ItwasthethirdweekofMay1863,andaftersevenmonthsandsixattempts,UlyssesS.GrantwasfinallyatthedoorstepofVicksburg.WhatfollowedwasaseriesofattacksandmaneuversagainstthelastmajorsectionoftheMississippiRivercontrolledbytheConfederacy--andoneofthemostimportantoperationsoftheCivilWar.Grantintendedtoendthecampaignquicklybyassault,butthestalwartdefenseofVicksburg’sgarrisonchangedhisplans.TheUnionAssaultsatVicksburgisthefirstcomprehensiveaccountofthisquickattempttocaptureVicksburg,whichprovedcriticaltotheUnion’sultimatesuccessandGrant’seventualsolidificationasoneofthemostsignificantmilitarycommandersinAmericanhistory.Establishingaday-to-day--;andoccasionallyminute-to-minute--;timelineforthiscrucialweek,militaryhistorianTimothyB.SmithinvitesreaderstofollowtheVicksburgassaultsastheyunfold.Hisfinelydetailedaccountreachesfromtheofficesofstatesmenandpoliticianstothefieldofbattle,withexactinganalysisandinsightthatrangesfromthehighestlevelofplanningandcommandtothecombatexperienceofthecommonsoldier.Ascloselyobservedandvividlydescribedaseachassaultis,Smith’sbookalsoputsthesumofthesebattlesintothelargercontextoftheVicksburgcampaign,aswellastheentirewar.Hisdeeplyinformed,in-depthworkthusprovidesthefirstfullviewofakeybutlittle-studiedturningpointinthefortunesoftheUnionarmyintheWest,UlyssesS.Grant,andtheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
