The Best Gettysburg Books | Analysis

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COURTESY OF JASON MINICK, PHOTOGRAPHER, AND THE GETTYSBURG FOUNDATION In this scene from the Gettysburg Cyclorama, Union soldiers advance toward the sound of the guns during the battle.

For our latest newsstand-only special issue, Gettysburg, we asked a number of Civil War historians for their opinions on a variety of topics, including the battle’s most overrated and underrated performances, best photos, and most compelling monuments. Space constraints prevented us from including the answers to one of the questions we posed: What are the five best books about the Battle of Gettysburg (nonfiction or fiction)? Here are their responses.

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allen c. guelzo

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1. The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command(1968) by Edwin B. coddington

coddington’s work has become the reference book for understanding the full scope of gettysburg, covering the campaign and not just the battle, by robert e. Lee’s preparations for the Potomac River crossing at Williamsport and the falling waters. His great strength is his thoroughness, and he was the first to make full use of the documents, letters, and testimonies collected by John Bachelder from the participants in the battle. his weakness is his laborious and tedious style, which often makes him a book recommended rather than read.

2. high tide at gettysburg(1958) by glenn tucker

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High Tide at Gettysburg is a journalist’s rather than a historian’s work, and for sheer readability, there is no other single-volume history of the battle to match it. Tucker is long on personalities (which interested him the most) and short on military chitchat (there are, for instance, no maps), and he breathes a gentle but definite spirit of admiration for the Army of Northern Virginia, and especially for James Longstreet. Tucker’s sympathetic portrayal of Longstreet was the background for Michael Shaara’s depiction of Longstreet in The Killer Angels, and the foundation for much of the modern rehabilitation of Longstreet’s reputation. 3. Pickett’s Charge—The Last Attack at Gettysburg (2001) by Earl J. Hess

Hess’s study is the model for a microhistory of Gettysburg. It’s made with a passion for integrity, and it’s also the first book to realize the importance of the fence rails on both sides of the emmittsburg highway, a point that got me thinking about the larger meaning of fences. throughout the battle of gettysburg. . judgments on the most famous attack in American history are careful and judicious; Hess is not in love with Longstreet and generally does not consider the attack to have been a ghastly mistake on Lee’s part.

4. gettysburg retreat(2005) by kent masterson brown

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gettysburg retreat doesn’t seem at first like it should be in the top five list for any battle book, since (as winston churchill said about dunkirk) evacuations are not victories, no matter what success. Brown, however, has managed to write a wonderfully compelling and highly readable book on a subject that never allows itself to become monotonous. He is accurate on times, locations, and even cattle brought in, and he is remarkably generous in estimating that while he may have lost the Battle of Gettysburg, he salvaged much of the campaign (including 45 road miles of captured tents).

5. gettysburg: the first day(2001) by harry pfanz

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This is the first of three books that Pfanz, a longtime presence with National Park Service staff in Gettysburg and the NPS’s chief historian, wrote about Gettysburg. actually any of the three (the other two being gettysburg: the second day, which was the first of the trio, in 1987, and gettysburg: culp’s hill and cemetery hill in 1993) would be a good candidate for this slot, as they all follow the same meticulous pattern: scorchingly detailed accounts of troop movements and encounters and microscopic focus on individuals and good personal stories. pfanz tries to navigate the middle ways through some of the controversies of the first day (especially between oliver otis howard and winfield scott hancock). It may take longer to read Pfanz’s accounts of the various actions that made up the battle than it took for him to bring them to pass, but the rewards for the Gettysburg-obsessed are wonderful.

allen c. Guelzo is the Henry R. She Looks Civil War Era Professor and Director of Civil War Era Studies at Gettysburg University, and is currently WM. I Guest Professor Garwood on the James Madison Show on American Ideals & princeton university institutions. Her book on the Battle of Gettysburg, Gettysburg: The Last Invasion, was a 2013 New York Times bestseller.

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lawrence korczyk

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1. The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command(1968) by Edwin B. coddington

Any study of the Gettysburg Campaign should begin with Coddington’s brilliant book. His work is not just a retelling of the battle but a critical analysis of the leadership and command decisions of the officers of the Union and Confederate armies. Among Gettysburg’s Licensed Battlefield Guides, Coddington’s work is considered one of the definitive studies of the campaign—one to be read, understood, and thoroughly analyzed. 2. Gettysburg: The Second Day (1987) by Harry Pfanz

pfanz, former chief historian of the gettysburg national military park, has written the definitive volume on the second day of the battle of gettysburg. Pfanz’s intimate knowledge of the topography, extensive research, and clear writing have produced an excellent microhistory of the July 2 fighting. pfanz examines all the tactical moves of the two armies in detail while providing valuable vignettes of the men in battle. . his book is the narrative of the battle by which all others are measured.

3. the killer angels (1974) by michael shaara

One of the most compelling and vivid accounts of the Battle of Gettysburg is not a work of non-fiction, but fiction. Imaginatively and beautifully written, Florida State University professor Michael Shaara brings the battle to life with impressive character development and historically accurate detail. Shaara’s work, which became the 1993 film gettysburg, inspired tens of thousands of Americans to make the trip to Gettysburg to relive those three epic days in July 1863.

4. Gettysburg: A Journey Through Time (1974) by William A. frassanito

The publication of Frassanito’s groundbreaking Gettysburg: A Journey Through Time ushered in an entirely new genre in Civil War historiography. For the first time, photographs of the Battle of Gettysburg were systematically analyzed and new information about them was discovered, altering our understanding and interpretation of the battle. Frassanito’s work created new generations of photographic detectives who roam the battlefield with photos in hand, reinterpreting the story of the epic engagement.

5. gettysburg(2003) by stephen w. sears

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stephen Sears’ extraordinary book is another must-read for any student of the Battle of Gettysburg. The volume is thoroughly researched and beautifully written, containing critical and insightful information on the command decisions of the two armies. it is simply one of the best single volumes written on the battle.

lawrence korczyk, a licensed gettysburg battlefield guide since 2013, was recently elected vice president of the licensed battlefield guides association. He is co-author of the book Top Ten at Gettysburg (2017).

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brian matthew jordan

1. gettysburg: the last invasion (2013) by allen c. guelzo

Guelzo’s keen attention to the texture and experience of battle for ordinary soldiers, insightful analysis of the politics that haunted the high command, and ability to approach his subject from oblique angles make this book one of the best civil war battle studies ever seen. written.

2. gettysburg: the second day(1987) by harry pfanz

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The former National Park Service historian’s command of source material and knowledge of the ground itself combines to produce a stellar narrative of the fighting on July 2, conveying its complexity while sacrificing nothing of clarity. 3. A Field Guide to Gettysburg (2013) by Carol Reardon and Tom Vossler

This dazzling guide is an essential companion on the battlefield for new students and veterans alike. reardon and vossler enrich the superb action narratives with human color drawn from careful preliminary work in pension archives and other sources.

4. Gettysburg: A Journey Through Time (1974) by William A. frassanito

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Once described as “Lieutenant Columbo of Gettysburg,” William Frassanito produced a meticulous study of Gettysburg battlefield photography that has allowed generations of historians to literally see the events of July 1-3, 1863, from new angles.

5. the colors of courage(2004) by margaret creighton

With a rich sense of character development and fine storytelling, this beautifully written book integrates the experiences of immigrant, female, and African-American soldiers into the story of the war’s most famous battle, and offers a profound meditation on its legacy. .

brian matthew jordan is an assistant professor of history at sam houston state university. He is the author of Marching Home: Union Veterans and Their Endless Civil War (2014), which was a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for History.

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ethan s. rafus

1. The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command(1968) by Edwin B. coddington

excellent recent books on the battle by stephen sears and allen guelzo beat coddington in terms of readability, and i would probably recommend them to anyone starting to study gettysburg. however, for the truly serious, coddington remains the standout, classic study of the campaign.

2. pickett’s burden in history and memory (1997) by carol reardon

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Reardon’s study is one of the best and most influential books on any Civil War topic to appear in the past few decades. It takes a much-studied and unquestionably important subject and offers the sort of compelling re-examination of what we know—and think we know—that only a truly outstanding scholar and student of history can deliver. Her compelling look at Pickett’s Charge and how history is made inspired a legion of folks to jump on the history and memory bandwagon. 3. The Killer Angels (1974) by Michael Shaara

While The Killing Angels might not be an essential work for understanding the battle (although it’s pretty good in that sense), the novel certainly made stars out of Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and the 20th of maine infantry , and it helps explain why today so many more people visit Little Round Top than, say, Culp’s Hill. Shaara might have gone overboard in her rehab from acting James Longstreet. still, anyone who skips this book is doing themselves a disservice.

4. a field guide to gettysburg(2013) by carol reardon and tom vossler

Visiting a battlefield and immersing yourself in the terrain is the best way to understand what happened there, and having a good guide to help you explore the sprawling and complex Gettysburg Battlefield is essential. I’m a big fan of Mark Grimsley and Brooks Simpson’s 1999 guide, but changes to the battlefield since its publication have made it long overdue for revision. However, even a revised edition of that work would have a hard time knocking Reardon and Vossler’s book from the top spot among battlefield guides.

5. gettysburg retreat(2005) by kent masterson brown

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This fascinating study places, as its title suggests, logistical considerations at the center of the Confederate campaign, drawing on recent research to provide important insights. It is extremely difficult to make logistics the central component of a campaign study and to produce work that is not only informative but also interesting and compelling, but Brown pulls it off with great skill.

ethan s. rafuse is a professor of history at the u.s. Army Command and Staff College and author, editor, or co-editor of 11 books. In 2018-2019 he will be Charles Boal Ewing Visiting Professor at the U.S. military academy.

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lesley j. Gordon

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1. Gettysburg: A Journey Through Time (1974) by William A. frassanito

You are reading: Best books on gettysburg

This hugely influential study demonstrating the power of imagery in warfare was a game-changer for me when I first read it as a teenager.

2. long memory (1934) by mackinley kantor

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One of my favorite novels of the Civil War, Kantor’s book is set in Gettysburg as the battle rages. At its center, the novel explores questions of loyalty, pacifism, love, and heroism. 3. The Colors of Courage (2004) by Margaret Creighton

This innovative and insightful book reminds us that battles never happen in isolation.

4. The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command(1968) by Edwin B. coddington

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Edwin Coddington’s engaging and well-written study of the Battle of Gettysburg is an enduring classic. I still find myself consulting it 50 years after its publication.

5. the gettysburg that nobody knows (1999) ed. by gabor boritt

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A comprehensive and useful collection of essays based on lectures delivered at Gettysburg University’s Civil War Institute, this volume is an excellent reminder that Gettysburg is not entirely exhausted as a subject for new and original scholarship. .

lesley j. Gordon is Charles G. Summersell Professor of Southern History at the University of Alabama. His publications include General George E. Pickett in Life and Legend (1998), Inside the Confederate Nation: Essays in Honor of Emory M. thomas (2005) and a broken regiment: the civil war of the 16th connecticut (2014). She was editor of the academic journal Civil War History.

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jennifer m. murray

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1. The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command(1968) by Edwin B. coddington

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Although numerous campaign studies have been published since the release of The Gettysburg Campaign, none have equaled or surpassed Coddington’s, whose work is impeccably researched and offers nearly 200 pages of footnotes. Coddington is consistently my “go-to” book for any questions on the battle. He offers a comprehensive narrative of the Gettysburg Campaign and insightful analysis on leadership and decision-making. This book must be on the shelves and referenced often for any student of the battle. 2. A Strange and Blighted Land (1995) by Gregory Coco

Years before academic historians considered the war’s “dark turn,” Gregory Coco, a seasonal ranger for the Gettysburg National Military Park and a Vietnam veteran, offered a groundbreaking study that expanded the Gettysburg narrative beyond the 3 July 1863. Coco’s work addresses the aftermath of the battle and its indelible mark on the landscape and the locals. Exploring the process of burying the dead, the care of the wounded, the treatment of prisoners, and the impact on civilians, A Strange and Ruined Landoffers a significant contribution to Gettysburg scholarship and continues defining the conversation of the battle. aftermath.

3. gettysburg: culp hill and graveyard hill(1993) by harry pfanz

Pfanz’s work continues to be the definitive standard in fighting along Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill. Although she is often overshadowed by the fighting on the southern edge of the battlefield on July 2, this play provides an excellent account of the action along the central right flank of the Union Line. Well-researched and well-written, Pfanz’s book offers a comprehensive narrative on both the strategic and tactical levels, as well as insightful analysis of command decisions that continue to be debated by Civil War enthusiasts today.

4. the bachelder papers: gettysburg in his own words (1994) by john bachelder

This three-volume set (edited by David and Audrey Ladd and published by Morningside Press) is a must-have for any researcher or student of battle. John Bachelder traveled to Gettysburg after the battle to interview Confederate and Union soldiers about his experiences in the fight. The Bachelder Papers include these interviews and correspondences that helped define Bachelder as the first historian of the battle. Few people have worked to shape the history and memory of the battle and the origins and preservation of the battlefield as much as John Bachelder. His work should be on the shelves of all pledge students.

5. Gettysburg: A Journey Through Time (1974) by William A. frassanito

Because the Civil War was the nation’s first widely photographed war, photographs are an invaluable window into understanding the conflict itself and the visceral aftermath of combat. Frassanito meticulously researched dozens of battlefield images to identify their photographers and the dates and places they were taken, and to provide contemporary photos of the same sights. Although his works do not redefine historiographical debates or question interpretations of the campaign or the battle, Frassanito has produced a subgenre of battlefield photography books (his first photograph in gettysburg, published in 1995, is also a standard) that advance the understanding of commitment through images.

jennifer m. murray is a history professor at oklahoma state university, where she teaches courses on civil war, reconstruction, and military history. She is the author of On a Great Battlefield: The Making, Management, and Memory of the Gettysburg National Military Park, 1933-2013 (2014) and is currently working on a biography of George Gordon Meade.

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