brigade, First (Barlow’s) Division, Second (Hancock’s) Corps, after Smyth transfers to Gibbon’s division.

  CHRIST, Benjamin C., Colonel. Commanding Second Brigade, Third Division, Ninth (Burnside’s) Corps. His brigade includes the 50th Pennsylvania.

  DOUDLE, John, Corporal. Company C, 50th Pennsylvania. Canal boatman before the war.

  FRANK, Paul, Colonel. Commanding Third Brigade, First (Barlow’s) Division, Second Corps. German immigrant.

  GETTY, George Washington, Brigadier General. Commanding Second Division, Sixth (Sedgwick’s) Corps, at the start of the campaign.

  GIBBON, John, Brigadier General. Commanding Second Division, Second (Hancock’s) Corps. Occasionally serves as deputy commander to Hancock.

  GRANT, Ulysses S. “Sam,” Lieutenant General. General in chief of the Union’s armies.

  GRIFFIN, Charles, Brigadier General. Commanding First Division, Fifth (Warren’s) Corps. Old soldier with a great affection for his troops and a genius for profanity.

  HAMMOND, John, Lieutenant Colonel. Commanding Fifth New York Cavalry.

  HANCOCK, Winfield Scott, Major General. Commanding Second Corps, Army of the Potomac.

  HILL, Henry, Private. Company C, 50th Pennsylvania. Canal boatman before the war. Cousin to First Sergeant William Hill.

  HILL, William, First Sergeant. Company C, 50th Pennsylvania. Canal boatman before the war.

  HUMPHREYS, Andrew Atkinson, Major General. Chief of staff, Army of the Potomac.

  LYMAN, Theodore “Ted” or “Teddy,” Volunteer Lieutenant Colonel and aide to General Meade. A wealthy New England blue blood and Harvard classmate of Barlow’s. Scholar and scientist.

  MACDOUGALL, Clinton D., Colonel. Commanding Third Brigade, First (Barlow’s) Division, Second (Hancock’s) Corps, at Cold Harbor.

  MARTZ, Samuel, Private. Newly enlisted in the 50th Pennsylvania. Blacksmith by profession.

  MEADE, George Gordon, Major General. Commander, Army of the Potomac.

  MILES, Nelson A., Colonel. Commanding First Brigade, First (Barlow’s) Division, Second Corps.

  MORGAN, Charles H., Lieutenant Colonel. Chief of staff, Second (Hancock’s) Corps.

  MOTT, Gershom, Brigadier General. Commanding Fourth Division, Second (Hancock’s) Corps.

  NEILL, Thomas H., Brigadier General. Commanding Second Division, Sixth (Sedgwick’s) Corps.

  PATRICK, Marsena R., Brigadier General. Provost marshal, Army of the Potomac.

  RAWLINS, John, Brigadier General. Grant’s chief of staff. Early friend and supporter of Grant’s in Galena, Illinois, Grant’s residence at the outbreak of war.

  SCHWENK, Samuel K., Captain. Commanding Company A, 50th Pennsylvania.

  SEDGWICK, John “Uncle John,” Major General. Commanding Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac.

  SHERIDAN, Phillip H., Major General. Newly appointed commander of the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac. Favorite of Grant’s from operations in the West.

  SMYTH, Thomas A., Colonel. Commanding Second (“Irish”) Brigade, First (Barlow’s) Division, Second Corps.

  UPTON, Emory, Colonel. Commanding Second Brigade, First (Wright’s) Division, Sixth Corps. Abolitionist, fervent Christian, martinet, and budding military genius.

  WAINWRIGHT, Charles S., Colonel. Commanding the artillery brigade, Fifth (Warren’s) Corps. Brilliant gunner, brave soldier, scalding personality.

  WARREN, Gouverneur Kemble, Major General. Commanding Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac.

  WASHBURNE, Elihu, Congressman. Member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. Radical Republican and abolitionist. Early backer and protector of Grant’s.

  WILDERMUTH, William, Private. Company C, 50th Pennsylvania. Canal boatman before the war.

  WILSON, James H., Brigadier General. Newly appointed commander of the Third Division, Cavalry (Sheridan’s) Corps. “Western” officer brought along by Grant.

  WRIGHT, Horatio G., Brigadier General. Initially commanding First Division, Sixth (Sedgwick’s) Corps; subsequently assumes command of the corps.

  CONFEDERATE

  ALEXANDER, E. Porter, Brigadier General. Commanding artillery, First (Longstreet’s) Corps.

  ATKINSON, Edmund N., Colonel. Commanding 26th Georgia, Gordon’s Brigade, Early’s Division.

  BERRY, Thomas J., Lieutenant Colonel. Commanding 60th Georgia, Gordon’s Brigade, Early’s Division.

  EARLY, Jubal A. “Old Jube,” Major General. Commanding Early’s Division, Second (Ewell’s) Corps.

  EVANS, Clement A., Colonel. Commanding 31st Georgia, Gordon’s Brigade, Early’s Division.

  EWELL, Richard S. “Dick,” Lieutenant General. Commander, Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.

  GORDON, John Brown, Brigadier General. Commanding Gordon’s Brigade, Early’s Division, Second (Ewell’s) Corps. Forced to leave his college to reorganize his family’s coal mines in northwestern Georgia, but retained his passion for rhetoric over the years. One of the rare “born commanders.”

  HAMPTON, Wade, Major General. Commanding a cavalry division under J. E. B. Stuart.

  HENAGAN, John W., Colonel. Commanding Kershaw’s Brigade, First (Anderson’s, formerly Longstreet’s) Corps.

  HETH, Henry “Harry,” Major General. Commanding Heth’s Division, Third (Hill’s) Corps.

  JENKINS, Micah, Brigadier General. Commanding Jenkins’ Brigade, Field’s Division, First (Longstreet’s) Corps.

  KEITT, Lawrence, Colonel. Commanding 20th South Carolina and, briefly, Kershaw’s Brigade at Cold Harbor. Pre-war firebrand, pro-slavery politician, brilliant, resolute, and pigheaded.

  KERSHAW, Joseph B., Brigadier General. Commanding Kershaw’s Division, First (Anderson’s, formerly Longstreet’s) Corps. Former commander of Kershaw’s Brigade.

  JOHNSON, Edward “Alleghany,” Major General. Commanding Stonewall Jackson’s old division.

  LAW, Evander McIvor, Brigadier General. After removal from command by Longstreet, returned to command of Law’s Brigade by Lee in mid-campaign. His brigade includes the 15th Alabama.

  LEE, Fitzhugh “Fitz,” Major General. Commanding a cavalry division under Stuart.

  LEE, Robert E., General. Commander, Army of Northern Virginia.

  LEE, William Henry Fitzhugh “Rooney,” Major General. Commanding a cavalry division under Stuart.

  LONGSTREET, James “Peter,” “Old Pete,” Lieutenant General. Commander, First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.

  LOWTHER, Alexander A., Major. Intermittently second in command of the 15th Alabama.

  MARSHALL, Charles, Lieutenant Colonel. Military secretary to Lee.

  OATES, William C., Colonel. Commanding 15th Alabama. Before the war: a not quite murderer, a runaway, a schooner crewman, a vagabond, a teetotaler, a ladies’ man, a lawyer, and part owner of a local newspaper. Ferocious in war and peace.

  PERRY, Edward A., Brigadier General. Commanding Perry’s Florida Brigade, Anderson’s Division, Third (Hill’s) Corps.

  PERRY, William F., Colonel. Acting commander of Law’s Brigade, Field’s Division, First (Longstreet’s) Corps, in the absence of Evander Law. His brigade includes the 15th Alabama.

  POAGUE, William T., Lieutenant Colonel. Commanding Poague’s Battalion (artillery), Third (Hill’s) Corps. Arguably the true savior of the Army of Northern Virginia on the morning of May 6, 1864.

  STUART, James E. B. “Jeb,” Major General. Commander of the Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.

  TAYLOR, Walter, Lieutenant Col
onel. Assistant adjutant general to Lee.

  VENABLE, Charles, Lieutenant Colonel. Aide to Lee.

  RALPH PETERS’ NOVELS PUBLISHED BY FORGE

  Cain at Gettysburg

  The Officers’ Club

  The War After Armageddon

  RALPH PETERS’ CIVIL WAR MYSTERIES PUBLISHED UNDER THE PEN NAME “OWEN PARRY”

  Faded Coat of Blue

  Shadows of Glory

  Call Each River Jordan

  Honor’s Kingdom

  The Bold Sons of Erin

  Rebels of Babylon

  and

  Our Simple Gifts: Civil War Christmas Tales

  Ralph Peters is also the author of numerous books on strategy, as well as additional novels.

  About the Author

  RALPH PETERS, New York Times bestselling author of Cain at Gettysburg, is a retired U.S. Army officer; a controversial strategist and veteran of the intelligence world; a journalist who appears frequently in the broadcast media; and a lifelong traveler with experience in more than seventy countries on six continents.

  In addition to works under his own name, he is also the author, under the pen name Owen Parry, of a series of award-winning Civil War mysteries.

  Peters has studied the Civil War since childhood. Combining painstaking research, years of walking those fields of battle, and insight into the souls of generals and privates gleaned from his own military career, Ralph Peters tells this great American tale in a masterful style.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  HELL OR RICHMOND

  Copyright © 2013 by Ralph Peters

  All rights reserved.