History Literature / TheLastFullMeasure

Not to be confused with the nonfiction book of the same tile by Richard Moe, which follows the lives and times of the First Minnesota Volunteers as they fought for the Union in the Civil War.

* ADeathInTheLimelight:
** One Union grunt named Chuckie is introduced with his worries about his comrades, his irascible lieutenant, his wife's refusal to answer his letters, and all the damn Southern insects. A few minutes later, Southern troops attack his position and he is killed.
** General J.E.B. Stuart had appeared frequently in Lee's chapters here and in the previous two books. The only chapter he gets to himself is the one in which he is mortally wounded at Yellow Tavern.

''The Last Full Measure'' is the third book in Shaara Civil War trilogy, preceded by ''Literature/GodsAndGenerals'' and ''Literature/TheKillerAngels'', depicting events in the Eastern Theater of UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar. It was published in 1998. Although there were plans to adapt it into film like its predecessors, they were scrapped after the poor box office showing of ''Gods and Generals''.

* IAintGotTimeToBleed: Chamberlain is shot in the chest at Quaker Road, but due to the items in his pocket, the bullet actually goes ''around his ribcage'', just under the skin, and exits out his back. He kept on leading his men regardless, earning the nickname "Bloody Chamberlain."

* GenreSavvy: Grant can see past the legend of Lee to the fact that the Union army has always had superior numbers and better equipment; meanwhile the Army of Northern Virginia has been crippled by loss of its commanders and have no choice but to fight as long as Grant stays in their state.

* DeadPresidents: UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln gets a cameo when Grant goes to D.C. to take up his appointment, then on a battlefield visit to Petersburg, the surrender, and the day of his assassination. Also, Grant himself.

* AcheyScars: Hancock continues to be troubled by his Gettysburg wound. He eventually has to leave field command because it keeps opening up and he can't ride, which effectively makes him unable to coordinate his troops.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Discussed in the aftermath of Lincoln's shooting, with the assertion that he could have kept the vengeful impulses of Northern politicians in check and thus prevented the South from resentfully passing its oppressive segregation laws.

''The Last Full Measure'' is the third book in Shaara Civil War trilogy, preceded by ''Literature/GodsAndGenerals'' and ''Literature/TheKillerAngels'', depicting events in the Eastern Theater of Creator/TheAmericanCivilWar. It was published in 1998. Although there were plans to adapt it into film like its predecessors, they were scrapped after the poor box office showing of ''Gods and Generals''.

It starts almost immediately after the conclusion of the Battle of Gettysburg and covers the war from that point until the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. The book introduces General Creator/UlyssesSGrant when he is appointed Lieutenant General in Washington, D.C. and takes over command of the Army of the Potomac from General Meade, implementing a strategy of ''not'' retreating from a numerically inferior force and pursuing them after victories. Meanwhile, Lee has lost his best commanders, his army is underfed and ill-supplied, and he is left with fewer and fewer options until he is only left with surrender. The novel concludes with the last days of its surviving protagonists postbellum.

* DeadPresidents: Creator/AbrahamLincoln gets a cameo when Grant goes to D.C. to take up his appointment, then on a battlefield visit to Petersburg, the surrender, and the day of his assassination. Also, Grant himself.

''The Last Full Measure'' is the third book in Shaara Civil War trilogy, preceded by ''Literature/GodsAndGenerals'' and ''Literature/TheKillerAngels'', depicting events in the Eastern Theater of TheAmericanCivilWar. It was published in 1998. Although there were plans to adapt it into film like its predecessors, they were scrapped after the poor box office showing of ''Gods and Generals''.

It starts almost immediately after the conclusion of the Battle of Gettysburg and covers the war from that point until the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. The book introduces General UlyssesSGrant when he is appointed Lieutenant General in Washington, D.C. and takes over command of the Army of the Potomac from General Meade, implementing a strategy of ''not'' retreating from a numerically inferior force and pursuing them after victories. Meanwhile, Lee has lost his best commanders, his army is underfed and ill-supplied, and he is left with fewer and fewer options until he is only left with surrender. The novel concludes with the last days of its surviving protagonists postbellum.

* DeadPresidents: AbrahamLincoln gets a cameo when Grant goes to D.C. to take up his appointment, then on a battlefield visit to Petersburg, the surrender, and the day of his assassination. Also, Grant himself.

''The Last Full Measure'' is the third book in the trilogy comprised of ''Literature/GodsAndGenerals'' and ''Literature/TheKillerAngels'', depicting events in the Eastern Theater of TheAmericanCivilWar. It was published in 1998. Although there were plans to adapt it into film like its predecessors, they were scrapped after the poor box office showing ''Gods and Generals''.

It starts almost immediately after the conclusion of the Battle of Gettysburg and covers the war from that point until the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. The book introduces General UlyssesSGrant when he is appointed Lieutenant General in Washington, D.C. and takes over command of the Army of the Potomac from General Meade, implementing a strategy of ''not'' retreating from a numerically inferior force and pursuing them after victories. Meanwhile, Lee has lost his best commanders, his army is underfed and ill-supplied, and he is left with fewer and fewer options until he is only left with surrender.

* DeadPresidents: AbrahamLincoln gets a cameo when Grant goes to D.C. to take up his appointment. Also, Grant himself.

* FriendOrFoe: Longstreet and his staff are very concerned about a Confederate unit wearing ''black'' uniforms, since it makes them look like Yankees. They are fired upon almost immediately after the observation.

** In particular from the Siege of Petersburg is the Battle of the Crater. The Confederates slaughter the Union men at will. Then when it looks like they're getting tired of it and letting the Yanks surrender, they see that there are black troops among them. So they start shooting again, and then the panicking white Union men start shooting their black comrades ''themselves'' in hopes of being spared.

''The Last Full Measure'' is the third book in the trilogy comprised of ''Literature/GodsAndGenerals'' and ''Literature/TheKillerAngels'', depicting events in the Eastern Theater of TheAmericanCivilWar. It was published in 1998. Although there were plans to adapt it into film like its predecessors, they were scrapped after the poor box office showing ''Gods and Generals''.

* NoOneCouldSurvieThat: Chamberlain's wound at Petersburg. He is shot through the lower abdomen/groin, which was almost always a mortal wound back then. Although not mentioned by the novel, Maine newspapers printed his obituary the next day. He ends up returning to field command after a lengthy hospital stay.[[note]]Chamberlain did eventually die of complications arising from the wound, at age 85.[[/note]]

* AcheyScars: Hancock continues to be troubled by his Gettysburg wound. He eventually has to leave field command because it keeps opening up and he can't ride, which makes him unable to effectively coordinate his plans.

** General Ledlie of the Union is also an alcoholic who gets no sympathy. He is intoxicated during two battles and his men are decimated both times because he can't lead them.

* FieldPromotion: Chamberlain gets the first field promotion that Grant gave because everyone thought his wound was mortal, although he ultimately survives. (It was so bad that Maine newspapers printed his obituary.)

* HairTriggerTemper: General Meade. This causes some ruckus when he's given command of General Sheridan.

** The Siege of Petersburg is long, bloody, mud-soaked, diseased, and miserable. Basically if you're looking for an inversion of WarIsGlorious, look right there.

* TheStrategist: Longstreet, at least until he is wounded and removed from the battlefield. At that point in the war, Lee had no choice but to use his ideas on defensive warfare.

* TheAlcoholic: Grant. Treated sympathetically--he remembers that when he was stationed in California, his [[ShrinkingViolet shyness]] and refusal to visit brothels in the absence of his wife Julia left him lonely with a bottle. He almost falls OffTheWagon after the defeat at Cold Harbor, but one of his aides intervenes.

* WarIsHell: It becomes [[FireAndBrimstoneHell quite literal]] at the Battle of the Wilderness. A brush fire sweeps through wounded troops trapped in the woods and overtakes a Confederate unit attacking Hancock's position.

* AchyScars: Hancock continues to be troubled by his Gettysburg wound. He eventually has to leave field command because it keeps opening up and he can't ride, which makes him unable to effectively coordinate his plans.

* {{Determinator}}: General Ulysses S. Grant. He refuses to be intimidated by Lee's reputation.

* GenreSavvy: Grant can see past the legend of Lee to the fact that the Union army has always had superior numbers and better equipment; meanwhile the Army of Northern Virginia has been crippled by loss of its commanders and have no choice but to fight as long as Grant stays in Virginia.