The Fog of Gettysburg

by Ken Allers Jr

Pennsylvanians have a "America was born in Philadelphia and saved at Gettysburg." In this way they acknowledge that Gettysburg was the defining battle of the Civil War.
Many books have covered the battle of Gettysburg. And even more have looked at the action in particular areas of the battlefield, at certain aspects of the conflict, or at the actions of various units or individuals. Until now, no book has focused on the confusion of the battle and the many unanswered questions that continue to this day.
The Fog of Gettysburg covers the myths, misunderstandings, and mysteries of the battle, the episodes that still provoke questions about what happened or why.
The Fog of Gettysburg is divided into five sections, each with approximately ten episodes, covering the period leading up to the battle, the three days of battle, and the period following the battle. Containing four maps and more than twenty-five photographs, the book is a valuable resource for anyone who is fascinated by the issues about Gettysburg that continue to this day.

Genres: Civil War, History, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2008

Reviews

[Harold Cheetham · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read. akes you think about a lot of things that happened at Gettysburg and why.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 The book was readable, but pedantic. I don’t think there were many new insights. And as noted, the fog references were off-putting.

[Sarah W · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written by an associate member of the licensed battlefield guides in Gettysburg. In short chapters, Allers identifies areas of mystery and confusion pertaining to the battle of Gettysburg. He briefly identifies the prevalent myths and the historical evidence that is available or lacking on a topic. This book can be a spur for further research in its identification of reputable accounts. It can be maddening to know what information is not available, such as Pickett's report on the battle or what AP Hill was doing. Allers showed how papers and people turned on Meade.

I enjoyed recognizing names in the bibliography from rangers and guides I have listened to, though I've read little of what I've wanted to read. There were two key typos in the book. One was on the year of the Armistead Marker and one was on when Stuart's Cavalry set out.

[Acid Braden · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book tries to be clever by asking seemingly relevant questions, then approaches an answer with out completing the exploration of the topic. The upshot our a sense of frustration interspersed with little tidbits of” oh, that is an interesting fact”...but these are not enough to make me want to keep reading. The worst part is hen each chapter end in a ” fog” reference. It gets old very quickly.

[Sherri Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love any kinds of books that delve into the events that took place in Gettysburg. This was an enjoyable, quick & easy read.