The Killer Angels

Amazon.com

This novel reveals more about the Battle of Gettysburg than any piece of learned nonfiction on the same subject. Michael Shaara's account of the three most important days of the Civil War features deft characterizations of all of the main actors, including Lee, Longstreet, Pickett, Buford, and Hancock. The most inspiring figure in the book, however, is Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, whose 20th Maine regiment of volunteers held the Union's left flank on the second day of the battle. This unit's bravery at Little Round Top helped turned the tide of the war against the rebels. There are also plenty of maps, which convey a complete sense of what happened July 1-3, 1863. Reading about the past is rarely so much fun as on these pages.

Book Description

"My favorite historical novel...A superb re-creation of the Battle of Gettysburg, but its real importance is its insight into what the war was about, and what it meant."
JAMES M. McPHERSON
Author of BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM
Winner of the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for fiction
In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation's history, two armies fought for two dreams. One dreamed of freedom, the other of a way of life. Far more than rifles and bullets were carried into battle. There were memories. There were promises. There was love. And far more than men fell on those Pennsylvania fields. Shattered futures, forgotten innocence, and crippled beauty were also the casualties of war. Unique, sweeping, an unforgettable, THE KILLER ANGELS is a dramatic re-creation of the battleground for America's destiny.

Customer Reviews:

The Little Round Top and Pickett's Charge.......2007-10-13

Sometimes, I work backwards. In this instance, I, once again, saw the movie before reading the book. As pleased as I was with the film adaptation, director Ronald Maxwell's "Gettysburg," I was doubly impressed with the source novel "The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara.

This was easily the finest piece of historical fiction that I have ever read. The author really did his homework. Many of the military commands and speeches contained in the book are supported by the historical record.
The novel is so clearly written that the motion picture screenplay adaptation simply repeated large portions of the book verbatim. That in itself is a rare accomplishment since Hollywood typically eviscerates good books when scripts are being adapted.

The details of the three day battle at Gettysburg are accurately portrayed and readers can gain valuable insights into the character of the principals, Lee, Longstreet, Pickett, Armistead, Hancock, Buford, Chamberlain and so many others. Shaara also provides one with an understanding of how armies take the field, march great distances, struggle to secure control of favorable terrain, scout enemy movements and try to decipher ambiguous data before committing to battle.

This is truly an outstanding book which richly deserves all of the praise that it has received. I read this book more than a decade and a half ago and I have not forgotten it.

The Battle of Gettysburg.......2007-10-12

Michael Shaara's modern classic "The Killer Angels" is about the famous Civil War battle at Gettysburg. It is the most important battle of the war because it is generally acknowledged as the turning point in the war for the Union. The book is told through Confederate Generals Longstreet and Lee, and Union soldier Colonel Joshua Chamberlain. This novel is the tragic three days struggle between thousands of Americans not over the question of right to succeed or even slavery, but (if General Lee is to be believed) who's side God was on. It is telling that by the third year it is just a contest to win, not really about causes anymore.

The characters are well presented. Lee is the old guard; a gentlemen who is willing to fight (and maybe die) for honor, his own, his state's (Virginia) and egotistically, for honor's sake, which leads to bad decisions on his part. Longstreet is presented as a man ahead of his time, a man who favors defensive strategy that may have worked better than Lee's straight ahead offense. Longstreet would have appreciated World War One's methods of trench fighting. History dose bare him out as trenches were used later in the war. Lee and Longstreet's continuous argument over strategy fuels most of the novel's moral center. And finally Colonel Chamberlain is the model citizen turned soldier. He is really the character most easily identifiable by the common reader. He is us basically, whose eyes the prism of action is passed through and explained by.

The action is intense. The bravery and danger of the wild Battle of Little Round Top is immediate and exciting, the best part of the novel. And by contrast there is the depressing and fatal Pickett's Charge, the straw that broke the Confederate Army for the war. It is so heart wrenching that, though well written, is still hard to read because of the futility of it.

While this is a work of fiction, many historians use Shaara's book as a guide to the Gettysburg battle and it is of interest to anyone who likes war-adventure novels, deep characters, and well researched histories.

If you have the slightest interest in the Civil War, don't fail to read the late Michael Shaara's book "The Killer Angels".......2007-10-04

If you have the slightest interest in the Civil War, don't fail to read the late Michael Shaara's book "The Killer Angels". It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1974.

For some reason this book had never crossed my path. It wasn't until Father's Day this year that I was even aware of its existence. My 27 year old son gave me a DVD that had both Gods and Generals and Gettysburg on it. In reading the jacket of the DVD I saw the movie was based on this book. After watching the movie, I headed off to the library. I was not disappointed.

This volume shows both the courage and determination of the Union and Confederate soldiers. It examines the story from both viewpoints. You are told the story through the key leadership of the battle. You will read about Robert E. Lee. You will learn what his decisions were based on. You will see why he was so beloved by his army. The book allows you to be present as Lee struggles with decision after decision from his headquarters. You can feel the frustration of Longstreet as he tries to convince Lee that defense is a better choice. You will get a picture of the flamboyant Pickett. You will feel Lee's and Longstreet's frustration with J.E.B. Stuart. I met a new hero in the book - Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin as I read about the 20th Maine Regiment and Chamberlain who with a bayonet charge on Little Big Top held the end of the Union line. Another new hero I encountered was General John Buford. You will experience his anguish as he decides to engage Rebel forces. He knows that he was seriously outnumbered. He is determined to save the only high ground in the area.

I was emotionally involved in the book from the beginning to the end. This is the book that blurs the line between historical fiction and creative non-fiction. It is simply great reading. While the movie was good, the book is great. Michael Shaara had the vision, did the research, and wrote one of the best books ever. Thank you!

Glorifies Battle, but Does So Compellingly. . . .......2007-10-01

I am not a civil war buff, but I enjoy historical fiction, and I decided to read this book for its Pulitzer Prize and what it might teach me about the Battle of Gettysburg. On these fronts it delivered as advertised. Although the book is about 90% brooding and waiting for battle and only 10% battle, the writing is compelling enough to hold one's interest through the brooding and to teach me more than I ever knew about the strategies, generals, turning points, blunders and significance of Gettysburg --- or at least the author's views on these points.

Nonetheless, I found myself consistently detatched from the characters and the action. The story is told exclusively from the perspective of the officers in the battle and, for the most part, from that of the southern officers. This is not to say it has a southern bias; indeed blame is placed on Southern hero Lee and the book elevates Southern "scoundrel" Longstreet. It is just that, ultimately, I was not capable of sympathy or admiration for their bravery, honor and nobility, in which the book invests heavily. My own views about slavery and the south are just too strong. Its like reading about the qualms and struggles of German aristocrats in the Nazi army. Interesting, but they are so fundamentally on the wrong side that neither admirable traits nor understanding of their perspective can produce empathy, redemption or even forgiveness. And, as to the horrors of war and soldiering, the gritty, more soldier oriented view of, say, a Cold Mountain, remained foremost in my mind.

excellent book, even if you are not a buff.......2007-08-12

I remember seeing the movie "Gettysburg" when it first opened
in the early nineties. It magnificently brought to life the "glory"
and tragedy of thousands of men in a napoleonic charge. The
book matches the movie in that respect, but it also provides
insights into the motives of several of the main participants in
a way that a movie cannot (mostly generals Lee and Longstreet
on one side and Colonel Chamberlain on the other). My understanding
is that the book is as true to history as a novelization can be.
However, it is also extremely readable - I wish somebody pointed
me to it when I was reading about the civil war in highschool.
I am looking forward to reading Jeff Shaara's two books that
complete the trilogy.

Average customer rating:

A must listen!!!!
Review of Killer Angels By john Macdonald
Easy transaction.
Wonderful book. Flawed narrator.
killer Angels audio tape

The Killer Angels
Michael Shaara
Manufacturer: Random House Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0739309056
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Book Description

A reissue of a Pulitzer prize-winning classic, and now the major motion picture GETTYSBURG. As a result of these acclamations, this book is considered one of the greatest novels written on the Civil War.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

A must listen!!!!.......2007-05-20

I drive 23 miles one way to work and books on cd are a great pleasure to listen to. The book The Killer Angles is a must read. Any history Buff, especially any Civil War buff who has not read this book you don't know what your missing.

Review of Killer Angels By john Macdonald.......2007-05-17

A well researched historical novel with a fictional dialogue which enhances the readers appreciation of this terrible battle.

Easy transaction........2007-03-08

My husband hasn't listened to the book yet but I was pleased to find it on audio and I rec'd it very quickly. I know he'll enjoy it as I have already read the book.

Wonderful book. Flawed narrator. .......2006-10-15

This is a wonderful book to read but a terrible audio book to listen to. The narrator is so affected and languid sounding that it drains the energy from the novel. I could not have imagined anything taking away from the action of this book but the narrator's voice is so slow and languid that it's annoying. Almost sounds comical at times. I can only guess that they wanted it to sound genuinely "Southern" but I come from Texas and never heard a southern accent like that, except for Blanche DuBois. Really too bad because it's a wonderful book.

killer Angels audio tape.......2005-09-27

this is a great tape for al interested in the Civil War. quick reponse and delivery.

Average customer rating:

Thought provoking
Awesome & Exciting!!!!
gettysburg
THIRD GREAT BOOK
Excellent counterfactual, still fiction

Gettysburg: A Novel of the Civil War
Newt Gingrich , and William R. Forstchen
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0312987250
Release Date: 2005-04-05

Book Description

The Battle of Gettysburg has become the great "what if" of American history. Gettysburg unfolds an alternate path and creates for General Robert E. Lee the victory he might have won. Full of dramatic battle scenes, military strategy, and captivating period details, Gettysburg stands as a remarkable entry in the pantheon of Civil War literature and as a vivid novel of the realities of war.The year is 1863, and General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia are poised to attack the North and claim the victory that could end the brutal conflict. Launching his men into a vast sweeping operation, General Lee, acting as he did at Chancellorsville, Second Manassas, and Antietam, displays the audacity of old. He knows he has but one more good chance to gain ultimate victory. Now Lee's lieutenants and the men in the ranks, imbued with this renewed spirit of the offensive, embark on the Gettysburg Campaign that many dream "should have been"....

Customer Reviews:

Thought provoking.......2007-08-29

Outstanding novel, enough history to keep the Civil War buffs entertained and the "what if" makes it a wonderfull adventure into the imagination.

Awesome & Exciting!!!!.......2007-08-14

1. The prose brings the Civil War battlefield to life.
2. The premise is not all that off the mark. Newt and Forstchen create an entirely plausible sequence of events. I felt that even those that some scholars would argue with are adequately explained in the narrative.
3. The use of historical parallelism is fascinating, especially Chamberlain's leadership of the 20th Maine now in a different 2nd Day action but again the last unit on the flank, and "Pickett's charge in reverse", now [fittingly] on July 4th, rather than July 3.
4. The characters fulfill their commonly understood (if not in modern scholarship) personality strengths and flaws, and makes a downright fun read.

If you pass up this book because you might not like Newt's politics, you are making a HUGE mistake. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!

gettysburg.......2007-07-19

Like to find out all I can about Gettysburg from different people and how they saw the war.

THIRD GREAT BOOK.......2007-07-05

I will definitely buy Newt's other books, if they are as well written as this one

Excellent counterfactual, still fiction.......2007-05-16

I bought this book some time ago and I only recently found it again on my bookshelf. I am a fan of counterfactual (what if) history for their entertainment value and believed it to be an interesting and relaxing book. It was interesting, but the historical content and the historical arguments that can be made throughout the text are anything but relaxing.

While I do not agree with Newt on his political views, I had hoped that being a son of Georgia he would try to utilize the more recent scholarship defending James Longstreet, Lee's commander of I Corps. After the war, Longstreet was attacked by old Confederates and brother generals such as Jubal Early because he supported the Republican Party during reconstruction and maintained his good friendship with U. S. Grant. The historiography of Longstreet is extensive but the view for the past 70 years has been that of a slow, mean, slightly ignorant general that didnt like to fight. Furthermore, the cult of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson has been very successful in convincing historians and enthusiasts that Lee and Jackson were closer, friendlier, and more understanding of one another. The truth is that Longstreet was the ranking commander of the two, was visited much more by Lee before Jackson's death, made as many errors as Jackson, and was actually favored by Lee because of his party atmosphere around his headquarters (Lee, a Virginia gentleman, was more attracted to the social scene than to Jackson's somewhat odd religious views. In addition, Longstreet was more tactically and strategically minded than Jackson or Lee and was questioned by Lee many times. (Although not always agreeing with Longstreet which is the entire basis of the book.)

Knowing this, I was angry at Newt. Longstreet here is constantly being reminded by himself, Lee, and the authors that Jackson was the number one corps commander and Lee's choice when deciding who should be utilized first in the field. Longstreet is depicted very much that same way that Sharra does in his "The Killer Angels", having him be mindful of his own problems and quick to temper. I still felt that Newt could have pushed harder for Longstreet to be recognized more by Lee rather than have Lee pit Longstreet against the memory of the dead Jackson.

The novel centers on three main characters although it does shift its focus to other lesser characters for brief periods of time. Lee, Longstreet, and Federal Chief of Artillery General Henry Hunt are given the most page time. The main issues are Hunt's problems with the upper leels of the Federal Army such as Meade, the very likable Sickles, and his own duties as a artilleryman. Lee attends to the battle, his frustration with being seen as a "marble man", and the incompetence of his corps and divisional commanders. Longstreet also attends to the battle, his frustration with being compared to Jackson, and his own problems with commanders. Along the way we encounter Sickles, Meade, Hancock (who is always portrayed as a great commander and man) Chamberlain, and Lincoln.

It is an interesting counterfactual that takes the greatest issue from the battle, the problem of turning south to flank the Federal army after the first day of Gettysburg, and following it to the authors' conclusion. It is enjoyable for the detail and character development if not the historical issues. Overall, I still feel that Lee is being portrayed in the Lost Cause school of history where he fights for god, country, and honor and can do no wrong. Even after taking Longstreet's suggestion to move to the right, Lee is given credit. While both sides are portrayed as being both merciful and murderous equally, the Lost Cause issue remains with Lee and is a nagging detail that some students of history might find bothersome.

While not giving away the ending, it is interesting to see Lee change his personality three times. On the first day of battle he is the typical Lee we have always read about: determined to fight and attack, forgiving of commanders and overly cautious, after the turn south he resembles Prussian General Helmuth von Moltke, quick to find alternate solutions and hear out suggestions, quick to press the attack if a defensible position is established, and more open to moving alongside troops in battle, where as in the final chapters he is General William T. Sherman, unforgiving of incompetence, quick to lead an action if the sight of him will boost morale, and even uttering Sherman's oft repeated statement likening war to hell.

Read the book, enjoy the book, but afterwards, study the battle and characters to see if you agree with the authors.

Stars in Their Courses : The Gettysburg Campaign, June-July 1863

Average customer rating:

As Good as it gets
"They will attack you in the morning and they will come booming--skirmishers three-deep. You will have to fight like the devil."
A wonderful read, and a sincere search for truth
The Tragedy of Gettysburg
Superb Account of the Gettysburg Campaign

Stars in Their Courses : The Gettysburg Campaign, June-July 1863
Shelby Foote
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Accessories:

Sid Meier's Gettysburg

ASIN: 0679601120
Release Date: 1994-06-28

Amazon.com

Shelby Foote, who cut such a courtly figure in Ken Burns's PBS series The Civil War, is an uncommonly graceful writer as well, and this careful study of the 1863 Gettysburg campaign assumes the contours of a classical tragedy. Foote positions readers on the field of battle itself, among swirling smoke and clattering grapeshot, and invites us to feel for ourselves its hellishness: "men on both sides were hollering as they milled about and fired, some cursing, others praying ... not a commingling of shouts and yells but rather like a vast mournful roar." Foote's fine book is history as literature, and a welcome addition to any Civil War buff's library.

Customer Reviews:

As Good as it gets.......2007-06-27

I could write a long review about how good this book is but that would be a diservice to the author. We lost a great historian when Shelby Foote passed. He was a historian who prefered to be remembered as a novelist. As a proud Vermont Yankee, professional historian, and living historian of that period, I tend to get cranky about revisionist views or the whole Sourthern "lost cause" foolishness. However, Mr. Foote, a proud southerner, wrote about the most important event in our nation's history without the prejudice or regionalism, so many bring to the topic. He could write excellent history and tell the story with the readability of a novelist.

We are poorer for his passing but the body of work he left behind on the Civil War will remain some of the must have items in any serious collection of books about that second birth of our nation.

We'll miss you Shelby but thank you for what you left behind.

"They will attack you in the morning and they will come booming--skirmishers three-deep. You will have to fight like the devil.".......2006-07-04

Heth upon hearing a rumour that Early's men had over looked a suppy of shoes (many of his men were barefooted) when they passed though Gettysburg the week Sent his lead brigade under Johnston Pettigrew to investigate. Johnston Pettigrew returned on thr 30th of June, mindeful of Lee's warning not to bring on a battle till the whole army was at hand, prudently withdrew when he encountered Federal troopers along a creekbank west of town.
Heth still wanted those shoes so he took Pettigrew with him to repeat what he had seen to Hill. Hill responded "The only force at Gettysburg is calvalry, probably a detachment of oberservation. Mead's infantry are still down in Maryland and have not struck their tents." Heth was quick to reply "If there is no objection, I will take my division tommorrow and go to Gettysburg and get those shoes." "None in the world" said Hill.

Thus what started out as a movement for shoes ended in prehaps the most important battle of the War!

Sheby Foote is a master story teller who turns history in to classical literature. He includes many maps to help understand the grand movement of both armies.

Standing in the way of Heth's men to'get those shoes' was John Buford, a tough, Kentucky-born regular with a fondness for hard fighting. Though Hill was correct that at the moment there were only cavalry in Gettysburg, these troops (two brigades) were armed with the new seven shot Spencer carbine. They belong to Reynold's Corps who's infantry were that night camped just six miles from Gettysburg.

What would you do to 'get those shoes'?

*The title is from John Buford addressing his troops on 30 June 1863. "....You will have to fight like the devil until supports arrive."

A wonderful read, and a sincere search for truth.......2006-03-28

Imagine, if you can, a book written by a modern historian that actually seeks the truth. Imagine a book written by a modern historian that is not slanted to promote his/her politics. Imagine a 20th century historian that does not even mention the sexuality (alternative or otherwise), of any historical figures in an entire book.
If you are looking for "the truth" at Gettysburg, "Stars In Their Courses" is for you. Shelby Foote is a fine author, and has written the book in a captivating manner that I highly esteem. Pick this book up and give it a try, one chapter should do the trick. You will have a good feeling afterward that you have learned something worthwhile about American History.

The Tragedy of Gettysburg.......2006-01-22

"Stars in Their Courses" is a superb narrative account of the Battle of Gettysburg, excerpted from Foote's three volume history of the Civil War. Shelby Foote, a novelist and a son of the South before becoming an historian, approaches the Gettysburg Campaign as a tragic human drama, the high tide of Confederate arms for General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and the turning point of redemption for General George Meade's Army of the Potomac.

Foote's account of Gettysburg is absolutely gripping, full of the human details that make those events come alive for the student of the Civil War and the casual reader alike. Foote captures both the heroism of individuals and the sometimes blind blundering of large armies. Gettysburg is not Lee's finest hour; Foote's narrative may be fairly read to show that Lee's normally sure hand was absent over the three days of battle, allowing the Army of Northern Virginia to stumble into an unexpected battle. Lee's desire for a decisive victory and his underestimation of the long-suffering Army of the Potomac probably led him to persist in a clumsy and costly fight his army could not afford.

On the Union side, General Meade seems more driven than a driver of events, but his willingness to fight it out made possible the victory that his various valiant subordinates delivered. Meade's failure to vigorously follow up in the days after the battle probably cost the Union a chance to do much more damage to Lee's Army.

This book is highly recommended to the student of the Civil War and to the casual reader looking for a highly readable account of this critical battle.

Superb Account of the Gettysburg Campaign.......2005-02-06

Shelby Foote's monumental, three volume history of the American Civil War is widely recognized as one of the great works of the twentieth century. However, its great length - roughly three thousand pages - is undoubtedly intimidating to many readers. Fortunately, this 1994 Modern Library edition, Stars in Their Courses, the Gettysburg Campaign, circumvents this difficulty.

Stars in Their Courses is the middle chapter in the middle volume of Shelby Foote's remarkable history. This extract offers an easy way for a reader new to Shelby Foote to become acquainted with his masterpiece.

The editors of the Modern Library series should be commended for selecting this particular chapter. It is hard to imagine a better introduction to the Gettysburg Campaign. Stars in Their Courses is not only great history, it is great literature. Shelby Foote is an outstanding writer, one that happens, fortunately for us, to write history. In reviewing Foote's acclaimed historical narrative, one critic said, "It seems to me unlikely that it ever will be superseded."

Remarkably, Stars in Their Courses is entirely self-contained. A reader not familiar with Shelby Foote's writing would not realize that this Modern Library edition was actually a single chapter drawn from a much larger work. The reader has no need to reference any other sources.

Stars in Their Courses would make an excellent gift for that friend or family member that enjoys good literature, but heretofore has not developed an enthusiasm for the Civil War. The Modern Library edition is attractively bound, and printed on acid-free paper.

Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Killer Angels, would be a great companion gift to Stars in Their Courses. Shaara's focus is on specific participants in the three-day battle, especially Lee, Buford, Longstreet, Chamberlain, and Armistead. The Killer Angels was the basis for the epic movie, Gettysburg.

The Killer Angels: A Novel of the Civil War (Modern Library)

Average customer rating:

Phenomenal!!!
A thoughtful surprise
A great history lesson
Couldn't put it down
A Great Novel

The Killer Angels: A Novel of the Civil War (Modern Library)
Michael Shaara
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0679643249
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Phenomenal!!!.......2007-06-26

I became totally enthralled with the Civil War after reading this masterpiece. His story-telling style caught me off guard and I absolutely flew through this book. Thankfully his son has picked up the torch to complete the finest historical series I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Be sure to read Gods & Generals and Last Full Measure. I was moved to tears on more than one occasion.

A thoughtful surprise.......2007-06-14

I found this book to be insightful and thought provoking. It is chock full of details and antidoted stories. It reads well and was a pleasure to read as a pastime.

A great history lesson.......2007-03-30

The author brings the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War to life in this wonderful novel. He uses the alternating views from the officers of both sides of the conflict, thus making you feel as you are right with them, culminating in the horrific and tragic end of the battle.

There is a whole lot more to the tale than you remember from our history lessons in school (public schools = nothing much learned), and I was truly saddened by the incredible loss of life due to the mistakes of the priveleged few, the generals. No wonder they say Gettysburg is one of the most haunted places in America.

Highly recommended, an entertaining read and an excellent history lesson in the bargain.

Couldn't put it down.......2007-03-26

I don't understand how he did it....but he actually made me feel some sympathy for the South.

A Great Novel.......2007-02-19

This is the greatest novel I have read, maybe ever. You don't have to be a history or Civil War buff to appreciate the human emotions brought out through the story. Very well written; I was drawn into the men's lives and could feel their energy. I felt especially empathetic for Longstreet, towards the final battle, when he really knows (I mean he KNOWS) what is going to happen to his men when they charge up the hill, but he has to give the order to advance anyway. Any writer who can make you feel so strongly for their characters and sit there telling Longstreet not to do it!! then in my opinion, they have created a masterpiece of literature. Bravo.

Plenty of Blame to Go Around: Jeb Stuart's Controversial Ride to Gettysburg

Average customer rating:

JEB's Ride
Plenty of blame, Plenty Good!
Plenty of Blame
Interesting reading just misses the mark
Bravo!

Plenty of Blame to Go Around: Jeb Stuart's Controversial Ride to Gettysburg
Eric J. Wittenberg , and J. David Petruzzi
Manufacturer: Savas Beatie
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1932714200

Book Description

June 1863. The Gettysburg Campaign is in its opening hours. Harness jingles and hoofs pound as Confederate cavalryman James Ewell Brown (JEB) Stuart leads his three brigades of veteran troopers on a ride that triggers one of the Civil War's most bitter and enduring controversies. Instead of finding glory and victory-two objectives with which he was intimately familiar-Stuart reaped stinging criticism and substantial blame for one of the Confederacy's most stunning and unexpected battlefield defeats. In Plenty of Blame to Go Around: Jeb Stuart's Controversial Ride to Gettysburg, Eric J. Wittenberg and J. David Petruzzi objectively investigate the role Stuart's horsemen played in the disastrous campaign. It is the first book ever written on this important and endlessly fascinating subject.

Stuart left Virginia under acting on General Robert E. Lee's discretionary orders to advance into Maryland and Pennsylvania, where he was to screen Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell's marching infantry corps and report on enemy activity. The mission jumped off its tracks from virtually the moment it began when one unexpected event after another unfolded across Stuart's path. For days, neither Lee nor Stuart had any idea where the other was, and the enemy blocked the horseman's direct route back to the Confederate army, which was advancing nearly blind north into Pennsylvania. By the time Stuart reached Lee on the afternoon of July 2, the armies had unexpectedly collided at Gettysburg, the second day's fighting was underway, and one of the campaign's greatest controversies was born.

Did the plumed cavalier disobey Lee's orders by stripping the army of its "eyes and ears?" Was Stuart to blame for the unexpected combat the broke out at Gettysburg on July 1? Authors Wittenberg and Petruzzi, widely recognized for their study and expertise of Civil War cavalry operations, have drawn upon a massive array of primary sources, many heretofore untapped, to fully explore Stuart's ride, its consequences, and the intense debate among participants shortly after the battle, through early post-war commentators, and among modern scholars.

The result is a richly detailed study jammed with incisive tactical commentary, new perspectives on the strategic role of the Southern cavalry, and fresh insights on every horse engagement, large and small, fought during the campaign. About the authors: Eric J. Wittenberg has written widely on Civil War cavalry operations. His books include Glory Enough for All (2002), The Union Cavalry Comes of Age (2003), and The Battle of Monroe's Crossroads and the Civil War's Final Campaign (2005). He lives in Columbus, Ohio.

J. David Petruzzi is the author of several magazine articles on Eastern Theater cavalry operations, conducts tours of cavalry sites of the Gettysburg Campaign, and is the author of the popular "Buford's Boys" website at www.bufordsboys.com. Petruzzi lives in Brockway, Pennsylvania.

Customer Reviews:

JEB's Ride.......2007-09-23

Regardless of what one thinks of JEB Stuart, "Plenty of Blame to Go Around" is worth the time to read. The authors carefully analyze Stuart's part in the Gettysburg campaign using first hand accounts, secondary sources, and "color" commentary from beyond the written word. In regard to the later, I found it most helpful as the authors placed the realities of mounted warfare into the context of Stuart's actions. For instance few first hand accounts discuss how often horses were shod. Such was an action so common, they didn't think to mention it (as we wouldn't mention filling our gas tanks or changing oil in a narrative). Secondary accounts miss this important limitation when discussing what Stuart could or could not have accomplished. The authors here present this and other points that bear on the overall discussion. Interesting and very well written overall. The last few chapters deal directly with the "historiography" of Stuart's ride, and very professionally I might add. Clear distinction is made between the author's opinion and the secondary sources. In the end, the authors don't play their hand early with regard to conclusions. Facts are presented and different interpretations offered, then the authors make their conclusions.

Three points which prevent this from becoming a full five star submission in my opinion. First, the maps presented are not detailed enough to support the text. When I read an historical text, particularly military history, it is rather cumbersome to pull up a modern road map to place things in context of the terrain. Second, the "tour" section at the end should be more inclusive, and deal with more than just the Pennsylvania sites. Lastly, I would prefer the authors to have brought into the discussion more of the action in Loudoun Valley in the week preceding the start of Stuart's ride.

Plenty of blame, Plenty Good!.......2007-05-22

I have read several books on the Stuart/Gettysburg controversy, this one covers all bases and brings into perspective a few new and relatively uncovered issues.
If you've read anythings else this tome will still be worth the read in the way it covers the information.

Plenty of Blame.......2007-05-09

Amazing what I learned about my neighboring area. I have lived in this general area all my life and knew there were civil war events in my area but not to this extent.

The tour listed at the end is one I will be taking. I travel on some of these roads and never knew that troop movements occurred on them.

Recommend this book to anyone interested in civil war history. Strongly recommend it to anyone living in the area, new or long time resident.

Interesting reading just misses the mark.......2007-02-20

I live in the general area where most of the action occurred & learned quite a bit regarding these battles & skirmishes. The book is well written & researched. The continual rehash of whose fault Stuart's delay was (granted this is the central theme of the book but who wants to read the same dispatches over & over?) gets a bit tedious however.

Bravo!.......2007-01-29

Just when you thought there was no more to be added to the Gettysburg saga, this book emerges as one of the best ever. Wittenburg and Petruzzi have done an outstanding job of giving us a different and more detailed look at this important historical event. I am truly mesmerized by this portrait of Civil War history and believe this book will stand as a definitive look at JEB Stuart and his controversial ride. I wish I could give this book more stars than 5! It is truly that good.

Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg (Crown Journeys)

Average customer rating:

A very good tour guide...not a detailed history book
A Short Guide with Substance
Informative, moving, and worthwhile
More than just a walk . . .
Inspiring and Informative

Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg (Crown Journeys)
James M. Mcpherson
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0609610236
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Book Description

“[I]n a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our power to add or detract.”
—President Abraham Lincoln

James M. McPherson, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom, and arguably the finest Civil War historian in the world, walks us through the site of the bloodiest and perhaps most consequential battle ever fought by Americans.

The events that occurred at Gettysburg are etched into our collective memory, as they served to change the course of the Civil War and with it the course of history. More than any other place in the United States, Gettysburg is indeed hallowed ground. It’s no surprise that it is one of the nation’s most visited sites (nearly two million annual visitors), attracting tourists, military buffs, and students of American history.

McPherson, who has led countless tours of Gettysburg over the years, makes stops at Seminary Ridge, the Peach Orchard, Cemetery Hill, and Little Round Top, among other key locations. He reflects on the meaning of the battle, describes the events of those terrible three days in July 1863, and places the struggle in the greater context of American and world history. Along the way, he intersperses stories of his own encounters with the place over several decades, as well as debunking several popular myths about the battle itself.

What brought those 165,000 soldiers—75,000 Confederate, 90,000 Union—to Gettysburg? Why did they lock themselves in such a death grip across these once bucolic fields until 11,000 of them were killed or mortally wounded, another 29,000 were wounded and survived, and about 10,000 were “missing”—mostly captured? What was accomplished by all of this carnage? Join James M. McPherson on a walk across this hallowed ground as he be encompasses the depth of meaning and historical impact of a place that helped define the nation’s character.

Customer Reviews:

A very good tour guide...not a detailed history book.......2007-08-01

It is important not to mistake this book as a detailed history of the battle. It is not intended as such. If you want a detailed history see the series of books by Harry W. Pfanz. Rather, this is a guide for visitors to the battlefield that is clearly written and directs readers to the major points of interest while injecting a series of interesting anecdotes and thought provoking observations. To this end, it is very well done.

A Short Guide with Substance.......2007-07-24

I read James McPherson's "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg" on my recent trip to Gettysburg. Although my visit was only for a day, the book provided a nice overview of the events of the battle. Although not designed to be a an in depth narrative of the entire three days of battle, it provided details for several events and battlefield sites that left me with a good sense of the important features of the battle. This is certainly a useful book for a first time visitor with a limited amount of visiting time.

Informative, moving, and worthwhile.......2007-05-13

HALLOWED GROUND operates on several levels. First, it is a concise history of the Battle of Gettysburg, describing the strategic and tactical decisions of soldiers during this bloody three-day fight, which claimed 50,000 soldiers dead, wounded, or missing. Second, this is a guidebook, which a reader can use to walk the battlefield, using its hundreds of monuments to identify where units fought and the outcomes of their encounters. Finally, the book offers its explanations for such lasting controversies and legends as Pickett's Charge, the forward movement of the Third Corps to the Emmitsburg Road, and the desperate charge of the 20th Maine.

HALLOWED GROUND also has clear maps and many humanizing anecdotes about ordinary soldiers. It ends with Lincoln's Address at the Dedication of the Soldiers Cemetery, which, while eloquent, seemed like a mere footnote to this terrible event. Highly recommended.

More than just a walk . . . .......2007-03-18

Every time I read McPherson I think the same two things: he is a national treasure as his research and knowledge of all aspects of the Civil War, military and non-military alike (political, social, economic et. al.) is unsurpassed by any historian, past or present. I also realize what amazing writing skills he possesses as his ability to communicate facts, ideas, theories is apparent in all of his works. If Professor McPherson takes the time to write something, I will always take the time to read it.

Hallowed Ground is no exception to the above. It follows a different format, still enjoyable and informative, in "walks" from the Crown Journeys Series. I was initially reticent about this short read as, while I have read much of the period, my interests do not lie in the military campaigns of the time but in the political and constitutional questions and theory of this period. McPherson quickly dispelled any of my hesitancy as he walked the reader through Gettysburg. His stories of this epic battle are insightful and highly informative. He dispels myths with dispatch and shortchanges no heroics that some of the more modern and commercially successful writings, novels and documentaries seem to have missed. He places the battle in terrific context. He does not get into speculative writing but does ask the questions rhetorically. The reader is left wondering what McPherson's own beliefs are on the many "what if" of that 4 day period in July 1863. But this book is not about answering the questions, it is about a pivotal event in American history and he handles it with excellence.

As others have commented, not only does it leave one wanting to (re)visit the Gettysbury site but also makes one envy his Priceton students who get the finest guide one can imagine for this trip. Another outstanding work, and a wonderfully easy read, by America's Civil War Historian.

Inspiring and Informative.......2006-11-10

Whether you are a "history geek" like I am, and read every historical marker or you want something to loosely refer to while visiting Gettysburg, "Hallowed ground" is very much like having your very own history professor serve as a travel companion. Beautifully written, James Mcpherson's prose is the perfect travel accompaniment. He shares with you what you need to know to imagine the people and events, but doesn't interrupt your experience with needless "chatter". On more than one occaision, his commentary coupled with what I was seeing, moved me to tears. I toured the battlefield by bike, which worked particularly well with his recommended tour.

The Battle Between the Farm Lanes: Hancock Saves the Union Center: Gettysburg July 2, 1863 (Discovering Civil War America Series, V. 4)

Average customer rating:

Suffers From Lack of Maps
HANCOCK SAVES THE UNION CENTER
Pop-rate Microhistory of Part of the Gettysburg Battle
Walking Gettysburg's Battlefield: Hancock and the Union Center on July 2nd
Excellent addition to Gettysburg history

The Battle Between the Farm Lanes: Hancock Saves the Union Center: Gettysburg July 2, 1863 (Discovering Civil War America Series, V. 4)

Manufacturer: Ironclad
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 0967377072

Book Description

Gettysburg, late afternoon, Thursday, July 2, 1863.

The Union left wing is a shambles. General Dan Sickles has been carried from the field with a gruesome wound and his Third Corps is in full retreat.

Confederate troops cross the Emmitsburg Road and advance on the center of the Union position. There is no coherent Union line, just two-thirds of an over-extended Second Corps scattered the length of Cemetery Ridge. A desperate Winfield Scott Hancock organizes a defense, placing artillery batteries, hurling regiments forward, trading men for time. It is a masterful performance under extreme conditions.

The Union and Confederate forces collide in Plum Run Ravine. More than at any other point in the three days of fighting, the issue hangs in the balance. This great battle is reduced to less than an acre of ground.

This book pays close attention to the terrain, how it shaped the battle, how it dictated the movement of troops and how it guided Hancock's decisions. The thrilling narrative and the detailed driving and walking tour make it a must for both casual and serious students of the battle.

Customer Reviews:

Suffers From Lack of Maps.......2007-09-29

This book addresses an important part of the Battle of Gettysburg. Unfortunately, the maps are woefully deficient, which detracts from the book's effectiveness.

HANCOCK SAVES THE UNION CENTER.......2007-03-11

The author does an excellent job of describing the activities of Hancock as they relate to the Union defenses on Day 2 at Gettysburg. He was willing to give credit to units other than the 1st Minnesota in the stopping of Barksdale's Brigade,e.g., the 111th New York. Most of the credit seems to go to the 1st Minnesota. They suffered the highest percentage of casualties but not the highest number. Had Hancock not been all over the battlefield the outcome could have been different or there could have been more Union casualties. I highly recommend the book for those interested in accounts of specific parts of the battlefield.

Pop-rate Microhistory of Part of the Gettysburg Battle.......2007-02-24

Most books now published relative to the Battle of Gettysburg are "microhistories", focusing in on small segments of the whole, exploring those segments in great detail. "The Battle between the Farm Lanes" is such a microhistory, examining a crucial moment during the second day of fighting at Gettysburg. The Confederate successes at the Peach Orchard and the Wheatfield and their failure at Little Round Top during the grand assault on the Union left on July 2, 1863, are well-known and well-documented in many works. Less familiar is the story of how the Union Army of the Potomac brought the Confederate onslaught to a halt and preserved the integrity of their main position along Cemetary Ridge. "The Battle between the Farm Lanes" is the story of how the Army of the Potomac brought the Confederate advance to a halt and turned it back. The authors carefully examine the role of Winfield Scott Hancock (commander of the Federal Second Corps) in directing that Union effort, and they give him high marks for saving the Army of the Potomac from grievous defeat. But they do not neglect Hancock's subordinate commanders in how they carried out his orders and performed heroically on the battlefield. "The Battle between the Farm Lanes" is a volume that belongs on the shelves of anyone seriously interested in Gettysburg, and it provides a a vivid look at Civil War combat on the infantry regiment and artillery battery level.

Walking Gettysburg's Battlefield: Hancock and the Union Center on July 2nd.......2007-02-20

The Battle Between the Farm Lanes: Hancock Saves the Union Center, Gettysburg July 2nd 1863, David Schultz and David Wieck, Forward by Jeffery Wert
301 pages, paperbound, endnotes, bibliography, index, Ironclad Press, 2006.

Paying close attention to the physical terrain of the battlefield, Schultz and Wieck offer an important re-visitation to familar material regarding the 'close run thing' of the Union center between 5:00 and 7:00pm on July 2nd 1863. A great amount of detail is offered and succesfully puts into context the charge of the 1st Minnesota, which in popular treatments of the battle, is second only to the 20th Maine's heroics on Little Round Top.

The authors make clear that the glory the 1st Minnesota gained during the charge was with the aid of the 111th New York infantry, commanded by Colonel Clinton MacDougall and the 4th U.S. Artillery, Battery C, commanded by Lt. Evan Thomas. The flanks of the 1st Minnesota were aided by artillery on the right, and on the left by a infantry charge immediately before the Minnesotans effort. The 111th New York was one of the three regiments that was unfairly lableled as the 'Harper's Ferry Cowards' stemming from an unfortunate command decision during the Sharpsburg Campaign of 1862.

The personality and presence of Winfield S. Hancock is a recurring theme in every chapter. He is the single most decisive element in the preservation of the Federal center along Cemetery Ridge. Lacking from the discussion is a description of Hancock's staff, which in this micro-history, would have been enlightening and enjoyable. This reader finished the the book thinking that Hancock was unaccompanied by couriers, advisors, and aides as he rode between the farmslanes during the afternoon of July 2nd.

Yet, there are some difficulties with this book. The size of the type font must be 18 point or larger. Initially I thought the publisher had sent me the Large Print edition for the visually impaired. There was a period of adjustment for my eyes to accommodate such large text. Also, some printer/publisher proofreading needed to be done before setting this book between its covers. The pages listed for the maps in the table of contents does not match with the actual page locations of the maps in the book. Also, the maps do not have the farmsteads labled which is a curious thing for a book that has the word 'farmlanes' in its title. Only one map, Tour Stop # 5, has a farm building labled. The maps have on them only the modern park roads and not the 1863 farmlanes. Furthermore, it would have been convienent for the reader if the publisher put a few maps in the first section of the book that describes the 1863 fighting. All the maps are in the second section of the book that describes the modern driving and walking tour.

In addition, the portaits of officers do not have their units in the captions. Lacking is a picture of Colonel William J. Colville (1st Minnesota) though it is located in the Library of Congress. At times the writing style doesn't carry the narrative consistenly forward. A favorite expression of the authors is 'by the time . . .' but there is very few statements of time in the book. Of course, given the fact that the book covers about two hours of fighting, the reader does not expect a minute by minute account, but an estimation of the range time, such as the phrase '. . .about 3:30pm . . .' or ' . . . probably sometime between 4:00pm and 4:30pm . . .' would have helped.

From the bibliography is missing Richard Moe's highly regarded 'The Last Full Measure: The Life and Death of the First Minnesota Volunteers.' Missing from the book are appendices at the end of the book; especially helpful would have been an Union and Confederate order of battle of those units on the field at the Union center. There is an appendix which offers an essay on measuring the ground on which the fight occurred; the appendix is located in the middle of the book, between the narrative and the tour.

Though mechanically the book has its flaws, overall the discussion it offers is enlightening and clearly presented.

Excellent addition to Gettysburg history.......2007-02-09

Ironclad Publishing continues to bring affordable high quality Civil War histories to the public as part of The Discovering Civil War America Series. This is the fourth excellent book in the series the others are:
Protecting the Flank: The Battles for Brinkerhoff's Ridge and East Cavalry Field
A Little Short of Boats: The Fights at Ball's Bluff and Edwards Ferry
"No Such Army since the Days of Julius Caesar" Sherman's Carolinas Campaign: from Fayetteville to Averasboro
Each is a paperback book of 200 to 300 pages, with illustrations, maps, index, bibliography and notes. Each book is a very good introductory to intermediate account of the subject and is about the best buy available in Civil War history.
July 2, 1863 at Gettysburg is my candidate for most written about event in the Civil War. The Pickett's Charge is the other event that could be considered for this status. Do we need/want another book about this well covered event? Considering the work of Coddington and Pfranz this is a very valid question. Some of you may not consider buying this book as you have the mentioned volumes in your library.
While this is a valid consideration, I feel that you will lose a unique view of this action. Most accounts focus on the Confederate side of Longstreet's' attack. The Union response while not slighted has not gotten equal coverage. Unintentionally, this promotes the idea that Longstreet's attack ran out of gas as darkness ends this very long day.
Shultz and Wieck focus on Hancock's responses on July 2nd. Starting with the arrival of his Corps and deployment thru the end of the day, with the attack broken and the Union line intact. Sickles unauthorized advance that weakens the Union left complicate Hancock's task. Sickles being out of position and trying to defend to long a line forces Hancock to reinforce to him. As the battle moves into Hancock's area, he no longer has a full Corps and must cover Sickles area too.
This book is a detailed history of how Hancock held. Riding from crisis to crisis, meeting threat after threat, we come to understand the wrenching decisions he makes. The 19th Main, the 1st Minnesota, the Harpers Ferry Cowards and Turnbull's Battery march and fight across the pages. Each of these actions is detailed and placed within the larger action, allowing us to understand the unique dangers and contributions these units made.
This is a well written easy to read account of the Union response. One of the nicer items is a detailed tour of the area. This allows the reader to visit and understand the why to much of the actions. This book is a valuable addition to your Gettysburg library and highly recommended.

Gettysburg, Then & Now: Touring the Battlefield With Old Photos

Average customer rating:

Gettysburg, Then & Now: Touring the Battlefield With Old Photos
Amazing!!
Gettysburg, Then and Now
Excellent book.
Interesting Companion for Touring Battlefield

Gettysburg, Then & Now: Touring the Battlefield With Old Photos
William A. Frassanito
Manufacturer: Thomas Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

Sid Meier's Gettysburg

ASIN: 1577470036

Book Description

This tour of historic sites on the Gettysburg battlefield and surrounding area offers both a glimpse into the past as well as modern views of each photographic site. Includes previously unpublished views of the field.

Customer Reviews:

Gettysburg, Then & Now: Touring the Battlefield With Old Photos.......2007-05-13

Enjoyed looking back on how it was then to how it is now.

Amazing!!.......2007-03-26

You have to purchase both books "Then & Now" and "Then & Now Companion" to get the true meaning of how wonderful these books are. Although Gettysburg has changed very much in recent years, you could still use both books to find the exact spot in the photographs. Can't get more "authentic" then that!

Gettysburg, Then and Now.......2007-03-16

Very interesting book looking at contemporary photos and seeing what they look like now.

Excellent book........2002-08-04

Great book. So is the Then and Now Companion book. Agree totally with the other reviews here.

Interesting Companion for Touring Battlefield.......2002-01-14

Our family toured the Gettysburg Battlefield last summer for the first time. Although I'd been told that great effort has been made to preserve/return the battlefield to as close to its original appearance as possible, it was very hard to imagine what it looked like in 1863 because today it is so peppered with monuments, roads and tourists. I've seen a few pictures of Gettysburg from the 19th century with comparison modern photographs, but this book is by far the most comprehensive using this approach. I would have loved to have had this book along with us on our trip. It has a very clear map that shows not only the most popular sites on the standard driving tour but also the location of where each photograph in this book was taken and in which direction the camera was pointing. Six months later, it's been fun to reimagine our tour while looking at the photographs. Frassanito's book will definitely be in our backpack the next time we visit the battlefield. Without doubt, it will increase our imaginative powers as we try to envision what Gettysburg was like during those fateful days in July, 1863.

Twilight at Little Round Top: July 2, 1863- The Tide Turns at Gettysburg

Average customer rating:

When the author sticks to the battlefield narrative, this is a 5 star book...
Worth Every Page
The Soldier's View with Reflections on the War and the Battle
Little Round Top
DEATH at DUSK on a GLOOMY SLOPE

Twilight at Little Round Top: July 2, 1863- The Tide Turns at Gettysburg
Glen W. LaFantasie
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471462314

Book Description

THE BATTLE OF LITTLE ROUND TOP AS IT HAS NEVER BEFORE SEEN-THROUGH THE EYES OF THE SOLDIERS WHO FOUGHT THERE

"Here is the real story of the epic fight for Little Round Top, shorn of the mythology long obscuring this pivotal Gettysburg moment. A vivid and eloquent book." —Stephen W. Sears, author of Gettysburg

"Little Round Top has become iconic in Civil War literature and American memory. In the emotional recollection of our great war, if there was one speck on the landscape that decided a battle and the future of a nation, then surely this was it. The story of the July 2, 1863 struggle for that hill outside Gettysburg goes deeper into our consciousness than that, however. The men who fought for it then and there believed it to be decisive, and that is why they died for it. Glenn W. LaFantasie's Twilight at Little Round Top addresses that epic struggle, how those warriors felt then and later, and their physical and emotional attachment to a piece of ground that linked them forever with their nation's fate. This is military and social history at its finest." —W.C. Davis, author of Lincoln's Men and An Honorable Defeat

"Few military episodes of the Civil War have attracted as much attention as the struggle for Little Round Top on the second day of Gettysburg. This judicious and engaging book navigates confidently through a welter of contradictory testimony to present a splendid account of the action. It also places events on Little Round Top, which often are exaggerated, within the broader sweep of the battle. All readers interested in the battle of Gettysburg will read this book with enjoyment and profit." —Gary W. Gallagher, author of The Confederate War

"In his beautifully written narrative, Glenn LaFantasie tells the story of the battle for Little Round Top from the perspective of the soldiers who fought and died in July 1863. Using well-chosen quotes from a wide variety of battle participants, TWILIGHT puts the reader in the midst of the fight—firing from behind boulders with members of the 4th Alabama, running up the hillside into battle with the men of the 140th New York, and watching in horror as far too many men die. This book offers an elegy to the courage of those men, a meditation on the meaning of war, and a cautionary tale about the sacrifices nations ask of their soldiers and the causes for which those sacrifices are needed." —Amy Kinsel, Winnrer of the 1993 Allan Nevins Prize for From These Honored Dead: Gettysburg in American Culture

Customer Reviews:

When the author sticks to the battlefield narrative, this is a 5 star book..........2007-03-22

This is one of the best and most well written accounts on the battle of Little Round Top to date, that is, when the author's narrative sticks to the events of the battlefield and the personal accounts of soldier's battlefield experiences, instead of interjecting what seems to be his own feelings regarding the issues surrounding what brought about the Civil War.

He beats to death the slavery angle like a dead horse, over and over again. That's why I have to give it 3 stars for some of the chapters and 5 stars for others. The author has a habit of continually overemphasizing the evilness of slavery and how bad and contradictory the Confederate soldier was to the point where at times I felt like screaming "ENOUGH ALREADY!"

How annoying it was...and I was born and raised in the North! In Pennsylvania!

While it's important to note that slavery did become one of the issues, there are other works done on Southern history that contribute more to the whole story such as The Politically Incorrect Guide to the South by Clint Johnson, Charles Adam's "In the Course of Human Events" or any of James Ronald Kennedy's works. To the unlearned Civil War reader some of the author's misleading statements and personal opinions can be taken for fact.

Old Honest Abe wasn't all that honest and Robert E. Lee wasn't the Antichrist...Do your research people!

What's refreshing about this book is that it doesn't overemphasize the 20th Maine & Joshua Chamberlain, thankfully. Enough of them already too!
We learn there were others who also contributed greatly, some with their lives,to this great Union victory in July of 1863.

Overall, this is well researched and well written account of the battle of Little Round Top.

Worth Every Page.......2007-01-30

I can't contribute as many words as the other reviewers have, but I can tell you that after reading many books about Gettysburg and the Civil War, this book was a real treat. The author puts forth some great theories about what happened to these men on July 2 and what motivated them to make the ultimate sacrifice. Even if you have read "them all", this one will captivate you. I went back to Gettysburg last Saturday just to see Little Round Top again after reading this book. It made the trip even more worthwhile than any of my other visits. You won't be sorry.

The Soldier's View with Reflections on the War and the Battle .......2006-08-31

LaFantasie writes a compact book that concentrates on the attack and defense of Little Round top providing a soldier's view of the most engaging fight at Gettysburg through their letters and post war comments. Of course, he includes reflections by the notable officers involved particularly Colonel Oates of the 15th Alabama and Chamberlain of the 20th Maine. Thus, the personal histories offer a realistic feel for this deadly battle that ensued on the most dramatic landscape at Gettysburg. You have to agree with the author that virtually everyone that went into this battle was without a doubt a brave man. An example of the realism is the comments of a member of the 15th Alabama who advances to attack the forces on Little Round Top but becomes pinned down behind a large boulder due to the union fusillade of bullets. His options are severely limited; he can only move forward with his seven colleagues when the fire slackens or they must find an opportunity to get away. There are countless reference of charges of Little Round Top by the confederates but due to the noise of battle and limited line of sight, it seems that there is no definitive clear count of attacks on Little Round Top. After the initial push, additional attacks seem to be made by companies and platoons. On the union side, dramatic decisions are made to defend Little Round Top, pushing cannon up by hand more to make psychological noise due to the inability to depress barrels low enough to strike the attacking enemy while Vincent's line keeps a horrific, effective and continuous fire that has great effect. There is a fairly detailed description of the well-known confrontation between the 15th Alabama and the 20th Maine as Chamberlain refuses his left to stem a desperate flanking attack by the 15th. Through these personal perspectives, you see that many confederates were frustrated with their leadership in making an exhaustive attack across broken ground while a junior officer later questions the depth of Chamberlain's role that although heroic may have stepped beyond allowable embellishment. The latter part of the book consists of the participants view of the third day from their perspective but primarily offers social commentary on the significance of the battle and in particular the depth of loss on both sides. The loss of Oates' brother is particularly poignant as he, like General Garnett in Pickett's (Longstreet's) Charge, was truly too ill to participate in the attack but loses his life making the attempt. Pfanz's "Gettysburg: The Second Day" provides more overall detail as part of his great trilogy but LaFantasie provides a perspective of the battle from the soldier's view and after reading again about this unique and boulder filled rough ground, I plan to return to Gettysburg once again to walk through Devil's Den and stand next to Warren' s statue on Little Round Top and this time try to find where Vincent fell and the location of the refused left of the 20th Maine.

Little Round Top.......2006-04-21

The Battle of Little Round Top and the courage of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine have exercised a hold on many Americans understanding of the battle of Gettysburg. Chamberlain's role became viewed as larger-than-life following Michael Scharra's novel, "The Killer Angels" and its subsequent television and movie adaptations. A degree of reaction has set in, as some historians question the significance of Little Round Top to the outcome of Gettysburg and the legendary status accorded to Chamberlain.

Glenn Lafantasie's "Twilight at Little Round Top" presents an account of this celebrated battle that manages to be both heroic and gripping as well as sober and balanced. LaFantasie is a former historian at the State Department who has written extensively on the Civil War. He has read and thought about the extensive literature on Little Round Top to produce a reflective study.

The most notable aspect of LaFantasie's study is the variety of perspectives he conveys. At times, LaFantasie speaks in the voice of various soldiers who participated in the battle, both Union and Confederate. We learn about historically obscure infantrymen and their motivations, their lives before the War and thereafter. We also see a great deal of the officers who became famous on Little Round Top. LaFantasie gives the reader a great deal of Chamberlain, but he shows the reader the many other heroes as well. Before the recent focus on Chamberlain, Briagadier General Gouverneur Warren was regarded as the "Savior of Little Round Top", and LaFantasie gives him a great deal of sympathetic attention. Strong Vincent, Paddy O'Rourke, and Stephen Weed, all of whom repulsed assaults on Little Round Top at least as forceful as the assaults Chamberlain faced, are given the attention they deserve. Unlike Chamberlain, these heroes died on Little Round Top. LaFantasie also gives the reader a thorough, human portrait of Chamberlain's assailant, Colonel William Oates who led his Alabama troops in assaults against the far left of the Union line.

LaFantasie also includes a great deal of broad meditiation on the meaning of the battle. He has long sections discussing the nature of freedom and liberty, as they were understood by North and South. He also has a long chapter on suffering and on human death, resulting from the struggle over the small hill. LaFantasie argues that Americans we compelled to change their understanding of death when faced with the carnage of the Civil War. LaFantasie also emphasizes the heroism of the soldiers in the fight for Little Round Top and finds that their actions outweigh those of their famous commanders. He concludes that the soldiers on both sides, who charged and defended the hill with valor and with virtually superhuman endurance, were the true heroes of the battle.

LaFantasie does not overemphasize the role of Little Round Top and the eventual outcome at the battle of Gettysburg, but neither does he minimize it, as do some recent writers. He shows an excellent grasp of the battle as a whole by placing events at Little Round Top in the context of the events of the first day and in the context of the Confederate leadership's patchwork, changing, and uncoordianted plans for July 2. He points out that the second day of the battle, rather than the third with Pickett's charge, was the true high water mark of the Confederacy. He points out how the Union's ability to hold Little Round Top restricted Lee's options for the third day of the battle -- it foreclosed his desired attack on the Union left and led him to what proved to be his disastrous assault on the Union center followed by the retreat from Gettysburg.

Readers with an interest and some background in the battle of Gettysburg will enjoy LaFantasie's study of Little Round Top.

DEATH at DUSK on a GLOOMY SLOPE.......2005-09-24

The author, Glenn L. LaFantasie, in the PREFACE notes "In the end, the Union triumph on Little Round Top set the stage for the battle that was to be fought on the following day, July 3, because Federal possession of the hill meant that General Robert E. Lee's options for further attacks against the defensive line of the Army of the Potomac would be by necessity severely limited." Unlike many works on the fight for Little Round Top, the text does not overemphasize the strategy differences between Lee and Longstreet, but rather gives a clear account of one of the bloodiest five hours of combat during the Civil War.

As to the question why Gettysburg; the text notes that as Lee saw things, he had two choices in the late spring of 1863: either retire on Richmond and stand a siege which ultimately he could not win or carry the war into Pennsylvania with a chance for victory. The book notes several critical flaws in the planned attack of July 2nd: fatally flawed Confederate reconnaissance of the Union left leading Lee to assume that no Federals occupied the ground to be attacked; and patchwork planning by Lee with the attendant bickering between Lee and Longstreet. A succinct account is given of the fighting leading up to the battle for Little Round Top. Union errors were made as well as Confederate mistakes. Most amazing was Union General Daniel Sickles unauthorized move to the Peach Orchard thereby creating a gap in the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. The result could have been disastrous had not Confederate General Longstreet approached the Peach Orchard. The author writes "So by pure luck, and through the fortitude of the troops in blue would give their blood to hold back Longstreet's onslaught that afternoon, Sickles could later claim to be the hero of the day, the savior of the Union." For this Sickles was later awarded the Medal of Honor which many Union Generals condemned as Sickles' action was deemed insubordinate, irresponsible, and murderous in its effect. The text provides a compact account of the fighting preceding Little Round Top in an area later referred to as "The Valley of Death."

LaFantasie states "Technical improvements in weapons ....had far surpassed tactics, making this Civil War a modern war, and a particularly bloody and deadly one..." At twilight, over a five hour period, numerous assaults were made to dislodge the Federals from the summit of Little Round Top. Union Captain Judson later described the combat "It was a death grapple in which assailant and assailed seemed resolved to win or fall in the struggle. The enemy [Confederates] had everything to gain if they carried the position; everything to lose if they failed." The author gives an excellent account of this deadly combat that finally ended at deep dusk when Colonel Chamberlain and the 20th Maine's bayonet charge forced the Confederates off the hill. The casualties for both sides was staggering; the Confederates suffered 35 percent casualties in the fight while the price paid by the Army of the Potomac for defending Little Round Top was very high. The narrative of Little Round Top concludes with an account of the misery the troops of both armies suffered during the night following the battle. A very short account of the fighting on July 3rd is given, where Lee's assault on the center of Meade's line failed which was followed by Lee's retreat back to Virginia.

The book gives some interesting companion material on Civil War combat. Letters of condolences usually stated the "...soldier had died a good death that is, a death with specific purpose, a death that at once revealed the religious faith, the innate goodness, the inspiring last words, and the brimming patriotism of the fallen." Regarding death the author writes "Soldiers became resigned to the fact that God would either protect them or single them out for sacrifice....Soldiers found comfort in maintaining their antebellum ideas of death and their faith in a Christian God." The book concludes with an EPILOGUE that gives brief accounts of a few of the survivors of Little Round Top. Most interesting is that Union General Gouverneur Warren was known as "The Savior of Little Round Top" until the rise in popularity (from TV, movies, a book) of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in the 1990s.

Some readers may take issue with statements in the EPILOGUE about Robert E. Lee. However, overall this is a well researched, well written account of what arguably was the most critical combat of the Civil War battle at Gettysburg.

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