Civil War Richmond: The Last Citadel, Jack Trammel and Guy Terrell, Forward by Ed Ayers, 205 pp., 71 illustrations, 4 charts, 3 maps, bibliographic notes, bibliography, index, $21.99

The authors offer a clear and concise presentation of Richmond's various histories; such as Richmond before 1861. This discussion includes its founding, commerce, and population in the context of it's being as a state capital in which cotton was king and slave sales occurred. Not neglected is the African American community and citizens who opposed slavery, 

The authors' offer the city's 1861-1864 history regarding  Virginia's secession, the choice of the Confederacy's national capital, manufacturing and railroad center, as well as a discussion of its newspapers, Unionist sentiments and spies, along with the impact of the Seven Days Battles upon the city. 

                                                  Both of these sections are presented in about 145 pages. A third topic, Richmond in Decline, 1864-1865 is adequately presented in about 45 pages. Overall, the maps, charts and photographs/illustrations add significantly to the reader's enjoyment of this splendid offer from History Press.

From the Publisher:

 Few American cities have experienced the trauma of wartime destruction. As the capital of the new Confederate States of America, situated only ninety miles from the enemy capital at Washington, D.C., Richmond was under constant threat. The civilian population suffered not only shortage and hardship but also constant anxiety. During the war, the city more than doubled in population and became the industrial center of a prolonged and costly war effort. The city transformed with the creation of a massive hospital system, military training camps, new industries and shifting social roles for everyone, including women and African Americans. Local historians Jack Trammell and Guy Terrell detail the excitement, and eventually bitter disappointment, of Richmond at war.