Full of superb research regarding the thoughts of the soldiers of this regiment, this book brings the men of the 26th North Carolina alive. It's description of their fighting at McPherson Ridge on the first day at Gettysburg is second to none. Also includes some history of the men after the war. Civil War enthusiasts will also like Gragg's book Confederate Goliath about the battle of Fort Fisher. I recommend both highly.

I've been following Mr. Gragg's work since he wrote Confederate Goliath, The Battle for Fort Fisher. I remember talking to him at a Civil War show almost 8 years ago and he said he was writing a historical novel about the 26th North Carolina at Gettysburg. I have 3 ancestors who served with the Caldwell County companies of the 26th NC, and all I can say about this book is that I was so pleased with it the first time I read it, that I read it again. The portion of the book dealing with the 1st days battle against the tough Iron Brigade, and the 26th's young Colonel Henry King Burgwyn being shot down are almost surreal. Do yourself a favor, buy this book.

This book has brought even closer than before to the realization that men of the South, especically the 26th North Carolina, sacrificed so much for what they believed in. This book follows this unit from beginning to end, sharing all that they did during the War, but hilighting Gettysburg and the tremendous toll it took on this great unit. I was especially enthralled by the personal side that the author shared, delving into personal history of various members of the unit, especially its Boy Colonel. A great read for those who want to know more about the men and units who made up Lee's great Army.

If you carry Gettysburg in your heart, and live more than a days drive away, Virtual Gettysburg is a must have of the highest order.

The 360 degree visuals alone are worth the price, and the commentary by Licensed Battlefield Guide Gary Kross is spellbinding. All of the monuments are presented, as are easy to use interactive maps and many historic photos. I find something new every time. The CD's and guide will be with me each future time I'm able to visit Gettysburg.

Stephen Recker has produced a fascinating new presentation of history. I only wish something like this had been available when my sons were studying The Civil War - then they wouldn't even think of asking "Mom, WHY do you have all these books?"

Stephen's work is a gateway that will bring many new enthusiasts to the Civil War community. No school should be without it, nor should the home of any of us who understand Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain's:

"In great deed something abides.
On great fields, something stays.
Forms change and pass, bodies disappear
But spirits linger
To consecrate the ground for the vision-place of the Soul.
And reverent men and women from afar
And generations that know us not and we know not of,
Shall come here to ponder and to dream
And the power of the vision shall pass into their souls."

This great product allows educators to personalize their tours of Gettysburg. In our leadership training, we have selected those individual leaders from Virtual Gettysburg, clicked on the CD tours which feature them, and let the program take over from there. Great visuals, giving panoramas of the battlefield, and terrific commentary. We were able to conduct a virtual tour of Gettysburg with a group in Florida, and they felt like they were on-site. Kudos to Stephen Recker!

This software is a must have for anyone that has a love for this park and it,s history.
from the novice to the veteran civil war buff alike.
the work that went in to this project is well worth the asking price .just load the disc and your in Gettysburg .
HATS OFF TO MR. RECKER WHAT A PIECE OF WORK!!
I got this as a gift for christmas and I do not think I will tire of it anytime soon.
THANKS AGAIN AND HOPE TO SEE VIRTUAL ANTIETAM COMING SOON..

I read this incredible and rare perspective on the great battle and came away with a rather astounding cinematic vision for its telling. This author has chosen to invite us into a glimpse of farmland simple life interrupted by ghastly warfare that changed all the lives of its citizens forever. How often do we think of that concerning the Civil War battlefields? Amazing take. I bought one for a friend immediately afterwards. This absolutely MUST be a film someday!

People tend to think of the battle of Gettysburg and consider the famous fields such as Pickett's Charge, Wheatfield, Little Round Top and Culp's Hill to be the history while the civilians in town shared their own battle. The entire town was littered with sharpshooters, Confederate soldiers, the wounded and prisoners. The Gettysburg people were basically caught up in this fray and this book demonstrates the horrors and hardships that these people witnessed. Personal accounts are placed together in almost a novel-like format which places the reader quite easily within the action itself. Stories such as housing the wounded, losing a home, sharing food with the soldiers caught up in battle and witnessing the bloodshed are among the many stories within this great book. It is a must read for those looking to understand Gettysburg completely.

William G. Williams does an excellent job of blending real life accounts of the Gettysburg Civilians to create an educational and compelling novel. Included in the book are photos of some of the civilians whose stories are being told, as well as a map of Gettysburg to help familiarize yourself with the areas the story takes place in. Many books have been written about the Battle of Gettysburg, but this is a great way to get an understanding of how the families and storekeepers were affected by the battle that literally took place in their backyard!

I grew up near Gettysburg & have been there numerous times. I just spent 2 days there with this book on the battlefield--this book made the battle crystal clear! I ran out of time exploring the battlefield (it takes more than the 6 hours described in the book--my only criticism). This book brings the battle to life and explains the terrain like never before. I learned a lot about the battle that I never knew and many components of the battle came into focus in new and exciting ways. In particular, this book does a good job on overviews of each day and with it's clear directions, leads the reader through each stop--I really felt as if I had an expert by my side explaining all the facets of each aspect of the battle. Along the way, everything was just as the book described. The maps were excellent & it's nicely complimented with various portraits of leaders, common soldiers, etc. The guide brings the 3 days together as a cohesive whole. This is the book to get if you're going to visit Gettysburg; forget all the others.

I now live near Chickamauga and I plan on getting their book on that battle!

I recently took a trip to Gettysburg (my 3rd) and carried this tour guide for the 1st time. It is far and away the best experience I've had seeing the battlefield. It follows the battle chronologically and offers several sites and insights not offered on the audio tours available at the local shops. Many of the stops are multifaceted. At several points the stops feature 7 to 10 asides which often involve only a minor shift in position to point out various phases of the battle. It includes a side trip to the cavalry field which I've never run into on the audio tours. The driving directions are easy to follow but do veer from the order of the Military Park brochure and the audio tours to give greater detail to the battle. The book says to allow for 6 hours-it's more like 10 hours to give time for exploring beyond some of the "stand here and turn left" instructions. 11 hours total if you include a break for lunch. We started at nine on one morning, toured until about 4 with a break for lunch and finished the following day. Sites included on the audio and Park tours tend to start getting crowded from 11 to 3, so this will add to the tour time depending on time of year and crowd. To sum it all up and paraphrase a popular commercial-when going on a tour of Gettysburg-"Don't leave home without it!"

An excellent, well-written guidebook and the best I've seen on the subject. I carried this book on my first visit to Gettysburg in Spring 2001, and it greatly enhanced the experience. The directions are clear and up to date, and the text is precise and detailed enough to be compelling without trying to be an exhaustive treatment of every minute detail. If used as a companion to an actual visit, I would strongly recommend reading the book in advance of your visit, then bringing it with you for reference. There are only a few very minor faults I might find with this guidebook. On the maps, it would be helpful to have present-day landmarks indicated in some way to help with orientation. Also, the book suggests the full tour can be completed in six hours, but in my experience to make all the stops and fully enjoy it you'd need at least a full day, or preferably two. You'll want to leave some time for reflection at such places as McPherson's Ridge, Little Round Top, the High Water Mark, and others to think about the enormity of what occurred on that ground.

Read this book and you'll come away with a good working knowledge of the three-day battle. Highly recommended!

One of five great books in the Ghosts of Gettysburg series by Mark Nesbitt, having read them all, I anxiously await his next. Whether or not you're a believer in the supernatural, these books will touch, educate, and fascinate you. They don't sensationalize, you don't get the feeling you're reading a bunch of goofy ghost stories. He presents the information in a very objective manner, and lets the reader make their own judgement. His research is thorough, he gives great context to the events he describes, and all of these books will grab you from page one. I can't wait for #6! (And if you ever have the opportunity to go to Gettysburg & take one of his tours, definitely do it - they really bring the books to life...)

I have read Mark Nesbitt's four series of books about the Ghosts of Gettysburg and I must say I was very impressed, both with Mr. Nesbitt's writing techniques as well as with the stories themselves. In writing the stories, Mr. Nesbitt incorporated any history involved with each one, so that the reader was able to learn a little bit about what happened during that fateful battle. So many people take being an American for granted. We should never, ever forget what our ancestors went through to gain the freedom that each of us enjoy and take for granted each and every day. If you are open-minded about the spirit world and even if you aren't and want to learn more about Gettysburg, read these stories. They are very compelling and will keep you in suspense. They will also touch your heart regarding the many tragedies that took place there. Mr. Nesbitt, many compliments to you sir and please keep writing! I look forward to reading your next book on the Ghosts of Gettysburg! I also look forward to hopefully meeting you in person the next time I visit Gettysburg!

Mark Nesbitt's series, Ghosts of Gettysburg (five volumes), consists of some of the best paranormal journalism I have
ever read in years. These books actually kept me awake nights.
I have never been to Gettysburg, Pa, but Mr. Nesbitt makes
you feel as if you are there, complete with all it's colorful
history, and it's hauntings. Mr. Nesbitt seems to be neither
a skeptic or believer, he lets you decide. Don't let the small
page count of each volume fool you, there is a lot to read.
I can hardly wait for volume six.

I found this book in a Friends of the Library book sale in Hilo, Hawaii about l980, five years after it first came out. I think I paid 35 cents for it in hardcover, in perfect condition. It is the best bargain I ever found in my life. I re-read it every four years or so. I cannot imagine its owner ever parting with it, short of dying himself and having his clueless heirs simply donate his library without scrutiny. If you care about U.S. history, the Civil War, photography, the way historians think about a fresh approach to well-covered subjects, or just good writing and thinking, buy this book. It is worth whatever Amazon wants to charge you. I live now 2,000 miles from the Battlefield, and have never visited it, but if I ever get the chance, this book will go with me. It is simply, completely, brilliant. It can make you cry, if you aren't careful. It certainly makes you envy Bill Frassanito's achievement. His idea of contrasting the historical photo with an image shot from the same spot now has been copied with the Jack the Ripper crime sites as well as in his subsequent books. It was a great idea, and no one's done it better.

This book by Frassanito is my favorite book in my entire 200+ book library of the Civil War. I love history, and I cannot recommend this book enough for those who tramp the Gettysburg National Military Park in search of what happened in July 1863. His careful research indicates the exact position that many famous pictures were taken from. VERY WELL DONE!

Many of us who are historians (credentialed or uncredentialed) have viewed Civil War photographs with suspicion. Example: "If these are Union soldiers, then why is there so little uniformity in their uniforms?" Or: "This body is described as that of a Confederate sharpshooter . . . but that's a federal issue Springfield rifle propped next to him."

William Frassanito raised such issues to the level of scholarly inquiry, and through painstaking research wrote the story of the Gettysburg photographs. We now know what and who we are looking at, and on which portion of the battlefield. This book and his companion volume on the Antietam photographs are indispensable for any serious student of the Civil War in the East.

Ah...Mark Nesbitt finally plays down the Gettysburg ghost tours and gets back to telling the stories. Another well done melding of ghost stories and historical events. This book is on a par with the first 3 volumes of stories and just as entertaining.

Former Park Ranger Mark Nesbitt has over the years gathered many ghost stories from other park rangers, visitors and people who live in the area. Nesbitt tries to gather factual data on the stories he receives so he can offer a background as to why these ghost stories may have evolved. His stories are usually quite interesting and do not just talk about battlefield soldiers, civilians alike are also involved in famous ghost stories in Gettysburg! Buy all 5 books, there worth it! Each has many short stories that are easy and fun to read.

This is book V, and the fifth on that I've read so far. They're not very long, but each one has been fun to read.
Each story begins by giving you a little history lesson about the backdrop of each haunted location, and this is
very beneficial for the reader because you have some idea
where the troubled spirit met their fate and how. Whether
the ghosts were civilians, rebels or yanks, they're all included here. Even if you don't believe in ghosts, the
little historical backgrounds of each story are very interesting to read. Once you start reading, you'll probably finish each of these books in one or two sittings.

This is the perfect Shelby Foote sampler if the three volume, "The Civil War: A Narrative" seems either too daunting or you haven't the time.
It's the entire "Stars in Their Courses" Chapter and part of "Unvexed to the Sea" from "Fredericksburg to Meridian," the second volume of the trilogy.
Simply put, it's the best and most concise account of the Gettysburg campaign you're ever likely to find. Foote doesn't overwhelm the reader the details, but instead, and with careful literary design, catches the ebb and flow of a great battle as it opens and occurs.
If you've read the trilogy, then you probably don't need this, but it certainly is a lot easier to tote around than the rather ponderous size of the others. Also, if you're quite familiar with Gettysburg, then Foote may not be anything new, but I do think his mastery of the language eclipses most of what's out there (how historians drain the life out of such an exciting subject I'll never know).
If you enjoyed this, I heartily recommend you pick up "Stars in Their Courses" in the audio where Foote reads the book himself. You listen to his voice and I'd hazard a guess that it's like listening to Homer read the Iliad or the Odyssey. Foote's melodious voice is mesmerizing and becomes a performance in itself.

Foote deserves a 21 gun salute.

No one has written about the Civil War with the lyricism and eloquence of Foote. As anyone who has read his delightful three volume history of the Civil War can attest, his novelist background combined with thorough research to produce a classic of American literature and history.

This book is an excerpt from the history focusing on the Gettysburg campaign. As perhaps the most dramatic episode of our national four year drama (and tragedy), this breakout survives its separation from the whole very well.

Foote traces the reasons Davis allowed Lee to march north and the ensuing battle thoroughly. Although not given the breadth of Coddington's description in his classic "Gettysburg: A Study in Command," Foote does his job extremely well over 290 (small sized) pages. This is a factual yet at the same time romantic telling of the great battle of American history.

A student (yes, I'm a history major) of the Civil War, and having grown up believing that the holy land was a certain battlefield in Pennsylvania, I read Shelby Foote's The Stars in Their Courses as part of a research paper. I had gotten the copy for my father that past Christmas. It was well worn by the time I borrowed it in April.
In reading his work on the Gettysburg campaign, as he described the places about the enormous battlefield, I could see myself in those places once again. It was like reading an old journal entry, or seeing a picture of a childhood home; such is the power of Foote's work that it can transport you to the place you are reading about. Both my father and I read this book with great enjoyment, for this was written in a style of prose much more beautiful and approachable than many other writers on the subject.
To this day, Shelby Foote's work remains a staple in the bookcases of the Lacey household, and will remain that way for a long long time.

A fascinating study of a rare Civil War topic! Carefully researched and detailed, a must study for those who tend to glorify a brutal event. One serious detraction is the writer's peculiar use of his study as a stump to blast Christianity, saying that this "particular brand of religious myth had not really taken hold of society." He goes on to question the origin of the Christian cross and the existence of the soul. Coco needlessly attempts to diminish the important role religious faith played among Civil War soldiers, especially among Confederates. Also, it would have been helpful to have seen some comparative discussion about other Civil War battlefields, especially in the South (where most battles were fought), where the resources to clean up were, in comparison, far lacking. Otherwise it is a must read, and should serve as a model for further writings on the subject.

A definate contribution to capturing the history of the aftermath of the battle at Gettysburg. The amount of details, statistics and facts along with eye witness accounts make this probably the best book on the subject. This is a must read for those interested in Gettysburg as so much more happened after the battle. The content written in this book offer a shocking reality to the absolute horrors which occured in Gettysburg in 1863.

Coco's view on the darker side of Gettysburg is brilliant. He picks up when the shooting stops. His description of what it was like in the days, months and even years after this battle was very interesting. He spares no details and his desciptions of wounded and dead are shocking. He also brings to light the darker side of Adams County civillians in their treatment of wounded soldiers. Although there were many heroic and merciful civillians, Coco brings to light the ones who were not so. This is a great human interest story and sheds a different light on one of the most discussed battles in human history.

Mr. Hess purports to present the first tactical history of one of the most famous military actions of the Civil War. He therefore sets high expectations for himself, perhaps too high. Mr. Hess does accomplish this forensic and encylopedic presentation, but either this approach to the subject or Hess's style is dry and emotionally unengaging. Hess does a great job in researching soldiers letters and accounts of events surrounding July 3, some of which see the light of day for the first time I have no doubt. These annecdotes are wonderful.

Mr. Hess also does a good job in rebalancing the participation of Pettigrew's and Trimble's commands in the charge. Many accounts of this engagement focus on Picketts' Virginians, partly because these men left a better aggregate written record of their impressions, and partly as a result of post-war prowess with the pen.

There are some gaps. The account of the immediate post-charge Confederate impressions is thin. Is it due to lack of data or just lack of presentation? Does Hess credit the account found in many histories that Lee lets loose his despair that night telling John Imboden "Too bad, too bad, Oh too bad." Did that happen? Is it post-war hyperbole? The account is extant but Hess is silent about what he knows about it. You are begging for a glimpse of Longstreet's post-charge movements that night or over the next few days. Who did he talk to? Did Lee and Longstreet meet within the days following the attack? If Hess doesn't report it you are left to conclude it didn't happen, but is that an accurate conclusion? The Imboden encounter leaves doubt about how thorough the author has been.

Hess explained the storied background of the officers and men who participated in the charge. He mentions Waller Tazwell Patton, colonel of the 7th Virginia, but says nothing about his relationship to WWII's George Patton. Perhaps these ommission's are minor. If Hess sets himself such high expectations, however, the reader has the obligation to call him on it if he fails to deliver.

As a Civil War historian myself, I'm only to pleases to recommend this and all of Earl Hess' other fine works. One of the best tactical studies to appear in a long while

I have thought Stewart's "Pickets Charge" to be the best source for the past 40 years. Hess has written a book that will replace Stewart for more than 40 years. While a master of the sources, Hess is a thoughtful military historian and a writer of a judicious narrative. I have been reading, writing and teaching about the Civil War since 1960 (and graduated from Gettysburg College) and Hess tells me things that I never knew or failed to consider. This is an essential book on the Battle of Gettysburg and one of the better military history works at the beginning of the new century.