Midnight on the Potomac - by Scott Ellsworth (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From the author of The Ground Breaking, longlisted for the National Book Award, comes a riveting saga of the last year of the Civil War--and a revealing new account of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Told with a page-turning pace, Midnight on the Potomac is a story of titanic battles, political upheaval, and the long-forgotten Confederate terror war against the citizens of the North. It takes us behind the scenes in the White House, along the battlefronts in Virginia, and into the conspiracies of spies and secret agents. Lincoln walks these pages, as do Grant and Sherman. But so do common soldiers, runaway slaves, and intrepid female war correspondents.

Deeply researched yet captivatingly written, Midnight on the Potomac is a new kind of book about the Civil War. In it you will read about the Confederate attempt to burn down New York City, how Lincoln almost lost the presidency, about the Rebel general who nearly captured Washington, and how thousands of enslaved African Americans freed themselves--and helped secure their nation's survival. Midnight on the Potomac also shatters long-held myths, including that the real Booth is far from the one we've long been presented with. In an age of deep political division, Scott Ellsworth's book is an eloquent and gripping testament to the courage, grit, and greatness of the American people.

Review Quotes

Praise for Midnight on the Potomac

"With the sense of drama of a novelist but fidelity to facts of a skilled historian, Scott Ellsworth has interwoven stories of the battlefront and homefronts in the Civil War, from the slaughter of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania to the murder at Ford's Theater a year later. Even readers familiar with this narrative of triumph and tragedy will encounter new and important material here." --James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era

"Midnight on the Potomac transports readers into the Civil War's fraught last year that decided the fate of the nation and emancipation. A compelling cast of characters enliven dramatic events on the battlefield and behind the lines, illuminating swings of civilian morale, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the uncertain foundation of freedom for millions of formerly enslaved people." --Gary W. Gallagher, John L. Nau III Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Virginia and author of The Enduring Civil War: Reflections on the Great American Crisis

"Midnight on the Potomac is a powerful achievement by Scott Ellsworth, blending meticulous research with vivid storytelling. Capturing both the urgency and humanity of the Civil War's final year, Ellsworth offers a riveting account of courage, sacrifice, and rebirth--the story of how America nearly lost itself--and how it fought to become whole again." --Gilbert King, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Devil in the Grove

"This is a book that unspools before you like a movie. Its accuracy and sheer readability make it eminently teachable. In Midnight on the Potomac, Ellsworth supplies that rarest of gifts: a history with the power to break through and win the heart of all readers." --Amity Shlaes, New York Times bestselling author of Coolidge

"In Midnight on the Potomac, Scott Ellsworth accomplishes a remarkable feat: turning a Civil War history into a page-turner. Even if you have read many books about this era, you will learn things you never knew before. Its stunning details remind us of the power of contingency: a shrewder decision here, a better-aimed handgun there, and the whole story could have taken a radical turn for the worse. With sharp prose and meticulous research, the book exemplifies what Faulkner wrote: 'The past is never dead. It's not even past.'" --John J. Pitney, Jr., Professor of American Politics at Claremont McKenna College

"Scott Ellsworth's fast-paced Midnight on the Potomac... takes readers on an action-packed journey... Mr. Ellsworth has crafted a suspenseful narrative brimming with engaging insights, highlighting some lesser-known historical episodes and individuals." --The Wall Street Journal

"In the popular imagination, Booth has come to be seen as a dysfunctional personality turned lone assassin... Ellsworth set out to shatter that idea... asks readers to look beyond the death of Lincoln, to the country he left behind, the 'Rebirth of America'" --The Guardian

"Scott Ellsworth explores little known corners of the story and destroys long-held myths around the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, and in so doing, the author helps draw a line between that complex period in this country's history and our own tumultuous times." --NPR's Book of the Day

"An extensively researched and engaging analysis of a pivotal year in U.S. history. Interesting perspectives will add to the continuing discussion of the Civil War for American history buffs." --Library Journal (starred review)

"A passionate account of justice triumphing, amid tragedy, in 1865." --Kirkus

"It's a passionate and elegant chronicle of one of the most dramatic years in American history, torn agonizingly between triumph and tragedy." --Publishers Weekly

"Ellsworth draws out the humanity in his subjects on both sides of the bloody American conflict... poetic observations, suspenseful pacing, and intimate portrayals of historical figures... Midnight on the Potomac is told with heart but backed up with fact, making it approachable for any reader with a passing interest in American history and intriguing for Civil War history buffs." --The Washington Examiner

"The best book I've ever read about the Civil War... Its pages are full of compelling details and new research." --Diana Korte, Booktalk

"Rarely, if ever, has a book about the Civil War featured such a rich and diverse cast of characters." --Daily Kos

"Without a doubt, Ellsworth is a distinguished wordsmith... the way [he] weaves his storylines together makes for a first-class page-turning pace." --The Virginia Pilot

"Whether your knowledge and interest matches Ellsworth's richness of detail or is far more casual, there are bound to be facts and scenes and interpretations that will stir a wide swath of readers, no matter what their level. It's a worthwhile addition to the ever-growing canon." --St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"This book takes you there, alongside not just Lincoln but with generals, runaway slaves, spies, and an assassin. This is an immensely enjoyable book..." --The Bookworm Sez

"Ellsworth has aptly been described as a 'historian with the soul of a poet.' Midnight on the Potomac will inspire readers with widely different degrees of interest in Civil War history. The book encourages reflection on the Civil War and on the never-ending rebirth of America." --Emerging Civil War

About the Author

Described by one reviewer as "a historian with the soul of a poet," Scott Ellsworth is the New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Game, winner of the 2016 PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing, and The Ground Breaking, his critically acclaimed account of the Tulsa race massacre. Formerly a historian at the Smithsonian Institution, he has written about American history for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. He lives in Ann Arbor, where he also teaches at the University of Michigan.