A Field Guide to Gettysburg, Second Edition: Experiencing the Battlefield through Its History, Places, and People

by Carol Reardon, Tom Vossler

Overview

This second, updated edition of the acclaimed A Field Guide to Gettysburg will lead visitors to every important site across the battlefield and also give them ways to envision the action and empathize with the soldiers involved and the local people into whose lives and lands the battle intruded. Both Carol Reardon and Tom Vossler are themselves experienced guides who understand what visitors to Gettysburg are interested in, but they also bring the unique perspectives of a scholar and a former army officer. Divided into three day-long tours, this newly improved and expanded edition offers important historical background and context for the reader while providing answers to six key questions: What happened here? Who fought here? Who commanded here? Who fell here? Who lived here? And what did the participants have to say about it later?

With new stops, maps, and illustrations, the second edition of A Field Guide to Gettysburg remains the most comprehensive guide to the events and history of this pivotal battle of the Civil War.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781469633367
Publisher:	The University of North Carolina Press
Publication date:	05/08/2017
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	488
Sales rank:	650,230
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Carol Reardon is George Winfree Professor of American History at Pennsylvania State University. Tom Vossler is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army and former director of the U.S. Army Military History Institute in Carlisle, Pa. He is a licensed battlefield guide, leading some ninety battlefield tours each year.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Gettysburg Campaign 1

How to Use This Book 7

Helpful Hints for Touring the Batdefield 21

Stop 1 The Key Terrain of Cemetery Hill 25

July 1, 1863: The First Day of Battle

1 The Meeting Engagement 37

Stop 2 The Cavalry Fight 37

Stop 3 The Death of Reynolds 48

Stop 4 The Fight around the Railroad Cut 57

2 The Battle Is Joined and Expands 69

Stop 5 Ewell Enters the Fight 69

Stop 6 Oak Ridge 79

Stop 7 The Artillery Duel on the XI Corps Line 87

3 The Union Line Collapses 96

Stop 8 Barlow's Knoll 96

Stop 9 Coster Avenue 107

Stop 10 Ramseur's Attack 113

Stop 11 Bucktails versus Tar Heels on McPherson's Ridge 121

Stop 12 The Iron Brigade Takes a Stand 132

Stop 13 Last Stand at the Seminary 142

Day One Conclusion 152

July 2, 1863: The Second Day of Battle

4 Lee, Meade, and the Challenges of High Command 159

Stop 14 Pitzer's Woods 159

Stop 15 Longstreet's Main Effort Hits a Snag 166

Stop 16 The Sherfy Peach Orchard 175

Stop 17 Longstreet's Main Effort Begins 184

5 Longstreet Attacks 192

Stop 18 Litde Round Top 192

Stop 19 The Fight for Devil's Den 211

Stop 20 The Bloody Wheatfield 224

Stop 21 The Salient Collapses 239

Stop 22 The Collapse of the Emmitsburg Road Line 247

Stop 23 Holding the Cemetery Ridge Line 258

6 Ewell Tries the Union Right Flank 274

Stop 24 Benner's Hill 274

Stop 25 Lower Culp's Hill, July 2 282

Stop 26 Stevens's Knoll 293

Stop 27 East Cemetery Hill 299

Day Two Conclusion 309

July 3, 1863: The Third Day of Battle

7 Commanders Consider-and Reconsider-Their Options 313

Stop 28 Meade's Headquarters 313

Stop 29 Spangler's Spring 320

Stop 30 Culp's Hill, July 3 328

Stop 31 Organizing the Assault against the Union Center 339

8 The High-Water Mark? 349

Stop 32 Pickett's Charge 349

Stop 33 The Union Repulse of Pickett's Charge 367

Stop 34 East Cavalry Field 389

Stop 35 The Soldiers' National Cemetery 401

The Aftermath: July 4, 1863, and Beyond 407

Acknowledgments 419

Photo Credits 420

Notes 421

Index 439

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Praise for the first edition:

"An extremely useful resource for making one's way intelligently across the battleground as well as a stirring account of the battle and its varied meanings in the past and present. . . . This unique book enables all readers to better comprehend the places, events, and memories that make up the battle of Gettysburg. As such, no matter how limited or extensive one's Civil War library, it deserves a special place on the shelf."—Civil War Monitor



The most helpful book in understanding the field of battle at Gettysburg. . . . A superb and surprising addition to the library of Gettysburg books, valuable for the novice, the ardent Civil War buff, and the scholar alike."—Civil War Book Review



The authors have gone far beyond [a battlefield guide]. . . . An excellent source for Civil War buffs and anyone interested in the history and locale of Gettysburg."—Library Journal 2013 Best Reference Book



The new standard for Gettysburg battlefield guides."—Civil War Monitor

Editorial Reviews

A very useful resource for making one's way intelligently across the battleground as well as a stirring account of the battle and its varied meanings in the past and present."—McCormick Messenger



An important resource for readers to obtain an overview of the battle in general, and specific areas of interest in particular."—Civil War News



The University of North Carolina Press has hit another homerun . . . [Reardon and Vossler's work] continues to set the standard for studies of Gettysburg and battlefield guides for every major battle of the Civil War."—Army History

From the Publisher

There is no shortage of battlefield guides to Gettysburg. But in addition to including the standard fare for such texts, the authors have gone far beyond. Reardon (history, Penn State; With a Sword in One Hand and Jomini in the Other) and Vossler (retired U.S. Army colonel and former director, U.S. Army Military History Inst.) provide 35 stops, allowing the reader to follow along on a self-guided tour. Sections for each stop contain several elements, including "Orientation"; "What Happened Here?"; "Who Fought Here?"; "Who Commanded Here?"; "Who Fell Here?"; "Who Lived Here?"; and "What Did They Say About It Later?" The volume concludes with "The Aftermath," which discusses the consequences of victory and defeat, as well as the direct impact of the battle on the town of Gettysburg itself. The numerous illustrations—both photographs and maps—help the reader to visualize the terrain, troop movements, and men involved. VERDICT An excellent source for Civil War buffs and anyone interested in the history and locale of Gettysburg.—Matthew Wayman, Pennsylvania State Univ. Lib., Schuylkill Haven

Library Journal