Symposium Spotlight: Edward Alexander and the Breakthrough at Petersburg

Edward Alexander is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Edward has an affinity for the Federal 6th Army Corps. He is set to make his first speaking appearance at the Emerging Civil War Symposium this August.

The 292 day siege of Petersburg, Virginia, the longest siege in United States history, had an indelible impact on all of the combatants. Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant tried everything from raids and pitched battles, to tunneling under the Confederate bastion in a vain attempt to blast a hole in the Rebel lines. While the July 30, 1864 Battle of the Crater is arguably the most famous action of the siege, it was not until April 2, 1865 that the Federals achieved a breakthrough on a massive scale.

Edward’s talk is entitled, “A General Assault Against the Rebel Lines: The Federal Breakthrough at Petersburg, April 2, 1865.”

According to Alexander:

“While it is true that both sides were worn down by the siege, the armies still had a great deal of fight left in them. The breakthrough was not an easy task, nor was it a foregone conclusion after the Battle of Five Forks, that the Federal assaults would succeed. There was a vast amount of heroism and grim determination displayed on each side.”

Edward is the author of Dawn of Victory: Breakthrough at Petersburg, March 25-April 2, 1865. He has worked since 2011 at Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier in Petersburg, Virginia; the site of the “breakthrough.”

We hope that you will join us August 5-7, 2016 at the Third Annual Emerging Civil War Symposium at Stevenson Ridge. For more information, or to purchase tickets, click here.