The Long Surrender

By Burke Davis

Book Overview

In April 1865, Richmond fell to the Union army and Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to his Northern counterpart, Ulysses S. Grant, at the Appomattox Court House. But the Civil War was far from over.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0394520831
• ISBN13: 9780394520834
• Release Date: February 1985
• Publisher: Random House
• Length: 319 Pages
• Weight: 1.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Good, even-handed account of Davis' flight

The Long Surrender is a good book with the wrong title, because Jefferson Davis certainly did not surrender. This book chronicles the events beginning in April of 1865, when Lee surrendered and Richmond fell. Jefferson Davis and his entourage fled with the remaining treasury. The author gives a well-researched and even-handed account of the flight of Davis. It captures his determination to somehow rally the remaining forces and continue the war, despite the advice of his generals. I bought this book because I wanted to understand Davis better and learn what is known about his postwar days. It's a bit dry, but nevertheless interesting. Davis spent two long and miserable years in confinement, and was treated inhumanely by his captors. It recounts the anguish of his wife and her efforts to obtain at first better treatment and finally his release. The book is chock full of little known facts about this dark period of history. It gives a fairly detailed accounting of the Confederate treasury and the personal funds of Davis. There is no glossing over the flaws in judgment and intransigent attitute of Jefferson Davis, but the book also illuminates his courage, conviction, and many good qualities. For those who want to see the bitter end of his "presidency" this book is a must.

This is how the war ended

Most people think the Civil War ended at Appomattox with Lee's surrender to Grant. Actually, the fighting carried on for a couple more months and included many events, including General Joseph Johnson's surrender, Lincoln's assassination, the flight of Jefferson Davis, a steamboat tragedy on the Mississippi River, the final land battle in Texas (ironically, a Confederate victory), the escape through Florida of several Confederate political leaders including John Breckinridge and the continued plundering of Union merchant shipping by a Confederte raider well into the fall of 1865. Burke Davis chronicles all of this as well as Jefferson Davis's post Civil War life as an unreconstructed rebel. It is a fascinating read for those interested in the Civil War.

A Terrific Book

This is a terrific book by Burke Davis. This book follows Jefferson Davis and his cabinet during the last days of the Civil War using first-hand accounts, newspaper articles, memoirs, and other never-before-published materials.. The books follows Davis, his cabinet, Lee, the Confederate treasury, Davis' family and others. Even though there are many people, Burke Davis writes in a way that is easy to follow and enjoyable to read. This book also looks at Davis' imprisonment and the post-war years of Davis, Lee, and the others above mentioned. It also attempts to answer the question of what happened to the Confederate treasury. This is a great book about a little-written about part of the Civil War.