The Battle of the Crater: A Novel (49 page)

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

THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS.

An imprint of St. Martin’s Press.

THE BATTLE OF THE CRATER.
Copyright © 2011 by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

www.thomasdunnebooks.com

www.stmartins.com

Illustration numbers 2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 13, 19, 20, and 21 by Evalee Gertz.

Illustration numbers 5, 6, 8, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17 courtesy of Applewood Books.

Illustration number 4 of President Lincoln courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-pga-03412.

Illustration number 18 of Robert E. Lee courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-USZC2-2408.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Gingrich, Newt.

The battle of the crater : a novel / Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen.—1st ed.

p. cm.

e-ISBN 9781429990622

  1.  Petersburg Crater, Battle of, Va., 1864—Fiction.   I.  Forstchen, William R.   II.  Title.

PS3557.I4945B38 2011

813'.54—dc23

2011026677

First Edition: November 2011

During the American Civil War 179,000 African Americans answered the call and served with the Union Army.

Over 4,000 United States Colored Troops participated in the Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864. This number represents one of the largest concentrations of black soldiers on any field of battle during the American Civil War. Of that number 1,327 were killed, wounded, missing, or captured in the fighting.

Today as we approach the 150th anniversary of the battle, there is still no formal recognition of the role played by these soldiers in that fight.

Petersburg National Battlefield and American Enterprise Institute/Newt.org are working together to memorialize and tell the story of the black soldiers during that chapter of the Siege of Petersburg.

To learn more about the United States Colored Troops during the Siege of Petersburg visit
www.nps.gov/pete
.