This was a pleasant suprise about a battle that I knew little about. I don't know if I would call it the "Gettysburg" in the West. The Battle of Shiloh is the only battle that comes close to Gettysburg when it comes to mass of troops and casualties. However, this little known battle was strategically important for the Confederacy as they tried to spread their power west and their ultimate goal of obtaining the gold of California and Nevada and also obtaining official recognition by Mexico. The author does a good job explain the background of the Confederate troops (Texans) and the expidition they were on, as well as the Union troops (mostly Colorado volunteers) meant to stop them in their tracks. The Battle of Glorietta Pass did have significant casualties on both sides, however the ultimate key factor for Union victory was the destruction of the Confederate's supply train. I recommend this book to any Civil War enthusiast who wants to read about a different, little known but significant battle of the Civil War.

I think this account of the battle of Glorieta will never be surpassed. After writing an superb book 'bout the battle of Valverde, Taylor, together with Edrington, somehow manages to write another great book. This time the important battle of Glorieta is described very vivid and also the maps, as in Bloody Valverde, really help you to get into the whole dynamics of this conflict. It's really very, very interesting and every serious Civil War interested person should study this book carefully !

In the usual CAMPAIGN format, but double sized, this book follows the whole Gettysburg campaign, starting with the Army of Northern Virginia "invasion" up to their retreat.

There are the standard "3D" maps showing the actual battle, day by day, and *lots* of period photographs, as well as modern day drawings.

For modellers (my case!) there is plenty of material for uniforms, weaponry, and dioramas. Wargamers also get some attention.

I heartily recommend all of the Civil War Osprey Campaign books: Antietam, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and so on!

"Gettysburg: The Confederate High Tide" is the volume in the Time-Life Civil War series devoted to the most famous battle in American history. Author Champ Clark does a marvelous job of both providing the basic information for understanding the strategy and tactics of the battle as well as providing intriguing details for those more intimately familiar with the story of Gettysburg. For example, there is a photograph of Dan Sickle's shattered leg bone that was amputated on the second day of the battle and which he visited at the Army Medical Museum in Washington periodically for the rest of his life.

The book is divided into five chapters. "A Hard Road North" covers the movements of the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac north from Fredericksburg to begin converge on the town of Gettysburg on the last night of June in 1863. A very detailed map of the troop movements is provided. This chapter ends with a look at "Soldiering on Horseback," which looks at the trappings of the cavalry, including a McClellan saddle. "The Push to Seminary Ridge" tells of the first day of battle, July 1st, as John Buford's dismounted Union cavalry held off the advancing troops of Henry Heath's troops along the Chambersburg Pike. Most readers know of the strategic importance of getting the high ground at this battle, and Clark covers all of the key moves in this fatal dance. In this chapter particularly, Clark does a nice job of combining the military maneuvers with fascinating human elements of that day, from the stories of local civilians John Burns and Jennie Wade, to the battlefield friendship forged between Union General Francis Barlow and Confederate General John Gordon, and the story of Lt. Bayard Wilkinson, who commanded a Union battery and amputated his own leg after being hit by a shell.

"Through the Valley of Death" deals with the action on July 2nd, which begins with General Dan Sickle's idiotic redeployment of his III Corps off of Cemetery Ridge and ends with the defense of Little Round Top. The latter, with the pivotal role played by Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain's 20th Maine, is one of the centerpieces of the film "Gettysburg." The consequences of Sickle's blunder is covered in "Fury in the Peach Orchard," which we tend to remember up here in the Northland because General Winfield Scott Hancock ended up plugging the massive hole in the Union line created by Sickles with the 1st Minnesota regiment, whose 262 men attacked an entire Confederate brigade to buy time, at the cost of 82 percent of its men. This chapter ends with "An Artist's Portrayal of the Battle," which looks at the works of Peter Frederick Rothermel, who was commissioned by the state of Pennsylvania in 1866 to do a series of paintings of the battle.

Before the book's final chapter, we get "A Panoramic View of the Last Charge," a 400-foot cyclorama by French artist Paul Philippoteaux recreating Pickett's charge (If you visit the Gettysburg Battlefield, it is a must-see). Of course the high watermark of the Confederacy is covered in "'In Hell or Glory,'" which concludes with "Images of the Aftermath," taken by Mathew Brady's team a couple of weeks after the battle. However, the final two-page spread of the book offers the simple elegance of Abraham Lincoln's handwritten version of "The Gettysburg Address" super imposed over a photographic enlargement of Lincoln about to sit down after giving the most famous speech in American history.

The Osprey Order of Battle series presents the military enthusiast with a microanalysis of famous battles, in this case devoting six volumes to the pivotal Civil War Battle of Gettysburg. This seventh volume (the Gettysburg books do not appear sequentially in the series) is devoted to the disposition of the Union Army of the Potomac under General George Meade on July 2, 1863, while the sixth volume performs the same function for the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee. All of the books in this series provide comprehensive organization diagrams, an analysis of operational objectives, and most importantly where each unit was at what point during the second day of the battle, including both the "tooth" combat elements and the vital "tail" support troops. The operational analysis is quite excellent and surprisingly concise, although for the second day at Gettysburg this is obviously of more importance from the Confederate perspective. Still, there is the almost fatal mistake of Sickels' III Corps stupidly moving forward on the Union side of the ledger. The book provides dozens of photographs, charts and detailed maps and I would have to think that 99% of all Civil War buffs are going to find lots of new information in these pages about the most analyzed battle of the Civil War.

But while this material will be on interest to those who want to study what happened in Gettysburg in minute detail, I think the greatest utility of this volume will be for war gamming enthusiasts, who want to be able to position troops accurately for recreating the situation and trying to achieve a different objective. I have used the information to generate a brigade level version of the Battle of Gettysburg with the Civil War 2 computer game and I suspect it would be of even greater use to those who have the massive Gettysburg board game and want to give Lee another chance at taking the Union flanks on Day 2. Of course, the Confederate commander is going to try and avoid the long list of mistakes made that day and the Union commander is going to have to anticipate that the flank attack on Little Round Top is not going to be botched, otherwise Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and the 20th Maine are never going to hold the Union left. However, others will certainly be impressed with the depth of detail provided in these pages. The Order of Battle books meet their objective in providing the most detailed information ever published about the great battles of history. In addition to Gettysburg this series has also covered the 1759 Battle of Quebec (interesting choice) and the WWII Battle of the Ardennes in 1944 (i.e., the Battle of the Bulge).

To fully appreciate the second day of fighting of Gettysburg, you need this volume to see the battle from the Federal perspective. Details not found in the Confederate volume are found here. This volume show well the advantage the Federals had with interior lines. It also appears not to have the layout mistakes which plague the Confederate volume. The only detail that appears to be overlooked, in contrast to the Confederate volumes in the set, are Federal regimental flags. This, however, is a small oversight, and is made up, in part, by including each of the Federal corps's respective divisional badges. All in all, considering the amount of detail that is provided, Jim Arnold and Rebecca Wiener's work is phenomenal and well worth buying.

This is a slim, primarily narrative volume dealing with the battle of Gettysburg. It's full of great pictures (including some really gory photos)and maps. As usual, Catton writes beautifully, although his description of Pickett's Charge is a little understated for him. What this is not is seminal scholarship -- Catton's introduction, referring to the battle as "fated", is absurdly though endearingly positivist, and his analysis of the battle and its causes is quite basic. I think the book would be particularly well suited to the amateur or, as another reviewer suggested, to someone who has seen the battlefield as a tourist and wants to learn a little more about what happened there.

Bruce Catton guides you carefully and clearly through the whole battle. His writing is concise, yet picturesque. The book was my constant companion while visiting the Gettysburg battlefield. The maps are excellent. Bruce Catton is an even-handed chronicler of this monumental event.

Don't expect "Hancock at Gettysburg" to provide a comprehensive narrative of the battle. That was not Gambone's purpose. Instead, he set out to portray one particular general's part in that crucial fight: Winfield Scott Hancock, "Hancock the Superb". I wouldn't recommend the book to someone without a good understanding of the battle beforehand, but it does provide solid information to anyone wishing to learn more about how the Union high command functioned during the three days of combat. In particular, two controversial episodes are highlighted: Hancock being assigned to take charge over officers more senior than himself, and Hancock's disagreement about how the artillery should be employed during the great bombardment preceding the so-called Pickett's Charge. In workmanlike prose and with excerpts from firsthand accounts, Gambone presents the story of his hero. Occasionally, his choice of material is a little peculiar (why does he quote Rutherford B. Hayes, a man who was not at Gettysburg, about Hancock's dramatic ride before his troops during the bombardment?) but for the most part a good range of opinions is presented.

This is a worthwhile addition to the ever-growing bookshelf of Gettysburg studies.

A fascinating look at the minute by minute days of the immortal Battle of Gettysburg through the eyes of the man who is credited with saving the Army of the Potomac on the first day of the fight. Winfield Scott Hancock - an army called him "The Superb", and Gambone's fine biography shows us that this was simply a description of the man himself. Loud, profane, passionate, often angry, Hancock was all of those things...but he was a man of whom his officers said "you feel safe when you're near him." Gambone's well written book takes us from Hancock's first days as a handsome young lieutenant in the Mexican War through the horror of the Civil War to his last sad days, nearly penniless, old and sick. But he never lost his luster, his ability to command and to inspire men, his charisma and his passion. Gambone brings the exciting days of the Civil War back to us, takes his readers along to many bitter battlefields, and in the end, presents the general's last days poignantly and beautifully. The reader will want to salute as the soldiers did on that rainy February afternoon when Hancock the Superb passed them for the last time. This is a "DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!" book.

I must have passed this book by many times. When I finally got a copy (back in '91), I was so glad I did. This book focuses on Archers' attack during the opening stages of the battle. The author vividly describes the skirmish that takes place, as well as the impact it had on that day (July 1) and the rest of the battle. While Martin's book "July 1 1863" covers this action as well, here in this book a full up review is done. It compare it to Pfanz's detail and Ambrose's readabillity. What ever the avid Gettysburg reader must do to find this book they must.

The book is about the 6th Wisconsin and their fight in the Railroad Cut on the first day of Gettysburg. Another reviewer makes it seems as though it is about Archer's Brigade, which it isn't. The main focus is about the 6th Wisconsin of the Iron Brigade at the Railroad Cut.

Brilliantly written in a very readable style it also gives the reader great backgound info. Highly reccommended for ANY Civil War reader! You can't put this book down.

Although at times the essays in this do not always focus directly on Lincoln, in one he is compared to Bismark, they all reflect the greatness of the man and his post in the Amercan Civil War. This is a must have for those interested in political control of the military, nation building, and or Lincoln.

"Lincoln the War President" presents seven essays, five of which are by Pulitzer Prize-winning historians, that focus specifically on Lincoln's execution of the Civil War. In "The Shadow of a Coming War," Robert V. Bruce starts the collection off with a fascinating look a the premonitions of civil war that haunted the American republic since the independence was declared, including Lincoln's reluctance to accept war as a real possibility. James M. McPherson's essay "Lincoln and the Strategy of Unconditional Surrender" catalogues Lincoln's brilliance as a "national strategist," dealing with not only military but also political and economic concerns as well. David Brion Davis looks at "The Emancipation Movement" in terms of both its promising goals and its disappointing results. In "One Among Many: The United States and National Unification," Carl N. Delger considers the Civil War as a successful attempt at true national unification, offering the counter-examples of Italy, Germany and Switzerland. Kenneth M. Stampp's essay, "One Alone? The United States and National Self-determination," explores the issue of self-determination and how the Southern struggle for independence compares to other historical examples, including the Eastern Europe after the Soviets. Not surprisingly, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. considers a historical analogy in "War and the Constitution: Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt," looking at how the pair clearly went beyond the limits of the Constitution in trying to defend the nation and the idea of freedom. Finally, Gabor S. Boritt's essay "War Opponent and War President," traces Lincoln's transformation from a Congressman denouncing the Mexican War, to the war president who wanted the Confederate Army destroyed, to a leader speaking out for reconciliation.

"Lincoln the War President" is certainly a thoughtful collection of essays that are enhanced by a concerted effort to put Lincoln's situation and actions in context, trying to keep an eye on the "big picture." In that regard the comparisons to other times and places are useful for helping history students appreciate Lincoln's virtues. While this is a book that students of Lincoln and Civil War buffs will enjoy, it should prove just as interesting to casual students of American History. The arguments it presents would certainly be provocative for both high school and college students to consider. Consequently, these essays would provide teachers with great supplementary material for teaching about Lincoln and the Civil War.

What a great way to get an overview of the Battle of Gettysburg. No dry, humourless tome, this one. Rather, a very readable book that looks more at the views of the common soldiers than the moves and countermoves of the generals. The format of following many different participants and viewers of the battle (all real-life) makes for a story that reads more like a thriller. How accurate it is, I cannot say, not being an expert on the battle. However, I do note that Persico does not have what is now accepted as the true story behind the very famous photo of the dead sharpshooter at Devil's Den (it is now believed that the photographer moved and arranged the body to set up the photo). He instead believes the photographer's story that that was how he found the body. Overall, I found this an enjoyable read, and I found it easily put into place for me (for the first time in any Civil war book I have read) all the intracacies of that conflict. Just a note: I only became interested in this battle as a result of receiving the new computer game "Sid Meier's Gettysburg!" as a gift recently ... I would also thoroughly recommend that game! Especially if it leads players to want to research more about the battle and times it portrays!

An excellent, blockbuster of a book. There is more history crammed into its 246 pages than I ever imagined could be accomplished in so short a span. Well written, fast moving and riveting, the author examines The Battle of Gettysburg from the participants' view: military and civilian, high and low ranking, male and female, Union and Confederate. Extreamly well done.

Michael Golay is a master story-teller. Thus he instantly enthralls his audience by inter-weaving the lives of one of America's greatest heroes: Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, and an American traitor: Edward Porter Alexander, into one, seamless story. Golay takes dry, dead history and makes it live, so that the seemingly formidable task of reading 345 pages passes quickly and enjoyably.

This is a great book to read if you are looking for a little fun, or if you wish to share information with a friend or family member unfamiliar with the details of America's 19th century, intramural tragedy.

However, a double biography is an artificial construct, at best. Golay's choice to tie together the lives of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and Edward Porter Alexander emphasizes just how artificial that structure can be.

Chamberlain was a genuine American hero: a civilian academic, past the age when he would have been expected to serve, he rushed to his country's defense at the beginning of the Civil War. Serving brilliantly, at great personal cost, Chamberlain is creditted by many with turning the Battle of Gettysburg, contributing significantly during the Battle of Five Forks, and beginning the process of national healing with his chivalrous gesture at the Surrender Triangle of Appomattox Court House.

Alexander, on the other hand, was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and a regular Army officer. Like all regular Army officers, he had sworn "to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic." In order to participate in the insurrection, he violated his sacred oath: he lied. The nation expected better of the man, and should have had its expectations fulfilled.

In an age when values are, again, viewed as important, we must clearly state that, ultimately, despite the shared battles, hardships, and adventures, the lives of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and Edward Porter Alexander were not parallel. Chamberlain's life is to be emulated, and Alexander's rejected.

This book works. It is simply flawed by its structure.

Golay writes a very good book on both Alexander and Chamberlain. There are better books on each man though. Klein's book on Alexander comes to mind as does Wallace's book on Chamberlain or Trulock's book on Chamberlain. I think though the previous reviewer is too quick to judge Alexander. To understand Alexander better I highly reccomend his book "Fighting for the Confederacy" which gives his motives for fighting and his experiences in the Civil War. I think it is very easy to judge a 140 years after the fact. I personally think Alexander was a good and brave man. He fought for his home. Chamberlain and Alexander believed in different things let us respect them for that.