Average customer rating:
- The Little Round Top and Pickett's Charge
- The Battle of Gettysburg
- If you have the slightest interest in the Civil War, don't fail to read the late Michael Shaara's book "The Killer Angels"
- Glorifies Battle, but Does So Compellingly. . .
- excellent book, even if you are not a buff
|
The Killer Angels
Michael Shaara
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
War
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Gettysburg
| Campaigns
| Civil War
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Campaigns
| Civil War
| United States
| Americas
| History
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
War
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Gods and Generals
-
The Last Full Measure
-
Gettysburg (Widescreen Edition)
-
The Killer Angels (Cliffs Notes)
-
Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (Oxford History of the United States)
ASIN: 0345348109
Release Date: 1987-08-12 |
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.
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.
Book Description
The words Abraham Lincoln spoke at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg comprise perhaps the most famous speech in history. It has been quoted by popes, presidents, prime ministers, and revolutionaries around the world. From "Four score and seven years ago..." to "government of the people, by the people, for the people," Lincoln's words echo in the American conscience. Many books have been written about the Gettysburg Address and yet, as Lincoln scholar Gabor Boritt shows, there is much that we don't know about the speech. In The Gettysburg Gospel he reconstructs what really happened in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1863. Boritt tears away a century of myths, lies, and legends to give us a clear understanding of the greatest American's greatest speech.
In the aftermath of the bloodiest battle ever fought in North America, the little town of Gettysburg was engulfed in the worst man-made disaster in U.S. history: close to 21,000 wounded; very few doctors; heroic women coping in houses, barns, and churches turned into hospitals; dead horses and mules rotting in farmyards and fields; and at least 7,000 dead soldiers who had to be dug up, identified, and reburied. This was where Lincoln had to come to explain why the horror of war must continue.
Planning America's first national cemetery revitalized the traumatized people of Gettysburg, but the dedication ceremonies overwhelmed the town. Lincoln was not certain until the last moment whether he could come. But he knew the significance of the occasion and wrote his remarks with care -- the first speech since his inauguration that he prepared before delivering it. A careful analysis of the Address and the public reaction to it form the center of this book. Boritt shows how Lincoln responded to the politics of the time and also clarifies which text he spoke from and how and when he wrote the various versions. Few people initially recognized the importance of the speech; it was frequently and, at times, hilariously misreported. But over the years the speech would grow into American scripture. It would acquire new and broader meanings. It would be better understood, but also misunderstood and misinterpreted to suit beliefs very different from Lincoln's.
The Gettysburg Gospel is based on years of scholarship as well as a deep understanding of Lincoln and of Gettysburg itself. It draws on vital documents essential to appreciating Lincoln's great speech and its evolution into American gospel. This is an indispensable book for anyone interested in the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, or American history.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting, But It Felt Slanted.......2007-09-14
I found this an interesting, but possibly flawed book.
The history and detail was fascinating, as was the examination (and inclusion!) of Everett's speech, of which I'd heard, but had never read. The description of Gettysburg immediately after the battle, and in the days surrounding the dedication ceremony was truly a window into another era.
However, as the book continued, and the instances of "Good, God fearing Republicans, struggling to save the country" and "Bad, pro-slavery/appeasement-minded Democrats not caring about the Union" mounted, I felt I was reading a political text that was slanted to support the current national situation, and not a dispassionate historical examination of the events of a century and a half gone. Other reviewers have mentioned this occurance as an interetsing coincidence. Even though I'm a Republican, I was jarred by the tone.
As a result, my enjoyment of the book was lessened, as was my trust of the text and the author's use selected references.
An interesting book, but too interpretive for my tastes. Read it, but have a pinch of salt ready.
Strange title for a good read.......2007-07-11
It truly is amazing that so many words and books can be written about a speech that is but 272 words long. Gabor Boritt's book is an enjoyable and easy read on Lincoln's most famous speech.
Much of the book deals with the immediate aftermath of the terrible Gettysburg battle with the author painting a vivid picture of the terrible scene which must have greeted the eye on July 4th.
It is interesting that the famous address did not get immediate general approval. Boritt shows that the speech was almost forgotten until the 1880's.
As with most Lincoln supporters, the author attempts to show that the speech was not written on the train to Gettysburg and that Lincoln gave the speech considerable thought. The truth is no one knows, but a good argument can be made for the proposition that Lincoln must have given it little thought prior to the event. Who in their right mind is going to travel from Washington to Gettysburg and DECIDE to present an address of only 272 words. The words came from the heart and from years of experience and empathy. Just as Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech was somewhat spontaneous (although a very similar speech was presented at Cobo Hall, Detroit some weeks previously), there is strong circumstantial evidence that Lincoln put this speech together at short notice.
I have no idea why the book is sub-titled "The Lincoln Speech that Nobody Knows," but Boritt does provide a number of slightly different versions of the speech in the appendix. Most of the differences are minor to put it mildly. The author's description of how the speech initially got little response but grew to be appreciated over time to be a work of genius is well developed.
Paradoxically, the most enjoyable section of the book is the full text of Edward Everett's speech which I read fully for the first time. You can appreciate why Everett was seen as a great orator because of his ability to paint pictures with words although his two hour address can hardly be described as uplifting. Almost all of the speech was taken up with a chronological history of the events at Gettysburg (spoken from memory) and the aging orator failed to properly commend and eulogize the thousands who had given their life on the adjacent battlefield.
The book has copious appendices, bibliography, notes which provide a rich resource for serious students of Lincoln and Gettysburg. Overall, an enjoyable not too studious read on the topic.
Lincoln and the Gettysburg Gospel is a Gem of Exegetical Clarification of the greatest political speech in world history........2007-05-31
The Gettysburg Address was delivered by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863. The battle had been fought in July but now a National Cemetery was to dedicated honoring the Union dead who had died that the United States might live.
What a day it was ! A beautiful autumn crisp with the promise of a warm sky sailing serenly over the sight of the bloodiest batlle in American history. A day when the renowned orator Edward Everett spoke for over two hours drawing analogies between Gettysburg and those men who died to preserve Athenian democracy. Everett gave a detailed account of the battle emphasizing the legitimacy of the Union effort. He also spoke with insight on the superiority of the federal government to which the individual states pledged their loyalty.
And then...after the bands and the songs, the prayers and the cheers were silent the sixteenth President of the United States rose to speak. He had a mild form of smallpox; had lost his son Willie to death in the White House and had a son Tad who was ill back home in Washington DC.
Lincoln spoke his 272 words concluding with his immortal words, "''that the goverment of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth."
Lincoln drew on a lifetime of study to produce this masterpiece. The Declaration of Independence; the oratory of Webster and Clay, Shakespeare and the Bible all played a role in his crafting of the speech. If the Emancipation Proclamation was prose genius then the Gettysburg Address is poetry sublime in its assertion of indivdual freedom and the right of human beings to breathe free air.
The speech was neglected, for the most part, by contemporary press accounts. Only in the 1880s when the movement to reconcile NOrth and South picked up steam did it take on an importance in the American heart that has never been usurped, The GA inspired black fighters for Civil Rights as the twentieth century led to a cry for racial equality in our nation. Men like Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela in South Africa were inspired by Lincoln's words.
Boritt's book is divided into several sections. The first two hundred pages deal with the account of the night and the day Lincoln spent in Gettysburg in 1863. We learn of the horrific battlefield casualties and see closeup the preparations made and the carrying out of the ceremony on November 19th. Other sections deal with the five authentic copies of the Gettysburg Address; the complete text of Edward Everett's two hour oration that day; an extensive bibliography and notes. Professor Boritt also shows us pictures of the drafts as written in longhand by Lincoln.
The book is also a fascinating look into how the Gettysburg Address achieved mythic fame since it was first uttered on that November day. In a moving final chapter we read the address in the context of a 9-11 obervance of the attack on the World Trade Center.
As long as our United States lives we all pray that the Gettysburg Address will be there to inspire us to work for equality and justice for all of our citizens regardless of race, religion or political affiliation.
Boritt is one of the best scholars on the life of Lincoln and the Civil War era. Anyone who teaches the Civil War in the classroom should make use of this outstanding work of scholarship and love.
More Focus Please!.......2007-04-15
Boritt's 'Gettysburg Gospel' is one of the very few Civil War books that I could not get into. Stylistically, this book is way too haphazard and unorganized to be considered one of the best books in the Lincoln cannon. Boritt falls into the trap that Garry Wills fell into in his "Lincoln at Gettysburg." The two authors try to be over-elegant and verbose because their book itself is about one of the greatest triumphs of the English language rather then a singular event. Boritt (and Wills for that matter) would be better to just write in a plain, inelegant fashion without the grossly excessive verbiage which permeates this book. Wills, in all fairness, can get away with it, but the more academic Boritt has a difficult time indeed. For example, Boritt writes early on in describing the dead on the battlefield: "Others even pulled bodies from shallow graves. A weapon is worth a great deal. Who cares who the dead man was? Who was it? Dead." This kind of useless prose brings the momentum of this book down time and time again.
For Civil War enthusiasts themselves, many already knew that Everett went on for a very long time before Lincoln delivered his address. One of the things that surprised me was the lack of analysis of the address itself. That disappointed me because the book was subtitled as: `The Lincoln Speech Nobody Knows." In order to get a fresh analysis that Wills does not offer in his book, the reader will have to turn to the appendix to get the several versions of the address. Overall, more focus and less sentimentality would have made for a leaner, more coherent account of the making of the address and it's meaning through the last 140 years.
Read Wills Instead.......2007-04-08
The main text of this book is a loose, often disjointed accumulation of facts surrounding the dedication of the cemetery. That portion of the book is mostly filler since only a small portion deals with the Address. If that were the whole book, I would give it 2 stars. However, the Appendices, including Everett's full address, all versions of Lincoln's Address, and the scientific evaluations of the relative accuracies of the versions, are very enlightening. Read Wills' Lincoln at Gettysburg for a much more insightful book on the speech itself. Skip the text in this one and go directly to the Appendices.
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.
Book Description
More academic and photographic accounts on the battle of Gettysburg exist than for all other battles of the Civil War combined-and for good reason. The three-days of maneuver, attack, and counterattack consisted of literally scores of encounters, from corps-size actions to small unit engagements. Despite all its coverage, Gettysburg remains one of the most complex and difficult to understand battles of the war. The Maps Gettysburg: The Gettysburg Campaign, June 3 - July 13, 1863, by Bradley Gottfried offers a unique approach to the study of this multifaceted engagement. The Maps of Gettysburg plows new ground in the study of the campaign by breaking down the entire campaign in 140 detailed original maps. These cartographic originals bore down to the regimental level, and offer Civil Warriors a unique and fascinating approach to studying the always climactic battle of the war. The Maps of Gettysburg offers thirty "action-sections" comprising the entire campaign. These include the march to and from the battlefield, and virtually every significant event in between. Gottfried's original maps (from two to as many as twenty) enrich each "action-section." Keyed to each piece of cartography is detailed text that includes hundreds of soldiers' quotes that make the Gettysburg story come alive. This presentation allows readers to easily and quickly find a map and text on virtually any portion of the campaign, from the cavalry drama at Brandy Station on June 9, to the last Confederate withdrawal of troops across the Potomac River on July 15, 1863. Serious students of the battle will appreciate the extensive and authoritative endnotes. They will also want to bring the book along on their trips to the battlefield. Perfect for the easy chair or for stomping the hallowed ground of Gettysburg, The Maps of Gettysburg promises to be a seminal work that belongs on the bookshelf of every serious and casual student of the battle. Bio: Bradley M. Gottfried holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from Miami University. He has worked in higher education for more than three decades as a faculty member and administrator. He is currently President of the College of Southern Maryland. An avid Civil War historian, Dr. Gottfried is the author of five books: The Battle of Gettysburg: A Guided Tour (1998); Stopping Pickett: The History of the Philadelphia Brigade (1999); Brigades of Gettysburg (2002); Roads to Gettysburg (2002); and Kearny's Own: The History of the First New Jersey Brigade (2005). He is currently working with Theodore P. Savas on a Gettysburg Campaign Encyclopedia. REVIEWS "No academic library can afford not to include"Maps of Gettysburg" as part of their American CivilWar Reference collections."8/2007 Midwest Book Review, J.Cox
Customer Reviews:
A must have book........2007-09-26
I've been going to Gettysburg and reading about Gettysburg since the 1960s. I'm constantly learning new things. This book is without a doubt one of the better sources to learn and understand troop movements not just during the actual three day battle but actions over the entire Gettysburg campaign which started a month before and took up most of the month of July. Thank you Mr.Gottfried.
Maps of Gettysburg-A must have reference guide.......2007-09-12
I have studied the battle of Gettysburg for years and have read most of the recommended autors such as Coddington, Phanz, Foote, Catton etc and I still had areas of the battle that were hard to comprehend the movements such as in the Wheatfield. When I bought and opened the Maps of Gettysburg I knew that this was the book that would clarify many murky areas. I have been to Gettysburg three times and plan to go again this Oct. 2007 and will have the book alongside of me in the car.
John M. Ryan
a picture is worth a thousand words.......2007-08-30
I really looked forward to this Atlas & read the reviews here on Amazon.com before buying it. I was disappointed when I got my hands on the book.
In his introduction Professor Gottfried admits he was the creator of the maps found in the book. They were done using a computer draw program. He also tells us he fired two professional cartographers over "creative differences" before deciding to do the job himself. Did he do better than the professionals could have done?
It is a comprehensive atlas of the Gettysburg battle done in larger scale. There are a lot of close up shots but no zoom button on the camera. There are also some maps of other battles & events of Lee's Pennsylvania campaign thrown in but these do not amount to a comprehensive treatment of the rest of the campaign by any stretch of the imagination. The maps are done all in black & white.
The maps could be appreciated by a flatlander looking through a soda straw. By this I mean the large, zoomed-in scale maps, while offering snapshots of important phases of the battle, are not given any context by the inclusion of maps of a smaller, zoomed-out scale telling the uninformed just exactly where they are at the moment the snapshot was taken on the huge theater that was the Gettysburg battlefield.
By this I also mean the maps offer little in the way of contour information. I realise too much contour information presented to readers not used to military maps giving such detailed information may confuse & obscure more than help but more contour information should have been included as part of an essential cartography.
Also the maps give me as much information about how the farmers of the area planted their crops as they tell me about the tactical situation they depict.
I found the notes accompanying the maps on the opposite pages to be dull & dry. They are pedantic & uninspiring. I would have liked something more pithy. I don't want to wade through a bog of words when trying to find out at a glance just what the picture is trying to show me. The notes are a distraction. If I want a description of the nitty-gritty details of the battle I have a number of well-written histories (oops, historiographies) close at hand that have done a much better job telling me what I want to know about the battle.
I guess this one went over my head like a minie ball from one of Schimmelfennig's Dutchmen. "Aim low, boys." I would suggest this kind of work is too important to be left to the amateurs.
Oh, by the way, I haven't been to Gettysburg yet (I'm just a hick from west of the Mississippi) but I am curious what a "worm" is.
No academic library can afford not to include.......2007-08-04
"The Maps Of Gettysburg: The Gettysburg Campaign, June 3-July 13, 1863" by academician and civil war historian Bradley M. Gottfried is a unique approach to understanding what is perhaps the single most studied battle of the American Civil War. The intense series of lethal combats comprising the Gettysburg conflict that took place around the town of Gettysburg ranged from corps-sized actions to small-unit engagements began on June 3rd and included cavalry battles, cannonades, foot regiments, and was to prove the turning point of the war which beforehand had favored the Confederates under the leadership of General Robert E. Lee, but afterwards was to have General Lee on the defensive, finally culminating in his surrender at Appomattox. "The Maps Of Gettysburg" includes thirty map sets or 'action-sections' featuring 144 detailed full-page maps that together comprise the entire campaign from beginning to end. These are reproductions of cartographic originals down to the regimental and battery level. Of special note is the accompaniment of the maps are detailed descriptions of the units, personalities, movements, and combat associated with them. The narrative and deftly written text also includes eyewitnesses quotes. "The Maps Of Gettysburg" is a seminal contribution to the growing body of Civil War literature and highly recommended reading for civil war buffs. No academic library can afford not to include "The Maps Of Gettysburg" as part of their American Civil War Studies reference collections.
The only book you will need out on the battlefield.......2007-07-12
I have been to Gettysburg many times and I wish that I would have had this book back then. There has been several books with good maps in the past but this book is incredible. The detail of the maps down to the regimental level will not leave any doubt as to where everyone was. Thanks for a great book.
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.
Book Description
Historian/novelist Foote's masterly work has been culled from his critically acclaimed three-volume narrative of the Civil War. 3 cassettes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Book Description
This remarkable biography traces the life and times of Joshua L. Chamberlain, the professor-turned-soldier who led the Twentieth Maine Regiment to glory at Gettysburg, earned a battlefield promotion to brigadier general from Ulysses S. Grant at Petersburg, and was wounded six times during the course of the Civil War. Chosen to accept the formal Confederate surrender at Appomattox, Chamberlain endeared himself to succeeding generations with his unforgettable salutation of Robert E. Lee's vanquished army. After the war, he went on to serve four terms as governor of his home state of Maine and later became president of Bowdoin College. He wrote prolifically about the war, including The Passing of the Armies, a classic account of the final campaign of the Army of the Potomac.
Customer Reviews:
A true American Hero.......2006-03-29
In the Hands of Providence is a very well researched look of the life of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Alice Turlock presents a definitive biography of this modest professor from Bowden College, who met challenge after challenge to become one of the greatest leaders in Civil War history. Chamberlain had extraordinary observational and superb writing skills. His persistence at recording the historic events, which included his emotional reactions, gave Trulock's wonderful historic accounts for her book.
The book starts by giving us an in depth look at his obscure Christian upbringing in rural Maine, and follows his processes of becoming a great young man. He was an exceptional college student, receiving the praise of his instructors. He was also highly regarded by his neighbors and towns' folk alike. Many considered him to have the highest moral and ethical standard. He was so trusted and respected as a young man in his home town that an older business man of Maine, who was an acquaintance of Chamberlain's, entrusted him with the dealings of his estate.
While finishing his studies at Bowden, Chamberlain married his sweetheart Frances Caroline Adams. They had a very close and loving relationship. But during the war, the constant distance between them put a great deal of strain on their relationship. After graduation, he accepted a position as a professor at Bowden, and held that position for several years. Chamberlain maintained a very close relationship with his family, and he was especially close to his father in law George Adams.
When the war broke out in 1861, Chamberlain ask for a leave of absence from Bowden to enlist, but was turned down. Not to be left out of the war, he again applied for a sabbatical to study in Europe, and this time it was granted. He had no intentions on going to Europe, and instead immediately enlisted in the army as a lieutenant colonel, and never looked back. He played a huge role in the recruitment of the men for a regiment, which would later come to be known as the 20th Maine.
With no military experience, Chamberlain showed great promise in his leadership shills and military expertise. He became friends with his unit's commander, Colonial Ames, who became his tutor. According to Trulock, Chamberlain held a great deal of respect and admiration for Ames, and he gave Ames credit for his military success.
Trulock's description of Chamberlain's military life is extraordinary, and she supplies us with great details about the battles in which he was involved. At the battle of Antietam, Chamberlain was not directly involved in the fighting but was brought up in reserve the next day. Trulock gives a very vivid description of horror that Chamberlain witnessed upon arriving at the battlefield that day where 22,000 lay dead or wounded on the field. It was the bloodiest, one day battle in the Civil War.
Next, she transports us to the Fredericksburg, and the final assault by the North on Marye's Heights - the charge that involved the 20th of Maine. All the other divisions that day were either driven back, laid dead or wounded on the field. She describes tremendous courage that Chamberlain and his men showed as they made their charge on the now famous wall at Marye's Heights, the wall that was heavily guarded by Confederates. The division suffered great loses that late afternoon. They remained among the dead or wounded for 2 days and nights before the order was given to retreat.
The episode in history that Chamberlain is most remember for is the courage and heroism he displayed at the battle of Gettysburg. He was ordered to the top of a hill known as The Little Round Top where he was placed at the far left flank. There, Chamberlain was instructed to hold that position at all cost. The 20th Maine repelled assault after assault by the Confederates that day. When ammunition ran out, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge, an event that many historians say was the turning point of the Civil War.
Trulock also gives a very detailed account of the battle of Petersburg, where Chamberlain was horribly wounded. After hearing of his heroic actions during the battle, General Grant immediately promoted Chamberlain on the battlefield to Brigadier General. This was the only battlefield promotion ever issued by Grant. Somehow, Chamberlain survived his wound, due to the skilled surgery that was preformed on him that night and next day. Chamberlain's two close friends, Dr. Shaw and Dr. Townsend worked for hours repairing the damage inflicted by the mini ball. The wound he received that day would trouble him all of his life and required numerous surgery's to repair the damage.
His persistent heroism and outstanding leadership were the deciding factor when Grant chose Chamberlain to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. He showed great respect for his fellow countrymen that day when he gave the order to his men to give a solders salute to the surrendering confederate men. His honorary actions that day were later critized by many people.
This book contains a lot of historic photos of Chamberlain's family, friends, fellow soldiers and numerous battle maps. The book also gives a great account of Chamberlain's life as Governor of Maine and President of Bowden College, but these accounts do not compare to the bravery and patriotic devotion that Chamberlain displayed during the Civil War. His actions made him a hero to his men, and the country he served.
Trulock has given us a great biography, not only one of the Civil War's greatest commanders, but one of the United States most distinguished citizens. The book flows very smoothly while covering details of battles that would interest even the most die hard Civil War enthusiast.
Finally, a book that does justice to an astonishing person. I highly recommend this book.
Man of character, man of faith whose story should be proclaimed!.......2006-01-25
Chamerlain's heroism is similar to Teddy Roosevelt, Alvin York, and Audie Murphy who came behind him, but have been better publicized.
The difference is that his act of confidence, courage and decisiveness may have been the one that changed the outcome of the Civil War, the 1864 election and the future of America.
In The Hands of Providence is the story of Chamberlain's exemplary character before, during and after that momentum changing moment. All Americans should read and learn this story.
- Richard V. Battle - Author of The Four Letter Word That Builds Character
Well rounded biography.......2005-05-10
I found Alice Trulock's biography on Joshua L. Chamberlain to be quite readable, well researched and well grounded. Considering the length of the book, Trulock's book read quite well for most readers of any level. Well, it may not be good as the one written by John Pullen but it definitely is superior to the one written by Edward Longacre. I put that in just for comparison purpose.
I think this biography may served as a good introduction to Chamberlain who's name have definitely reached near mythological level nowadays among Civil War readers thanks to Jeff Daniels and his role in that movie "Gettysburg". Of course, most readers would probably be disappointed that Jeff Daniel's portaryal of Chamberlain will not jive with Joshua Chamberlain of Trulock's book.
The biography covers all aspects of Chamberlain's life. The book does a good job covering Chamberlain's military career which proves to be the most important period of his life from which Chamberlain's life will be centered around until his death. I do wish to make a point here. He died at the age of 86, a very ripe old age and I doubt if his wounds he got from Petersburg really hasten his death, it may have cause him a lot of pain but even in modern days, most people don't live that long!
Overall, an very good biography on one of Union's more natural soldiers. A non-professional who performed better then most professional soldiers.
Excellent Title of an Excellent Leader.......2005-03-13
The Duke of Wellington supposedly stated that it is impossible for a Christian to serve in the military. Too bad he wasn't around during the American Civil War! Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson from the South and Joshua Chamberlain and Otis Howard from the North are notable exceptions to Wellington's thesis.
Trulock has written what is the best account of the hero of Little Round Top and who personally oversaw the surrender of Confederate troops at Appamattox.
Among the important events in Chamberlain's life covered include:
1. Birth and Christian upbringing in rural Maine.
2. His days as a student and adminstrator at Bowdoin College.
3. His early Civil War service including the formation of the famous 20th Maine Regiment.
4. Fascinating accounts of his involvement in major Civil War battles: Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Petersburg, and other engagements.
5. The horrible wound suffered at Petersburg that eventually killed him some 50 years later.
6. His loving yet strained marriage to Frances Caroline Adams.
7. Postwar public service as President of Bowdoin College and Governor of Maine.
Reading the book was a joy - the narrative flowed smoothly while covering several details of a fascinating character. The author managed to keep the story from becoming too bogged down in dry detail without insulting the reader's intelligence. Oh, how I wish more biographies were written like this!
The book also contains excellent battle maps and numerous photographs of the main characters: Chamberlain, his wife, parents, sister and brothers, many Civil War officers, and other important people in Joshua Chamberlain's life.
All in all, an excellent and highly recommended read. Read and enjoy!
Well Researched Look at a Major Civil War Figure.......2004-10-02
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was the epitome of the American citizen-soldier. Since the birth of the republic, American soldiers have left home and hearth to serve the nation and many of them have come home physically shattered and haunted by what they have seen while still others have not come home at all. Thrown into the breech, some of the citizen solders found they did not have the fortitude for what was asked of them while many others have excelled, performing better than graduates of West Point or Annapolis, America's most prestigious military academies. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was a citizen soldier who became a great hero of the Civil War, a man who met challenge after challenge and became a great leader of men and afterward, the course of his life was forever altered. An academically inclined young man, Chamberlain left Bowdin College and his studies and teaching in theology to accept a lieutenant colonel's commission in the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The modest young professor took part in most of the important battles of the North's Army of the Potomac. He was a participant in the Battle of Antietam, still the bloodiest single day in American history. Today, we can walk the battlefield off Sharpsburg Pike, in rural Maryland and see "Burnside's Bridge and the cornfields where so many men fell and get some small measure of what men like Chamberlain went through. We can also visit the battlefield at Fredericksburg and see the heights that he and his 20th Maine and the Union Army tried to take in bloody frontal assaults into the teeth of Confederate guns and under the pounding of their artillery on the hills. Today Chamberlain's comrades - as well as the fallen Confederate troops - are buried on the commanding heights they failed to take, one of the Civil War's bitter ironies. Colonel Chamberlain then immortalized himself at Gettysburg's Little Round Top where he anchored the Union left, repelling assault after assault and winning the day by leading a charge down the slope that broke the Rebel troops. He was given a general's star by General Grant at Petersburg and was honored to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. His heroism and leadership qualities helped him win the Governorship of Maine no less than four times, after which he retired to the Presidency of Bowdin College, his alma mater. Alice Trulock who wrote this book, was not a professional writer and after her retirement from civic affairs, this book took her ten years of careful research, writing and rewriting to complete. She based her work on a great deal of new research and handles the account of infantry combat beautifully. Unfortunately, Trulock died before the book was released and so she wasn't able to accept the accolades that were due to her for such a well-written and moving biography of an emblematic Civil War figure.
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.
Books:
- The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
- The Limits of Expertise: Rethinking Pilot Error and the Causes of Airline Accidents
- The Long Road Home: A Story of War and Family
- The March: A Novel
- The Matchlock Gun
- The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades (Oxford Illustrated Histories)
- The Peninsula and Seven Days: A Battlefield Guide (This Hallowed Ground: Guides to Civil Wa)
- The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1862
- The Tournament of Blood (Knights Templar series)
- The Truth War: Fighting for Certainty in an Age of Deception
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Notes on Nursing: What It Is, and What It Is Not
- Dark Force Rising
- The cheerful warrior;: The life of Charles Garnier
- Tokyo: A Certain Style
- Analysis and Management of Animal Populations
- Dealing with Difficult People: How to Deal with Nasty Customers, Demanding Bosses and Annoying Co-wo
- Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned
- The Plaza, First and Always: 75th Anniversary
- Tropical Style: Contemporary Dream Houses in Malaysia
- Fruit and Seed Production: Aspects of Development, Environmental Physiology and Ecology
