Rating: 
Summary: Lankford paints himself into a corner
Review: At the beginning of RICHMOND BURNING we see Robert E. Lee ride into town in the rain. This is pretty much the last time we get to see him. Lankford edits the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography and lives in Richmond so we can understand why he might be interested in the politics of running the city after the evacuation of the Confederate government, but a reader of popular history might be disappointed in his emphasis on minor characters, such as Major General Godfrey Weitzel, who administered the city for a time after Davis and his government left. Even the pictures leave something to be desired. There's one of Robert E. Lee standing on the porch of his rented home taken by Matthew Brady. Supposedly there's another one where Lee is shown with his nephew Fitzhugh I would've liked to've seen. No such luck.
I was momentarily absorbed when Lankford showed Jefferson Davis leaving the city on a train carrying what was left of the Confederate treasury. It would have been interesting to see how Davis was captured, but Lankford has narrowed his focus to Richmond, so that wasn't possible. Even the fire isn't much to speak of. Davis orders what's left of the Confederate pickets to set fire to the tobacco warehouses and the wind spreads the fire; the Union Army puts it out in two days.
The most intriguing part of the book is when Lincoln shows up. Lee's army has not been defeated and here he is without an escort. Lincoln further complicates matters by allowing former Supreme Court justice, John Archibald Campbell to summon the Virginia legislature to discuss seceding from the Confederacy. We get a glimpse of Edwin Stanton, Lincoln's powerful secretary of war, who puts the fritz to that notion in a hurry.
Lankford also seems to have reinvented the wheel. In his acknowledgments, he mentions Rembert Patrick's THE FALL OF RICHMOND, written only forty years ago. Although Lankford has done extensive research, there doesn't seem to a reason for another version.
Rating: 
Summary: Revisionist History
Review: First let me state, this book should not be read by a novice, seeking to learn the history or cause of the Civil War, but if one is highly knowledgeable on this topic, this book, is a good 'PC' version.
Mr. Lankford does a wonderful job of bringing that era of Richmond to life, but he seems to believe in the current 'political cause' of the Civil war.
With all the research done, I am surprised he has not found other documents, or historical facts that dismiss his views.
By page 5, I came very close to throwing the book away, when I read of General Lee, riding into Richmond in his "misbegotten attempt to set up a separate republic built on human chattel, slavery."
Historical facts actually record Lee's daughters teaching the slaves to read, and Lee stating, "There are few, I believe, in this enlightened age, who will not acknowledge that slavery as an institution is a moral and political
evil." - Col. Robert E. Lee, USA - December 27, 1856
Or "If I thought this war was to abolish slavery, I would resign my commission, and offer my sword to the other side." --- Ulysses S. Grant
Mr. Lankford then attempts to state that Lincoln wanted equal rights for the African Americans! Here again, the facts bear out Lincoln by his own speeches--"Negro equality, Fudge!! How long in the Government of a God great enough to make and maintain this Universe, shall there continue to be knaves to vend and fools to gulp, so low a piece of demagoguism as this?" -- Abraham Lincoln 1859 [Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Vol III, PP 399, Basler, ed.]
Or
During the fourth Lincoln-versus-Stephen Douglas debate on Sept. 18, 1858, in Charleston, Ill., Lincoln emphatically stated his view of the role of black people in American society: "I will say that I am not nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races; that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters of the free Negroes, or jurors, or qualifying them to hold office, or having them marry with white people. "I will say in addition that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which, I suppose, will forever forbid the two races living together upon terms of social and political equality; and inasmuch as they cannot so live, that while they do remain together, there must be the position of the superiors and the inferiors; and that I, as much as any other man, am in favor of the superior position assigned to the white man." ." The Collected
Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, "Fourth Debate
with Stephen A. Douglas at Charleston, Illinois" (September 18, 1858), pp.
145-146.") Rm. Lankford continually implies the Union army was the "army of freedom" PP. 118, line 14, through the entire novel. On page 244 Mr. Lankford again attacks Lees character, when Lee went to kneel beside the freed slave, at St. Pauls church, by stating the person that reported it, "could not have divined what was in Lee's mind" ( Do we suppose Mr. Lankford does?)
For the aforementioned reasons, I can only give this book one star. I would give Mr. Lankford an A+ for his graphic description of the women crying in church, during the first Sunday, after Union occupation. Actually much of the description is very nicely done. I would like to see Mr. Lankford write more books on the civil war era, but hope he would be less biased, in his future books. Minnesota Senator Morton Wilkerson stated the only hope for the country was the "death of the President and a new administration" PP. 205
I've read extensively about this, and would wish Mr. Lankford would write a book, on who actually pulled the strings behind the Lincoln assassination and cover-up. ( Booth escaped on THE ONLY BRIDGE THAT STANTON did not close, he was a suspect, other northern senators also openly expressed the desire for Lincoln to be shot)
Mr. Lankford, you write a book on that topic, I'll be the first to buy a copy.
Rating: 
Summary: No barn burner
Review: I did not read this book as a Civil War buff, but from an interest in the city of Richmond, Virginia. In the first 50 pages or so I struggled with Lankford's frustrating insistence on inserting seldom used words. Some were in my dictionary and I learned a new word or two....However, after that point none of the strange/unusual words showed up anymore, Lankford settling down to recounting a story of the end of the Civil War as it occured in Richmond, through the use of extemely well researched information that is laid out in timeline fashion, in a matter of fact manner. One gets the viewpoints from the Yankees and the Rebels alike. Was interesting and scholarly...
Rating: 
Summary: A Rarity: A Well-Researched, Finely Written Civil War Book
Review: I make it a practice to avoid most Civil War narratives like the plague; those that are half-way literate usually are so larded with...glosses that my gag reflex kicks in.
Richmond Burning, on the other hand, should lift historian Nelson Lankrford into the top ranks of American narrative non-fiction writers. Lankford is such a great wordsmith that you can actually smell the clouds of smoke and despair rising over the Confederate capital in those final days. And unlike the top rank of popular history writers who always seem to be on public television, Lankford clearly does his own research and is in command of a trove of new information and insights.
Lankford's book is the one I'm giving for Christmas presents to friends and relatives, all descendants---like me---from resolute Union soldiers for whom Richmond Burning marked an event that definies us as a nation even today.
James Srodes
Washington, DC
Rating:
Summary: Excellently done
Review: It is hard to see how this book could be improved upon. It is meticulously researched and footnoted, and there is a comprehensive bibliography. The viewpoint of the author is not pro-secessionist, albeit he tells us he lives in Richmond. This book literally allows one to live the last days of Confederate Richmond with the people who were there, and I found this was an experience well worth the time spent reading the book. It is a good supplementary companion to Jay Winik's April 1865: The Month that Saved America.
Rating:
Summary: Excellently done
Review: It is hard to see how this book could be improved upon. It is meticulously researched and footnoted, and there is a comprehensive bibliography. The viewpoint of the author is not pro-secessionist, albeit he tells us he lives in Richmond. This book literally allows one to live the last days of Confederate Richmond with the people who were there, and I found this was an experience well worth the time spent reading the book. It is a good supplementary companion to Jay Winik's April 1865: The Month that Saved America.
Rating:
Summary: Historical excellence
Review: Nelson Lankford has constructed one of the finest books on the final stages of the war in Virginia/Richmond. This is not a historical account this is an adventure. I read this like a great mystery novel, not having any idea what comes next. His words are astonoshingly well crafted and he takes pain staking ease to sew in the relevent historical data to teach you a lesson. The best part of the book is the quotes. Most of them come from civilian actors in the Richmond drama. I've read many books on the war and I hold a Bachelors degree in history, soon to being graduate work on my Masters and I could care less what soldiers and officers and politicians have to say about the war. I get a good enough idea about battlefield situations from narratives by McPherson and Foote. This is a wonderful effort about the civilian consequences surrounding the overtaking of a city. Like I said, this is an adventure. Yes, the Union won the war. But this book keeps you on such pins and needles that you don't know how it's going to end. Every others sentence for the first few chapters is about the approaching Union army. It just made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck like watching a well constructed scene from Hitchcock. The historical data is pertinent and on point. There are no useless random facts in here like how many horses jumped the fence in front of the stone wall before the defending general had his crouching ranks stand up and fire. Everything in here is important, but not too much to handle. The blend of narrative and historical data is 100% balanced out to give you a satisfying read. Even if you can't stand history, you read this and forget it's about history because it isn't a battle retelling. This is one of the finest books about the history of the Civil War I have read since James McPherson's "Battle Cry of Freedom." Is it worth the money? You bet. Is it worth a second and third read? You bet. Is it worth recommending to your freidns after you read it so they can know what really happened and how? You bet. Most importantly, is it essential for everyone's understanding about history, some of the most important history our nation has ever seen, the most pivotal of events in the most pivotal of times in our nations history? You better believe it. Mr. Lankford and "Richmond Burning" receive my highest recommendation.
Rating:
Summary: Watch Richmond Burn!
Review: Nelson Lankford knows that history is about storytelling. He does a superb job of bringing to life the men and women who lived through the tumult of Richmond's abandonment by the Confederate army and government and its fall to the Union army in the first few days of April, 1865. If you have not read anything about the demise of the Confederacy you must read this book. If you are an avid reader of books on the Civil War, you certainly must read this book. If you are not that interested in Civil War history, but are genuinely curious about Americans of the Victorian era, well, then, read this book. Mr. Lankford has presented us with a major contribution to our understanding of not only how the capital of the Confederacy crumbled, but why it happened the way it did.
Rating:
Summary: Inside Story: The Final/post days of the Confederate City
Review: Nelson Lankford provides virtually an insiders view of Richmond before and after fall over the course of the last few months of the Confederacy including the month after. Not only are the feelings of the citizens recorded but those of the Confederate government and Robert E. Lee. It seems that in spite of the Confederacy eroding quickly across the national front with Sherman entering North Carolina, Jefferson Davis and the population of Richmond were in shock when the capitol actually fell. Robert E. Lee's miraculous victories of the past and some of his mixed communications continue to give the Confederate citizens of Richmond a forlorn hope that Lee would be victorious. Even after the evacuation and crushing loss of 1/10th of Richmond to fire including the loss of 90% of the business district, Richmond citizens still believed Lee was capable of a counter attack up to the point of the news of Appomattox. Exciting prologue to the epic moment of the final retreat of the Confederate military, the destruction of bridges and the ultimate controversial firing of the tobacco warehouses. The latter seemed so unnecessary and out of touch with reality. Ironically, the Tredegar Iron Works survive completely and they are a tour stop in Richmond today. Lankford discusses the effects on the population including those with Union sympathies and even those that were spies and underground supporters. Some of the Union supporters were imprisoned during the war and others such as Elizabeth Van Lew assisted in funneling escaped Union prisoners home including the body of Union Captain Eric Dahlgren who led a controversial raid on Richmond. Lankford covers the harsh economic effects the war had on the citizens of Richmond, the effects of union occupation, the generals responsible for order in Richmond (Weitzel, Ord and even Henry Halleck), Lincoln's fascinating trip up the dangerous James and arrival in Richmond, the attempt by former Confederate cabinet member John Campbell to reopen the Virginia legislature with Lincoln's blessing, the effect of the assassination on Union and Confederate relations and the new but strained relations between white southerners and the emancipated African Americans. Lankford touches the fascinating birth of the lost cause sentiments of the south and the issue of race relations at that time and it's portending for the future. Lankford's research is rich in discovery as he writes of some of the most famous stories that became legends but either were untruths or misinterpretations. LaSalle Pickett wrote of Lincoln coming to personally visit the home of George Pickett (totally false along with most of her recollections) and the perception that Robert E. Lee accepted black freedmen as equal by kneeling next to a black man in church. Was he showing the white public to accept the man as an equal or to show fellow white southerners to co-exist by ignoring his existence and carry on in spite of his presence? A very economically written book that is easy to read, integrating quotes and facts while moving the story along. Lots of information on Richmond that usually was not detailed after Appomattox covering the impact of its downfall on the citizens and the struggle of the Union to deal with the citizens fairly yet firmly.
Rating: 
Summary: decent, researched, biased
Review: This is a very niche book for the experienced civil war buff. A startling, and riveting account of the last days of Richmond as the confederacy collapsed around the citizens. Now we must remmemebr these poeple had been under siege but untill these last days many were living in a dzae, somehow hopeing to god that the war would not come to their city on the hill in their beloved Virginia. We must remmember that much fighting had been closer to Peterburg. This book gives a blow by blow account of the many people cought up in this great conflageration. As has been noted this book is slightly biased and portrays the North as the liberators coming to subdue the viscious south, which had to be crushed into repenting for the sins of slavery. Probably this is the only negative aspect of the book.
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