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They Met At Gettysburg - A Step-by-step Retelling Of The Battle With Maps, Photos, Firsthand Accounts
A string of Confederate victories at Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville led to the June 1863 invasion of Pennsylvania by the Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1956
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About the author
Edward J. Stackpole
39 books5 followersEdward J. Stackpole Jr. was an American newspaper publisher, businessman, author and military officer from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. A veteran of World War I and World War II, he attained the rank of major general, and was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, Legion of Merit, and Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters.
Stackpole was a native of Harrisburg, and was raised and educated in Harrisburg. He attended Harrisburg Academy and graduated from Yale University in 1915. After attending Citizens' Military Training Camps in 1915 and 1916, in 1917 he received his commission as a second lieutenant. He served with the Pennsylvania National Guard's 110th Infantry Regiment during the First World War, and received the Distinguished Service Cross and three awards of the Purple Heart. He continued to rise through the ranks of the National Guard and attained the rank of brigadier general in 1933, and major general in 1940. During the interwar years, his command assignments included the 104th Cavalry Regiment, 52nd Cavalry Brigade, and 22nd Cavalry Division.
During the Second World War, Stackpole accepted reduction in rank to brigadier general to enter active duty, and commanded the 56th Infantry Brigade, a unit of the 28th Infantry Division. Stackpole was subsequently assigned to lead the Panama Security Command, which staffed and managed early warning stations on the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the Panama Canal to guard the canal from attack by the Axis powers. He later performed special duty on the War Department staff, and his wartime service was recognized with award of the Legion of Merit. After the war, he commanded the 28th Infantry Division during its reorganization as a Pennsylvania National Guard unit, and was again promoted to major general. He retired from the military in 1947, and in 1956 was promoted to lieutenant general on Pennsylvania's retired list.
In his civilian career, Stackpole was president of the Telegraph Press, which published the Harrisburg Telegraph. He was also president of the Stackpole Company book publishing firm, WHP Radio, and the Military Service Publishing Company, a publisher of military texts and training manuals. He was a director of American Aviation Publications, the Harrisburg Trust Company, the Harrisburg Hotel Company, and the Penn-Harris Hotel Company. As a civic activist, Stackpole was president of the board of trustees of the Pennsylvania School for Children of Veterans, and a member of the board of the Harrisburg Hospital and the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce.
Stackpole was also an author who specialized in historical works about the American Civil War. He died in Harrisburg on October 1, 1967. Stackpole was buried at Harrisburg Cemetery in Harrisburg.
Stackpole was a native of Harrisburg, and was raised and educated in Harrisburg. He attended Harrisburg Academy and graduated from Yale University in 1915. After attending Citizens' Military Training Camps in 1915 and 1916, in 1917 he received his commission as a second lieutenant. He served with the Pennsylvania National Guard's 110th Infantry Regiment during the First World War, and received the Distinguished Service Cross and three awards of the Purple Heart. He continued to rise through the ranks of the National Guard and attained the rank of brigadier general in 1933, and major general in 1940. During the interwar years, his command assignments included the 104th Cavalry Regiment, 52nd Cavalry Brigade, and 22nd Cavalry Division.
During the Second World War, Stackpole accepted reduction in rank to brigadier general to enter active duty, and commanded the 56th Infantry Brigade, a unit of the 28th Infantry Division. Stackpole was subsequently assigned to lead the Panama Security Command, which staffed and managed early warning stations on the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the Panama Canal to guard the canal from attack by the Axis powers. He later performed special duty on the War Department staff, and his wartime service was recognized with award of the Legion of Merit. After the war, he commanded the 28th Infantry Division during its reorganization as a Pennsylvania National Guard unit, and was again promoted to major general. He retired from the military in 1947, and in 1956 was promoted to lieutenant general on Pennsylvania's retired list.
In his civilian career, Stackpole was president of the Telegraph Press, which published the Harrisburg Telegraph. He was also president of the Stackpole Company book publishing firm, WHP Radio, and the Military Service Publishing Company, a publisher of military texts and training manuals. He was a director of American Aviation Publications, the Harrisburg Trust Company, the Harrisburg Hotel Company, and the Penn-Harris Hotel Company. As a civic activist, Stackpole was president of the board of trustees of the Pennsylvania School for Children of Veterans, and a member of the board of the Harrisburg Hospital and the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce.
Stackpole was also an author who specialized in historical works about the American Civil War. He died in Harrisburg on October 1, 1967. Stackpole was buried at Harrisburg Cemetery in Harrisburg.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 1, 2012
I enjoyed "They Met At Gettysburg". I've studied the Civil War pretty extensively, but much of my reading has been about the Trans-Mississippi and western war. I only briefly studied the big battles of the east in college. I grabbed this book to help expand my knowledge to a more full picture.
This book gives a great overview of the major players of the battle on both sides with particular emphasis on Lee and Meade. It draws mainly from secondary sources to paint an overall picture of both commanders' leadership style. This is not a minute by minute account of the tactical actions. It's more of a strategic overview. It kept me interested because I've never been overly interested in blow by blow looks at major battles unless they come from the line soldier's point of view. I liked the style of this story and how it was told.
There are maps and pictures throughout the book. I found them very hard to read on a Kindle. In a paperback, they would be interesting. I love to read maps and see pictures as I go through a history book and was disappointed that I couldn't see any details. I must have picked up this book on a free promotion because I see it's now $9 on Kindle. I wouldn't pay that for it on Kindle. It is worth the regular price in paperback to me.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in learning a bit about a pivotal battle of the American Civil War and the commanders who engineered it.
This book gives a great overview of the major players of the battle on both sides with particular emphasis on Lee and Meade. It draws mainly from secondary sources to paint an overall picture of both commanders' leadership style. This is not a minute by minute account of the tactical actions. It's more of a strategic overview. It kept me interested because I've never been overly interested in blow by blow looks at major battles unless they come from the line soldier's point of view. I liked the style of this story and how it was told.
There are maps and pictures throughout the book. I found them very hard to read on a Kindle. In a paperback, they would be interesting. I love to read maps and see pictures as I go through a history book and was disappointed that I couldn't see any details. I must have picked up this book on a free promotion because I see it's now $9 on Kindle. I wouldn't pay that for it on Kindle. It is worth the regular price in paperback to me.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in learning a bit about a pivotal battle of the American Civil War and the commanders who engineered it.
July 26, 2024
This was kinda like your grandfather sitting you down and telling you about the battle of Gettysburg if your grandfather was also a retired general.
June 10, 2012
They Met at Gettysburg lives up to its billing as a step by step account of the battle from the beginning of Jun 1863 when Lee starts seriously planning the invasion of the North to mid July 1863 when the battered Army of Northern Virginia crsosses the Potomac back into the Confederacy. I give it 3 Stars but any serious student of the Civil War should have this on the shelf. And anyone beginning a study of Gettysburg will find it a good outline from which to begin. But it is a book, written by a general, about the generals on both sides. Also some of the book involves logistics and movements of the forces, very dry.
What makes the book a permanent Civil War shelf acquisition is the original sources and seamless melding of the tactical, strategic and political movements going on. You peer into Lincoln's thinking on conduct of the war as well as many of the generals as they meet on the battlefield. Many original sources are cited and quoted, which I like. It was also a surprisingly fast and easy read, yet thorough in covering all the major players and movements, battles, etc. Some battles were revealed I was not aware of.
Gen Stackpole knows his stuff but does adhere to the conventional assessment that Meade was simply lucky (fate) while Lee was unlucky. The author is not shy in assessing motives of many of the players, I would keep an open mind as there are different interpretations.
Some accounts are priceless. Lincoln's letter to Meade after the battle and the failure to attack Lee while in retreat is excellent and shows how clearly Lincoln understood military strategy. While there is not a lot of troop level accounts of the battle, there are a few passages that bring home the terrible cost of war.
Gen Imboden was charged by Lee with getting the wounded and the supply trains back to Virginia. His account of the Confederate wagontrain in the retreat from Gettysburg:
After dark I set out from Cashtown to gain the
head of the column during the night. My orders had
been peremptory that there should be no halt for any
cause whatever. If an accident should happen to any
vehicle, it was immediately to be put out of the road
and abandoned. The column moved rapidly, considering
the rough roads and the darkness, and from
almost every wagon for many miles issued heart-
rending wails of agony. For four hours I hurried forward
on my way to the front, and in all that time I
was never out of hearing of the groans and cries of
the wounded and dying. Scarcely one in a hundred
had received adequate surgical aid, owing to the demands
on the hard-working surgeons from still worse
cases that had to be left behind. Many of the wounded
in the wagons had been without food for thirty-six
hours. Their torn and bloody clothing, matted and
hardened, was rasping the tender, inflamed, and still
oozing wounds. Very few of the wagons had even a
layer of straw in them, and all were without springs.
The road was rough and rocky from the heavy washings
of the preceding day. The jolting was enough
to have killed strong men, if long exposed to it. From
nearly every wagon as the teams trotted on, urged by
whip and shout, came such cries and shrieks as
these:
“O God! Why can’t I die?”
“My God! will no one have mercy and kill me?”
“Stop! Oh! for God’s sake, stop just for one minute;
take me out and leave me to die on the roadside.”
What makes the book a permanent Civil War shelf acquisition is the original sources and seamless melding of the tactical, strategic and political movements going on. You peer into Lincoln's thinking on conduct of the war as well as many of the generals as they meet on the battlefield. Many original sources are cited and quoted, which I like. It was also a surprisingly fast and easy read, yet thorough in covering all the major players and movements, battles, etc. Some battles were revealed I was not aware of.
Gen Stackpole knows his stuff but does adhere to the conventional assessment that Meade was simply lucky (fate) while Lee was unlucky. The author is not shy in assessing motives of many of the players, I would keep an open mind as there are different interpretations.
Some accounts are priceless. Lincoln's letter to Meade after the battle and the failure to attack Lee while in retreat is excellent and shows how clearly Lincoln understood military strategy. While there is not a lot of troop level accounts of the battle, there are a few passages that bring home the terrible cost of war.
Gen Imboden was charged by Lee with getting the wounded and the supply trains back to Virginia. His account of the Confederate wagontrain in the retreat from Gettysburg:
After dark I set out from Cashtown to gain the
head of the column during the night. My orders had
been peremptory that there should be no halt for any
cause whatever. If an accident should happen to any
vehicle, it was immediately to be put out of the road
and abandoned. The column moved rapidly, considering
the rough roads and the darkness, and from
almost every wagon for many miles issued heart-
rending wails of agony. For four hours I hurried forward
on my way to the front, and in all that time I
was never out of hearing of the groans and cries of
the wounded and dying. Scarcely one in a hundred
had received adequate surgical aid, owing to the demands
on the hard-working surgeons from still worse
cases that had to be left behind. Many of the wounded
in the wagons had been without food for thirty-six
hours. Their torn and bloody clothing, matted and
hardened, was rasping the tender, inflamed, and still
oozing wounds. Very few of the wagons had even a
layer of straw in them, and all were without springs.
The road was rough and rocky from the heavy washings
of the preceding day. The jolting was enough
to have killed strong men, if long exposed to it. From
nearly every wagon as the teams trotted on, urged by
whip and shout, came such cries and shrieks as
these:
“O God! Why can’t I die?”
“My God! will no one have mercy and kill me?”
“Stop! Oh! for God’s sake, stop just for one minute;
take me out and leave me to die on the roadside.”
September 23, 2018
There are a ton of books on the battle of Gettysburg. I own ten books that are solely about the battle and numerous others that cover the whole war, devote significant pages to the battle of Gettysburg.
My favorite is Gettysburg: A Battlefield Guide by Mark Grimsley and Brooks D. Simpson. This book, part of the This Hallowed Ground: Guides to Civil War Battlefields has made two trips to Gettysburg and is, in my opinion, the best practical book on the battle. One comes away with a definitive understanding of that crucial battle.
The battle is crucial because it turned the tide—that phrase has almost been worn out by its overuse, but is nonetheless true. When July 4, 1863 dawned the Army of Northern Virginia had suffered a rare defeat and the Union forces had captured Vicksburg on the Mississippi River; Lincoln would quip, when told of the victory in Vicksburg, that "the father of waters flows unvexed to the sea." The effect of these two events was devastating on the morale of the South. Like a boxer taking an uppercut to the jaw, they were reeling and would never really recover.
They Met at Gettysburg by Edward J. Stackpole, is probably my second favorite book on the battle (though in close competition with Beneath a Northern Sky by Steven Woodworth). The former was written in 1956 and does not have the benefit of later scholarship that the Woodworth book has.
Nevertheless, Stackpole does a good job of filling in details that others have neglected in their accounts. Chapters like How the Confederates Behaved to Lee versus Meade—a study in leadership gave me new insights into the battle. Stackpole also gives considerable pages to the events that preceded the battle, not getting to the opening salvos until page 119 of a 327 page book.
Stackpole's writing is crisp and opinionated, but fair. I gained more insight into "[James] Longstreet's recalcitrant dragging of his feet all through the campaign." 1 Robert E. Lee does not get a bye when it comes to critical analysis by Stackpole. The author, while mentioning Lee's failure to use the cavalry he had at his disposal in the absence of J.E.B. Stuart, and Lee's lack of clarity in his orders, goes back before the battle to find perhaps one of the more interesting factors in Lee's inept handling of the battle—"Lee's selection of Ewell and A.P. Hill, inexperienced and untried as leaders of large bodies of troops, for two of his three principal commanders, when he reorganized his army after the battle of Chancellorsville." 2 That bit of criticism begs the questions—how would this battle have been different with "Stonewall" Jackson at the helm of the Corps lead instead by Richard Ewell and, perhaps more interesting, whom could Lee have chosen instead? Lee's "pool" for capable Corps commanders was shallow.
On the Union side, there is George Gordon Meade; the first Federal general of the Army of Potomac to hand Lee his hat and tell him to go home. And Lee did just that, with very little pursuit by Meade who seemed content to bask in his victory, actually snatching defeat from the jaws of victory—meaning, he had the opportunity to decisively beat the Army of Northern Virginia and let it slip away.
Then, also on the Federal side, there's Dan Sickles' debacle on July 2nd and the futile cavalry charge on July 3rd lead by Elon Farnsworth, that cost the general his life.
The point is that there was plenty of blame to go around on both sides of the conflict. Personally, I think Lee should have listened to Longstreet and swung his army around, placing it between the Army of the Potomac and Washington, D.C. Such a move would have forced Meade to take the offensive and what we call Pickett's charge today might well have been Gibbons' charge on a different field of battle that produced a Confederate victory.
For a fast (though it took me longer than it should have) thorough and entertaining read on the Battle of Gettysburg, it's hard to beat They Met at Gettysburg; I give it four stars—missing getting that last star because there are books that are better researched on the battle, even from this time period. Give Mr. Stackpole a read—you won't be sorry.
My favorite is Gettysburg: A Battlefield Guide by Mark Grimsley and Brooks D. Simpson. This book, part of the This Hallowed Ground: Guides to Civil War Battlefields has made two trips to Gettysburg and is, in my opinion, the best practical book on the battle. One comes away with a definitive understanding of that crucial battle.
The battle is crucial because it turned the tide—that phrase has almost been worn out by its overuse, but is nonetheless true. When July 4, 1863 dawned the Army of Northern Virginia had suffered a rare defeat and the Union forces had captured Vicksburg on the Mississippi River; Lincoln would quip, when told of the victory in Vicksburg, that "the father of waters flows unvexed to the sea." The effect of these two events was devastating on the morale of the South. Like a boxer taking an uppercut to the jaw, they were reeling and would never really recover.
They Met at Gettysburg by Edward J. Stackpole, is probably my second favorite book on the battle (though in close competition with Beneath a Northern Sky by Steven Woodworth). The former was written in 1956 and does not have the benefit of later scholarship that the Woodworth book has.
Nevertheless, Stackpole does a good job of filling in details that others have neglected in their accounts. Chapters like How the Confederates Behaved to Lee versus Meade—a study in leadership gave me new insights into the battle. Stackpole also gives considerable pages to the events that preceded the battle, not getting to the opening salvos until page 119 of a 327 page book.
Stackpole's writing is crisp and opinionated, but fair. I gained more insight into "[James] Longstreet's recalcitrant dragging of his feet all through the campaign." 1 Robert E. Lee does not get a bye when it comes to critical analysis by Stackpole. The author, while mentioning Lee's failure to use the cavalry he had at his disposal in the absence of J.E.B. Stuart, and Lee's lack of clarity in his orders, goes back before the battle to find perhaps one of the more interesting factors in Lee's inept handling of the battle—"Lee's selection of Ewell and A.P. Hill, inexperienced and untried as leaders of large bodies of troops, for two of his three principal commanders, when he reorganized his army after the battle of Chancellorsville." 2 That bit of criticism begs the questions—how would this battle have been different with "Stonewall" Jackson at the helm of the Corps lead instead by Richard Ewell and, perhaps more interesting, whom could Lee have chosen instead? Lee's "pool" for capable Corps commanders was shallow.
On the Union side, there is George Gordon Meade; the first Federal general of the Army of Potomac to hand Lee his hat and tell him to go home. And Lee did just that, with very little pursuit by Meade who seemed content to bask in his victory, actually snatching defeat from the jaws of victory—meaning, he had the opportunity to decisively beat the Army of Northern Virginia and let it slip away.
Then, also on the Federal side, there's Dan Sickles' debacle on July 2nd and the futile cavalry charge on July 3rd lead by Elon Farnsworth, that cost the general his life.
The point is that there was plenty of blame to go around on both sides of the conflict. Personally, I think Lee should have listened to Longstreet and swung his army around, placing it between the Army of the Potomac and Washington, D.C. Such a move would have forced Meade to take the offensive and what we call Pickett's charge today might well have been Gibbons' charge on a different field of battle that produced a Confederate victory.
For a fast (though it took me longer than it should have) thorough and entertaining read on the Battle of Gettysburg, it's hard to beat They Met at Gettysburg; I give it four stars—missing getting that last star because there are books that are better researched on the battle, even from this time period. Give Mr. Stackpole a read—you won't be sorry.
October 7, 2020
I am no expert on the Civil War, but I have done a lot of reading on the subject over the decades, and I mostly enjoyed reading this entry into the sub-genre. It struck me as a balanced telling of what happened at Gettysburg, and why. No one appears to be categorically praised or criticized for their role in the outcome.
I was intrigued to realize that it was a rare book about this battle that did not at least mention Joshua Chamberlain and the bayonet charge on Little Round Top. But this is due to two reasons. One, this book was written before Michael Shaara's novel The Killer Angels, which brought Chamberlain's role in the battle to prominence; and two, this book rarely mentions any officer below the rank of general, except in passing or because the officer wrote something he is using as source material. I don't mention all this as a criticism of this book, but just as a matter of personal interest.
The writing style is rather straightforward and dry - still readable, mind you, but I think we have gotten used to a more energetic and imaginative style for non-fiction that has developed over the past 30 years or so. It read well enough to hold my attention, but was by no means a can't-put-it-down book. My only complaint, a minor one, is that the pictures, maps and drawings are small and black and white, and in my mind do not add a lot to the enjoyment of reading this book. I suppose it was a decision that allowed the book to be sold less expensively at the time of publication.
So while I will not extol the virtues of this history with hyperbole or exclamation points, I do recommend it for people seeking an unbiased view of the battle by someone who has extensively researched the subject.
I was intrigued to realize that it was a rare book about this battle that did not at least mention Joshua Chamberlain and the bayonet charge on Little Round Top. But this is due to two reasons. One, this book was written before Michael Shaara's novel The Killer Angels, which brought Chamberlain's role in the battle to prominence; and two, this book rarely mentions any officer below the rank of general, except in passing or because the officer wrote something he is using as source material. I don't mention all this as a criticism of this book, but just as a matter of personal interest.
The writing style is rather straightforward and dry - still readable, mind you, but I think we have gotten used to a more energetic and imaginative style for non-fiction that has developed over the past 30 years or so. It read well enough to hold my attention, but was by no means a can't-put-it-down book. My only complaint, a minor one, is that the pictures, maps and drawings are small and black and white, and in my mind do not add a lot to the enjoyment of reading this book. I suppose it was a decision that allowed the book to be sold less expensively at the time of publication.
So while I will not extol the virtues of this history with hyperbole or exclamation points, I do recommend it for people seeking an unbiased view of the battle by someone who has extensively researched the subject.
Read
April 23, 2021Excellent breakdown and analysis of the three days at Gettysburg from both the Confederate and Union viewpoints. Starts with the chance encounter in the town and goes through Lee successfully crossing back into Virginia. The author goes into great detail describing the action day by day and showing what a close run affair it really was. If your a Civil War buff this book should be on your shelf.
August 17, 2018
Great historical survey of probably the most pivotal battle in the American Civil War - where the Confederacy met the "High Water Mark" of its pro-slavery rebellion against the Union, just 3 generations removed from gaining independence so that "all mean created equal" could be free.
January 19, 2023
The best book I have read on the battle. Comprehensive, detailed but still very easy to read. Make some judgements, but at least the author shows their thinking. A very good choice for those interested in the great events of July 1863.
October 15, 2020
As good as any book on the battle. Very good
August 11, 2021
Excellent read for a step-by-step explanation of the Battle of Gettysburg.
August 25, 2021
A balanced telling of the Civil War at Gettysburg.
January 2, 2025
One of my top five books on Gettysburg Battle.
Read
October 18, 2012Having read some more recently written books about Gettysburg, it was interesting reading this classic. I wonder if the differences come from newer findings and research or whether the differences reflect more of the times in which each book was written. This author was definitely harder on Lee, criticizing how he didn't supervise his generals closely enough and how he didn't create consensus among them about his plan. Other books stated that this was his usual method, choosing men he trusts, giving them the general plan, and letting them flex w whatever the situation calls for. This plan didn't work well bc these men were new to their commands and Lee didn't know them as well. also none seems to have had the intellectual flexibility and aggressive spirit that Stonewall Johnson was famous for. It was interesting how Meade operated in the exact opposite manner as Lee, meeting w his men frequently, giving more specific orders, and building consensus. It is interesting to note how both sides had opportunities to win this battle and perhaps end the war, yet opportunities were missed often bc of shortsightedness on the part of the leaders. However, it is easy to be an arm chair quarterback and pick apart their decisions and consequences after the fact. Personally, this book encouraged me to look for opportunities and to follow through on them, to push forward through tiredness, and to consult others and build a team atmosphere. I want to be always learning from the situations I find myself in and moving forward, even through failures.
November 3, 2025
You can certainly tell this book was written in the mid 1950s. The first few lines of the prologue describe Robert E. Lee as "a great general and even greater man". Shortly after that the author praises "the noble character" of Lee. This is certainly not a perspective that would hold up to contemporary criticism. No respected historian would make their bias so clear and still expect to be taken seriously. Twenty pages later the author describes the good behavior the Confederates in MD and PA, but citing only Lee's own self-congratulatory general orders regarding respect for private property. Stackpole goes on to imply that the damage done to the home and property of Dr. Schmucker was done specifically because he was an abolitionist. With a start like that I did not have high hopes for the rest of the book.
The title of this book is truth in advertising, though, for it is as much a description of the pre-battle conditions and movements as it is a depiction of the 3 day battle itself. This is a 325 page book, and the first shot of the battle happens on page 124. This context helps to set the stage for the reader to understand subsequent decisions by (and criticisms of) Lee and Meade.
This would be a good book for someone who is new to the battle to get a grasp of it and get into more detail, but I am sure there are better, more modern examples to choose from.
The title of this book is truth in advertising, though, for it is as much a description of the pre-battle conditions and movements as it is a depiction of the 3 day battle itself. This is a 325 page book, and the first shot of the battle happens on page 124. This context helps to set the stage for the reader to understand subsequent decisions by (and criticisms of) Lee and Meade.
This would be a good book for someone who is new to the battle to get a grasp of it and get into more detail, but I am sure there are better, more modern examples to choose from.
December 28, 2024
This book sort of fell into my hands some time ago. I found it in a box of free books and couldn't pass it up. Written by an American general in the 1950's, less than 100 years after the Civil War, I was eager to hear the kind of measured, non-emotive treatment that a military man like Stackpole would provide to as complex a battle as Gettysburg. I was impressed with his balanced approach in terms of the Union/Confederate perspectives to be considered. Though at times awkward in his writing style, I was fascinated by many of his insights into the why's and what for's of the battle.
August 10, 2015
I was not expecting much when i picked up this book, but i actually learned quite a lot. This book has a lot of interesting information regarding the days leading up to the Battle of Gettysburg and the days afterwards. I've lived within 30 miles of Gettysburg all my life and didn't know half of it. This book was a quick easy read. It didn't feel like I was reading a history book at all. I highly recommend it if your looking for information regarding the battle.
July 12, 2013
This was the first book on the Battle of Gettysburg which I ever read. It's an easy read but does not omit detail in favor of accessibility. I recommend it for first-time battlefield visitors or those who wish to gather a wide-ranging perspective of the battle without the granular and sometimes overbearing detail which many books on the subject offer.
September 28, 2008
A great account on the battle that was the turning point for the American Civil War. If this battle would have turned out as a loss for the Union, history, from that point on, would have been VERY different.
October 27, 2014
This is a retelling of the historic series of battles at Gettysburg. The fight there changed the course of the American Civil War for both military and political reasons. Thia is an educational read.
July 25, 2011
A straightforward, soldierly account of the Pennsylvania Campaign and the Battle of Gettysburg by an author who knew a thing or two about generals and the decisions they face (Stackpole was a thrice-wounded company commander with the 28th U.S. Army Division in World War I).
April 28, 2014
suggested by a bookstore in Gettysburg... found it to be an amazing insight to the flow of events by a retired general of the US Army. A must read for anyone fascinated by the Civil War.
Not juicy and fast, but full of data and orderly.
Not juicy and fast, but full of data and orderly.
August 5, 2014
This was the first "large" Gettysburg history that I read. I appreciate it's clarity and concise style. I recommend this history if you want to understand the military basics of the battle without a lot of eyewitness accounts or historian opinions.
September 16, 2015
Classic. Illustrated appropriately as well.
July 11, 2016
Good introduction to/refresher on Gettysburg.
April 7, 2017
Great book for people just starting to learn about the battle. It touches on the fighting but doesn't go into a lot of detail. Easy to follow
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews