Grant Comes East: A Novel of the Civil War
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THE BATTLE MAY HAVE BEEN WON,BUT THE WAR IS FAR FROM OVER.Grant Comes East continues the story of a Confederate victory, examining the great "what if" of American history: Could Lee have won the Battle of Gettysburg? A Confederate victory, however, would not necessarily mean that the Southern cause has gained its final triumph and a lasting peace. It is from this departure point that the story continues in Grant Comes East, as General Robert E. Lee's marches on Washington, D.C., and launches an assault against one of the largest fortifications in the world.Beyond a military victory in the field, Lee must also overcome the defiant stand of President Abraham Lincoln, who vows that regardless of the defeat at Gettysburg, his solemn pledge to preserve the Union will be honored at all cost.At the same time, Lincoln has appointed General Ulysses S. Grant as commander of all Union forces. Grant, fresh from his triumph at Vicksburg, races east, bringing with him his hardened veterans from Mississippi to confront Lee.What ensues across the next six weeks is a titanic struggle as the surviving Union forces inside the fortifications of Washington fight to hang on, while Grant prepares his counterblow. Spanning the ground from Washington to the banks of the Susquehanna, these factors will come together in a climatic, pivotal struggle.Publishers WeeklyFormer congressman Gingrich and historical fiction writer Forstchen once again collaborate to produce an exciting alternative history of the Civil War (after 2003's bestselling Gettysburg). This second volume finds Lee and his victorious army in Maryland, poised to assault Washington, D.C.. The Confederates hope to capture the capital and President Lincoln, bring a sympathetic Maryland into the Confederacy, gain European recognition and force the Union into peace negotiations. The Union is in a desperate situation. The capital is cut off, Northern cities are burning in the bloody draft riots and the nearest intact Union army is General Grant's western force, rushing to the east from Vicksburg. In the midst of the military chaos, sniping and bickering by generals and politicians on both sides hamper Grant and Lee. Most of Lee's tactical and strategic plans succeed, but he miscalculates Lincoln's resolve and Grant's single-mindedness. And then Grant does something so unexpected that suddenly Lee is the one on the run. Building on their strong first volume, Gingrich and Forstchen craft an original, dramatic and historically plausible "what if?" story. Character depictions-of Lincoln, Grant and Lee; of the soldiers who fight and die; and of the civilians who plot and panic-are vivid, detailed and insightful. This is one of the best novels of the Civil War to appear in recent years. Agent, Jillian Manus. (June) Forecast: Some general readers may find the book dense, but fans of Civil War fiction will relish the alternative perspective, and even demanding nonfiction buffs will be won over by the novel's stirring battle scenes and convincing historical details. Ten-city author tour. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
