In this powerful volume of his acclaimed A Narrative series, Shelby Foote follows the American Civil War through its final, brutal phases. From the long siege of Petersburg to Sherman’s devastating March to the Sea, Foote captures battles, political tension, and personal courage with the breadth of history and the detail of eyewitness storytelling. As leaders on both sides face exhaustion and desperation, the war’s cruelty becomes unmistakable—and yet there are moments of resolve, sacrifice, and human complexity that transcend the carnage. Rich in character portraiture, vivid descriptions, and sweeping perspective, this is history lived—not just told.