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The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command
The Battle of Gettyburg remains one of the most controversial military actions in America's history, and one of the most studied. Professor Coddington's is an analysis not only of the battle proper, but of the actions of both Union and Confederate armies for the six months prior to the battle and the factors affecting General Meade's decision not to pursue the retreating Confederate forces. This book contends that Gettyburg was a crucial Union victory, primarily because of the effective leadership of Union forces - not, as has often been said, only because the North was the beneficiary of Lee's mistakes.
Scrupulously documented and rich in fascinating detail, The Gettysburg Campaign stands as one of the landmark works in the history of the Civil War
First published January 1, 1968
About the author
Edwin B. Coddington
9 books6 followersBorn in 1905, he received a Ph.D. from Clark University and specialized in Civil War and Pennsylvania history.
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July 1, 2026
Still The Essential Account Of The Gettysburg Campaign
Edwin Coddington's (1905-1963) "The Gettysburg Campaign" (1963) remains not only the seminal account of the Battle of Gettysburg but also a model of Civil War and historical writing. The book is an inspiring example of scholarship at its best. Coddington writes in a clear, eloquent, yet non-polemical style as he explores his subject. He does not back away from offering opinions and conclusions, which flow clearly from his narrative account. The reader can understand the basis of the judgments which Coddington offers. The account is detailed and yet selective. Coddington focuses on the broad picture of the Gettysburg story without getting bogged down in the minutae and legends that mar some otherwise excellent treatments of this battle. Coddington focuses on "why" things happened as well as "what" happened. The reader is given a context for the Gettysburg campaign and is seldom at a loss over the reason the author is discussing and devoting time to an issue. The book is thoroughly documented and the footnotes include much essential material.
Coddington begins with a lengthy consideration of the factors that led Robert E. Lee to propose an invasion of the North following the Battle of Chancellorsville. He concludes with a discussion of the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg, culminating in the return to Virginia on July 14, 1863. He discusses well the Union pursuit and considers judiciously whether Meade should have been more aggressive in trying to cut off the fleeing foe.
I found the factual account comprehensive on the major points of the Battle and careful and circumspect in its conclusions. Coddington allows the reader to see the deficiencies in the Confederate command structure (lack of coordination) and the overconfidence of the Southern forces at virtually every level as contributing factors to the defeat at Gettysburg. He is more critical of General Longstreet's role in the Battle than are many more recent accounts. On the Union side of the line, Coddington is highly critical of Third Corps General Sickles and his salient on July 2, which came close to costing the Union the Battle. The longest critical section of the book consists of an examination of the dispute between Meade and Sickles and his supporters following the battle regarding the wisdom, or lack of it, in Sickles' movement of the Third Corps.
Coddington has high, but careful praise for Commanding General Meade, for Hancock, Reynolds, Buford,Howard, and Slocum. He shows how the Army of the Potomac, for all its awkward structure (seven Corps at Gettysburg compared to the Confederate three) and for all the rivalries between its leaders was able to function as a coordinated unit when it needed to do so and hold the Union position at Gettysburg. Coddington has high praise for the valor of the fighting troops on both sides of the line.
Sometimes implicitly and sometimes explicitly, Coddington's book comes to grips with many competing accounts of the Battle of Gettysburg. He points to the tendency of many students to view the battle as a series of speculative "ifs" -- if General Early, Longstreet, what have you had done this at the time, the result would have been different. Most such analyses, Coddington argues, are fruitless, Furthermore, they tend to ignore, or downplay, the mistakes that, hindsight suggests, occurred in the Battle of the other side of the line. Coddington shows the reader what happened, marshalls the evidence about why it happened, and allows the reader to think the matter through.
This is a detailed, close and thorough account of the Battle of Gettysburg that is probably best approached by a reader who has a basic familiarity with the Civil War and a general understanding of the action at Gettysburg. It is not the only account of this endlessly fascinating battle, but it remains the standard work which needs to be considered in understanding the events of the Gettysburg campaign
Robin Friedman
Edwin Coddington's (1905-1963) "The Gettysburg Campaign" (1963) remains not only the seminal account of the Battle of Gettysburg but also a model of Civil War and historical writing. The book is an inspiring example of scholarship at its best. Coddington writes in a clear, eloquent, yet non-polemical style as he explores his subject. He does not back away from offering opinions and conclusions, which flow clearly from his narrative account. The reader can understand the basis of the judgments which Coddington offers. The account is detailed and yet selective. Coddington focuses on the broad picture of the Gettysburg story without getting bogged down in the minutae and legends that mar some otherwise excellent treatments of this battle. Coddington focuses on "why" things happened as well as "what" happened. The reader is given a context for the Gettysburg campaign and is seldom at a loss over the reason the author is discussing and devoting time to an issue. The book is thoroughly documented and the footnotes include much essential material.
Coddington begins with a lengthy consideration of the factors that led Robert E. Lee to propose an invasion of the North following the Battle of Chancellorsville. He concludes with a discussion of the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg, culminating in the return to Virginia on July 14, 1863. He discusses well the Union pursuit and considers judiciously whether Meade should have been more aggressive in trying to cut off the fleeing foe.
I found the factual account comprehensive on the major points of the Battle and careful and circumspect in its conclusions. Coddington allows the reader to see the deficiencies in the Confederate command structure (lack of coordination) and the overconfidence of the Southern forces at virtually every level as contributing factors to the defeat at Gettysburg. He is more critical of General Longstreet's role in the Battle than are many more recent accounts. On the Union side of the line, Coddington is highly critical of Third Corps General Sickles and his salient on July 2, which came close to costing the Union the Battle. The longest critical section of the book consists of an examination of the dispute between Meade and Sickles and his supporters following the battle regarding the wisdom, or lack of it, in Sickles' movement of the Third Corps.
Coddington has high, but careful praise for Commanding General Meade, for Hancock, Reynolds, Buford,Howard, and Slocum. He shows how the Army of the Potomac, for all its awkward structure (seven Corps at Gettysburg compared to the Confederate three) and for all the rivalries between its leaders was able to function as a coordinated unit when it needed to do so and hold the Union position at Gettysburg. Coddington has high praise for the valor of the fighting troops on both sides of the line.
Sometimes implicitly and sometimes explicitly, Coddington's book comes to grips with many competing accounts of the Battle of Gettysburg. He points to the tendency of many students to view the battle as a series of speculative "ifs" -- if General Early, Longstreet, what have you had done this at the time, the result would have been different. Most such analyses, Coddington argues, are fruitless, Furthermore, they tend to ignore, or downplay, the mistakes that, hindsight suggests, occurred in the Battle of the other side of the line. Coddington shows the reader what happened, marshalls the evidence about why it happened, and allows the reader to think the matter through.
This is a detailed, close and thorough account of the Battle of Gettysburg that is probably best approached by a reader who has a basic familiarity with the Civil War and a general understanding of the action at Gettysburg. It is not the only account of this endlessly fascinating battle, but it remains the standard work which needs to be considered in understanding the events of the Gettysburg campaign
Robin Friedman
November 24, 2016
Coddington's reputation for writing the best account of Gettysburg is well-deserved. It goes above and beyond a standard battle narrative. The context of the campaign alone accounts for a hundred pages, explaining a basic oddity of the battle as displayed on the opening screen of the movie: the Southern Army approaches from the North & the Northern Army approaches from the South.
There is appropriate focus on the strategic dispute & how the tactical outcome of the 1st & 2nd day influenced it, with a strong emphasis on Longstreet & Lee. Which brings me to the dustjacket claim of the book: to be among the first to stress less the Confederate mistakes & more on the Union ability. I cannot make comparisons with pre-1968 Civil War studies other than Douglas Freeman, but I would say Coddington comes close to 50/50, with a good balance on the tactical level and a re-evaluation of supreme commander Meade. In shirt, making good use of interior lines in the Fishhook, keeping an eye on all things at all times & an adequate artillery train saved the day (s).
Three parts pleased me particularly: the first contact with Buford, the predicament of the 15th Alabama at Little Round Top as opposed to the mythologised heroics of the 20th Maine* and the battle for Culp's Hill on july 3rd. They are too often crammed or overlooked.
A very strong point are the maps & order of battle, utterly indispensible when 14 corps devided into regiments manoeuver over a good dozen landmarks.
I don't think I need to delve further into Gettysburg (Harry Pfanz' day-by-day accounts etc.**) until I've walked the field. For the passing student, all you need is Coddington, the Osprey booklet*** and all the maps you can find.
on a related note, a nice detail study on the aftermath free for download at http://generalmeadesociety.org :
"The Effects of Logistical Factors On The Union Pursuit of the Confederate Army During the Final Phase of the Gettysburg Campaign. "
*
Storming Little Round Top: The 15th Alabama And Their Fight For The High Ground, July 2, 1863
**
Gettysburg--The First Day
Gettysburg--The Second Day
Gettysburg--Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill
***
Gettysburg 1863: High tide of the Confederacy
There is appropriate focus on the strategic dispute & how the tactical outcome of the 1st & 2nd day influenced it, with a strong emphasis on Longstreet & Lee. Which brings me to the dustjacket claim of the book: to be among the first to stress less the Confederate mistakes & more on the Union ability. I cannot make comparisons with pre-1968 Civil War studies other than Douglas Freeman, but I would say Coddington comes close to 50/50, with a good balance on the tactical level and a re-evaluation of supreme commander Meade. In shirt, making good use of interior lines in the Fishhook, keeping an eye on all things at all times & an adequate artillery train saved the day (s).
Three parts pleased me particularly: the first contact with Buford, the predicament of the 15th Alabama at Little Round Top as opposed to the mythologised heroics of the 20th Maine* and the battle for Culp's Hill on july 3rd. They are too often crammed or overlooked.
A very strong point are the maps & order of battle, utterly indispensible when 14 corps devided into regiments manoeuver over a good dozen landmarks.
I don't think I need to delve further into Gettysburg (Harry Pfanz' day-by-day accounts etc.**) until I've walked the field. For the passing student, all you need is Coddington, the Osprey booklet*** and all the maps you can find.
on a related note, a nice detail study on the aftermath free for download at http://generalmeadesociety.org :
"The Effects of Logistical Factors On The Union Pursuit of the Confederate Army During the Final Phase of the Gettysburg Campaign. "
*
Storming Little Round Top: The 15th Alabama And Their Fight For The High Ground, July 2, 1863**
Gettysburg--The First Day
Gettysburg--The Second Day
Gettysburg--Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill***
Gettysburg 1863: High tide of the Confederacy
August 13, 2016
Coddington’s A Study in Command is the only book that is required reading for the guides at Gettysburg national park. It was recommended to me by a guide that I had hired during my visit to the park back in 2011. He explained that the park guides are given a list of books about the battle and the war but Coddington’s book is the only one that is required reading. The maps are good and the detailed account of the battle and analysis can be riveting at times.
Caution: This book was written for the aficionado and not the dabbler. It is deep, packed with detail, and it can be dry. After every significant event at Gettysburg there is a critical analysis of the commanders on both sides. The analysis can go on for several pages. There are 215 pages of notes.
In this piece, Coddington dispels the myth that there was a single southern mistake that cost the confederates the battle. Coddington also argues that Mead did a good job and that there was really little opportunity for the Army of the Potomac to follow up with a decisive victory that would have ended the war.
If you are not a Gettysburg aficionado you may have more fun with something like Bruce Catton’s Glory Road or Stephen W. Sears’ Gettysburg. I also read a very user friendly brigade history by Scott Mingus about The Louisiana Tigers in the Gettysburg Campaign. Next, take a trip to Gettysburg and hire a good guide for a minimum of four hours. Somewhere along the way you will be ready for A Study in Command. It is certainly worth the read.
Caution: This book was written for the aficionado and not the dabbler. It is deep, packed with detail, and it can be dry. After every significant event at Gettysburg there is a critical analysis of the commanders on both sides. The analysis can go on for several pages. There are 215 pages of notes.
In this piece, Coddington dispels the myth that there was a single southern mistake that cost the confederates the battle. Coddington also argues that Mead did a good job and that there was really little opportunity for the Army of the Potomac to follow up with a decisive victory that would have ended the war.
If you are not a Gettysburg aficionado you may have more fun with something like Bruce Catton’s Glory Road or Stephen W. Sears’ Gettysburg. I also read a very user friendly brigade history by Scott Mingus about The Louisiana Tigers in the Gettysburg Campaign. Next, take a trip to Gettysburg and hire a good guide for a minimum of four hours. Somewhere along the way you will be ready for A Study in Command. It is certainly worth the read.
January 21, 2015
When my wife and I first visited Gettysburg National Park we came as a) Canadians and b) neophytes. We had seen the movie, read the book the movie was based on (The Killer Angels) and taken a community college night course on the Civil War. We checked in at the visitors centre and decided to hire one of the official guides to show us around the battlefield. This was a great investment as he directed us to the proper stops and filled in the events as they unfolded. (I recommend it, there's a.context that solidifies one's understanding). Without his help we probably would have been just one more pair of bewildered tourists, looking at markers and staring at statues and empty fields.
The next day we did the same tour by ourselves remembering what the guide had said. So, about the book, just before we left town we returned to the visitors centre where I cornered a group of guides (this was November) and asked them to recommend the single best book on the Gettysburg Campaign. There was a quick conference and Coddington was recommended. One of the guides even escorted me into the gift store to help me find it. When it was revealed that they were out of stock, he suggested the clerk call a local bookstore, which he did and they did and with directions in hand off we went to get the book.
There have been newer studies since Coddington's book was published - Stephen Sears, Noah Trudeau and Alan Guelzo) but Coddington provided a comprehensive introduction for me. It's detailed but elegantly readable.
For some reason this book never made it into Goodreads so a new review for an old book.
The next day we did the same tour by ourselves remembering what the guide had said. So, about the book, just before we left town we returned to the visitors centre where I cornered a group of guides (this was November) and asked them to recommend the single best book on the Gettysburg Campaign. There was a quick conference and Coddington was recommended. One of the guides even escorted me into the gift store to help me find it. When it was revealed that they were out of stock, he suggested the clerk call a local bookstore, which he did and they did and with directions in hand off we went to get the book.
There have been newer studies since Coddington's book was published - Stephen Sears, Noah Trudeau and Alan Guelzo) but Coddington provided a comprehensive introduction for me. It's detailed but elegantly readable.
For some reason this book never made it into Goodreads so a new review for an old book.
February 15, 2015
A fantastic review of the campaign and battle of Gettysburg. Very balanced in its praise and criticism of both Union and Confederate leaders and units. Detailed, but not overly so as to make the book unreadable. I would highly recommend this book to just about anyone - although I would not recommend it as a first read of the battle, but certainly a definite read for the serious student of the battle.
August 14, 2007
This isn't a book for the faint of heart. The author goes into incredible detail over the few weeks covering Lee's 1863 invasion of the north. This is not a Stephen Ambrose or Shelby Foote narrative of the events as seen through the soldiers eyes or the generals who commanded them. It's an exhaustive examination of the commanders' activities, actions and as available thoughts and musings over exactly what the other guy was doing. An American Civil War era general in command of an independent force often blundered about, trying to decipher conflicting reports, rumors and intelligence regarding the location and intent of enemy forces. Add to that the inevitable influence of politicians, the practical limitations of logitics and terrain, and the abilites (or lack thereof) of the individual generals and it's not hard to understand that both sides were to a great degree surprised so often when they bumped into the opposing force. The author does a credible job relating this, but often bogs down into page long character profiles which at times grow tedious. Not a book for the beach, certainly, but if you really, *really* want to learn every thing you can about Gettysburg, it's a valuable addition to your library.
March 15, 2009
This is one of the gold standard histories of the Gettysburg Campaign. Although written decades ago, it holds up well. Coddington's mastery of detail is compelling. Recommended for those wanting to know in detail about Gettysburg.
June 10, 2013
Pg 848: Bliss Farm is mentioned several times in the index.
Pg 420: Bliss farm was 1200 feet west of the Emmitsburg Road. Brig. Gen Garnot Posey CSA gets this far. Where were the Bliss Family? I believe this was the second day and they were long gone. Posey attacked Hay's Div. of the USA, on July 2nd.
Pg 429: A sunken road runs between Bliss Farm and Gettysburg. This was not the Emmitsburg Road however.
Pg 484: Hay's USA and Hill CSA quarreled over the Bliss Farm with a barn that was fortress like. Midway between lines after changing hands several times Hays decided to burn the Bliss Farm anticipating a major CSA assault.
Pg 784: The barn had loop-holed windows like others in PA. Sergt. Charles A. Hitchcock (relative to the Bliss?) USA started the fire in the hay. But Fremantle (think Englishman visiting Longstreet) says it was an exploding shell. Col Alexander CSA (Tom's look alike in the DVD Gettysburg) also takes credit for starting the fire.
Pg 840: Anderson, Brig. Gen George T. appears only a couple times in the index.
Pg 402: Hood was wounded and a request for G.T. Anderson was sent up to Longstreet, to go into reserve for the Little Round Top. Rushing in, pushed over Devil's Den and the south end of the Wheat field. But a counter thrust pushed them back.
Map 8: Little Round Top 4:00-7:00 pm July 2nd; Anderson between Rose House and Devils Den, Law & Robertson on their right were pushed back. Anderson held their advance and push back DeTrobriand USA. Rose House on the east side of the Emmitsburg Road, about 1 1/2 Miles from the Bliss Farm as the crow flies. 20 minutes quick time. Oats came up south of Hood to Little Round Top.
Pg 841 Anderson Brigade is mentioned several times in the index.
Pg 404: Anderson Brigade got into trouble from Barnes' Division USA of the 5th Corp. Kershaw came up to give relief.
Pg 408: Kershaw and Anderson then pushed Sweitzer USA across Plum Run Valley with hand to hand fighting.
Pg. 524: Chap. xix How many Regiments did Anderson have? 5 Regiments. Which 3 wee taken out of line: They were put south from Little Round Top to Emmitsburg Road. The others that were left in line were where they were the day before (July 2nd).
Map 7, July 2nd to 4:00 PM: Anderson under Hood and Longstreet march west of Seminary Ridge within one mile of the Bliss Farm, on down to were the Emmitsburg Road crosses the Warfield ridge. Lining up to take Cemetery ridge by way of Devil's en and the Wheat Field through Ward and Detrobriand.
Pg 456: Chap 17, The night of July 2nd Col L A Grant Vermont Brigade of the 2nd Div 6th Army Corp moved into the area just east of Little Round Top. Russell of the 6th also came up during the night but Longstreet never came their way.
Pg 481: Chap 18, Sedgwicks 6th Army Corp was sent several places to plug holes. Only a few orderlies were left with him. Wright had under him Russell and Grant. What of the Surgeons? Where did they go?
Pg 675: Grant was not engaged.
Pg 4776: Chap 18, Eustis was sent to help Newton and was placed left of Caldwell, near Wiekert farm. He was not engaged on July 3rd the third day of the battle.
Pg 65: Chap 3, Ames's 2nd Brigade was right up there with Bufford on the first day. (review the DVD of Gettysburg) How big is a Brigade: Bufford's 1st Div Cavalry of 2,100 men was with Ames's Brigade on the left.
Map 3 Movement July 1st: Shows the 11th Corps just south of Gettysburg.
Map 5 July 1st afternoon: 11th Corps north of Gettysburg with Schurz in command. Where is O O Howard? Ames was in the middle facing Doles under Early.
Pg 288: Chap 12, Hardly over 6,000 men going into battle being next to an out numbered 1st Corp the 11th saw threat on 2 sides. Rodes & Early pulled a move and put the 11th into retreat all the way through town on up the Cemetery Hill.
Pg 696: 2nd Brigade of the 1st Div had 1,465.
Pg 436: Chap 16, Confederates came up the north east face of Cemetery Hill and broke the ranks. Ames rushed in himself and stopped some of his infantryman from running. Saved by Carroll of the 2nd Corp just before dark until 10:30 PM.
Map 9: Shows Ames on an angle of dog leg behind a stone wall, hit by Hays & Hoke 7:30 to 11:00 PM on July 2nd. This was behind Cemetery hill northeast and out of view of the Bliss farm.
Pg 765n: There was mixed impression of the fight of Ames. Low on shots; Fired a volley; Put up a good fight; Enemy broke through quickly. Division numbered about 1,150 muskets.
Pg 858: McPherson's farm; was this where the Bliss family went with the McMillan girl. Seems like they west east over Cemetery ridge.
Pg 843: The Iron Brigade was 1st Brigade 1st Div, 1st Corp.
Pg 420: Bliss farm was 1200 feet west of the Emmitsburg Road. Brig. Gen Garnot Posey CSA gets this far. Where were the Bliss Family? I believe this was the second day and they were long gone. Posey attacked Hay's Div. of the USA, on July 2nd.
Pg 429: A sunken road runs between Bliss Farm and Gettysburg. This was not the Emmitsburg Road however.
Pg 484: Hay's USA and Hill CSA quarreled over the Bliss Farm with a barn that was fortress like. Midway between lines after changing hands several times Hays decided to burn the Bliss Farm anticipating a major CSA assault.
Pg 784: The barn had loop-holed windows like others in PA. Sergt. Charles A. Hitchcock (relative to the Bliss?) USA started the fire in the hay. But Fremantle (think Englishman visiting Longstreet) says it was an exploding shell. Col Alexander CSA (Tom's look alike in the DVD Gettysburg) also takes credit for starting the fire.
Pg 840: Anderson, Brig. Gen George T. appears only a couple times in the index.
Pg 402: Hood was wounded and a request for G.T. Anderson was sent up to Longstreet, to go into reserve for the Little Round Top. Rushing in, pushed over Devil's Den and the south end of the Wheat field. But a counter thrust pushed them back.
Map 8: Little Round Top 4:00-7:00 pm July 2nd; Anderson between Rose House and Devils Den, Law & Robertson on their right were pushed back. Anderson held their advance and push back DeTrobriand USA. Rose House on the east side of the Emmitsburg Road, about 1 1/2 Miles from the Bliss Farm as the crow flies. 20 minutes quick time. Oats came up south of Hood to Little Round Top.
Pg 841 Anderson Brigade is mentioned several times in the index.
Pg 404: Anderson Brigade got into trouble from Barnes' Division USA of the 5th Corp. Kershaw came up to give relief.
Pg 408: Kershaw and Anderson then pushed Sweitzer USA across Plum Run Valley with hand to hand fighting.
Pg. 524: Chap. xix How many Regiments did Anderson have? 5 Regiments. Which 3 wee taken out of line: They were put south from Little Round Top to Emmitsburg Road. The others that were left in line were where they were the day before (July 2nd).
Map 7, July 2nd to 4:00 PM: Anderson under Hood and Longstreet march west of Seminary Ridge within one mile of the Bliss Farm, on down to were the Emmitsburg Road crosses the Warfield ridge. Lining up to take Cemetery ridge by way of Devil's en and the Wheat Field through Ward and Detrobriand.
Pg 456: Chap 17, The night of July 2nd Col L A Grant Vermont Brigade of the 2nd Div 6th Army Corp moved into the area just east of Little Round Top. Russell of the 6th also came up during the night but Longstreet never came their way.
Pg 481: Chap 18, Sedgwicks 6th Army Corp was sent several places to plug holes. Only a few orderlies were left with him. Wright had under him Russell and Grant. What of the Surgeons? Where did they go?
Pg 675: Grant was not engaged.
Pg 4776: Chap 18, Eustis was sent to help Newton and was placed left of Caldwell, near Wiekert farm. He was not engaged on July 3rd the third day of the battle.
Pg 65: Chap 3, Ames's 2nd Brigade was right up there with Bufford on the first day. (review the DVD of Gettysburg) How big is a Brigade: Bufford's 1st Div Cavalry of 2,100 men was with Ames's Brigade on the left.
Map 3 Movement July 1st: Shows the 11th Corps just south of Gettysburg.
Map 5 July 1st afternoon: 11th Corps north of Gettysburg with Schurz in command. Where is O O Howard? Ames was in the middle facing Doles under Early.
Pg 288: Chap 12, Hardly over 6,000 men going into battle being next to an out numbered 1st Corp the 11th saw threat on 2 sides. Rodes & Early pulled a move and put the 11th into retreat all the way through town on up the Cemetery Hill.
Pg 696: 2nd Brigade of the 1st Div had 1,465.
Pg 436: Chap 16, Confederates came up the north east face of Cemetery Hill and broke the ranks. Ames rushed in himself and stopped some of his infantryman from running. Saved by Carroll of the 2nd Corp just before dark until 10:30 PM.
Map 9: Shows Ames on an angle of dog leg behind a stone wall, hit by Hays & Hoke 7:30 to 11:00 PM on July 2nd. This was behind Cemetery hill northeast and out of view of the Bliss farm.
Pg 765n: There was mixed impression of the fight of Ames. Low on shots; Fired a volley; Put up a good fight; Enemy broke through quickly. Division numbered about 1,150 muskets.
Pg 858: McPherson's farm; was this where the Bliss family went with the McMillan girl. Seems like they west east over Cemetery ridge.
Pg 843: The Iron Brigade was 1st Brigade 1st Div, 1st Corp.
July 5, 2024
This book was incredible and one of the most difficult books I've read in a long time. There was so much packed into these pages, I often had to go back to re-read what I just read to absorb the information. It's safe to say there isn't a book about Gettysburg that's more detailed or more regarded that this masterpiece. It is required reading for the Park Rangers working at Gettysburg and I can see why. The main focus of the book is on the Leadership of the Union and Confederate armies, analyzing the decisions, triumphs and mistakes while telling the story of the battle. It was equal parts compelling and dry.
It could be mind numbingly dry at times, but I learned a lot about a topic that I am extremely familiar with. I would not recommend this book to someone looking to learn about the Battle of Gettysburg for the first time. There are other, much easier and more digestible books out there for that. But if you are a student of the battle, you can do no better than to read this book.
The actual narrative is only about 570 pages. The rest of the substantial page count is an order of battle for both the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia followed by roughly 200 pages of notes and sources used by the author. There was an incredible amount of research done for this book and Coddington takes the time to show where he got information from. Altogether it makes for an impressive book.
It could be mind numbingly dry at times, but I learned a lot about a topic that I am extremely familiar with. I would not recommend this book to someone looking to learn about the Battle of Gettysburg for the first time. There are other, much easier and more digestible books out there for that. But if you are a student of the battle, you can do no better than to read this book.
The actual narrative is only about 570 pages. The rest of the substantial page count is an order of battle for both the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia followed by roughly 200 pages of notes and sources used by the author. There was an incredible amount of research done for this book and Coddington takes the time to show where he got information from. Altogether it makes for an impressive book.
August 4, 2011
This a superb, perhaps the best, single-volume account of the pivotal battle of America's civil war. Drawing upon the stunning primary resource that is contained within the vast Official Records and thus speaking to the reader through the very words of those who fought, Coddington takes you seamlessly from the grand strategic to the tactical.
I have been on the battlefield at Gettysburg many times - beyond doubt, the best time is 5 o'clock in the morning, when the sun is just coming up and the tour-buses are 3 or 4 hours away. My only companion in these hours was Coddington's book and if you want to get more from your visit to this superb piece of heritage than is offered by the massed-tourist industry, get there early; and get there with Coddington.
I have been on the battlefield at Gettysburg many times - beyond doubt, the best time is 5 o'clock in the morning, when the sun is just coming up and the tour-buses are 3 or 4 hours away. My only companion in these hours was Coddington's book and if you want to get more from your visit to this superb piece of heritage than is offered by the massed-tourist industry, get there early; and get there with Coddington.
March 12, 2025
This is not just an account of a battle -- it's an examination. Or "a study," as the subtitle indicates. And if you can endure through the dizzying amount of detail, it's extremely educational. I've read other books about Gettysburg, but the details included in this book gave me a much better basis for satisfying many of my whys and why nots regarding what transpired. The thoroughness of Coddington's research seems unsurpassable, which may be why this book has, in the past, been required reading for staff at the Gettysburg National Military Park.
And though there were times when it felt like too many roster names and details were being mentioned, Coddington more than made up for that with his perceptive assessments of the myriad decisions made amidst the long campaign.
Coddington also sometimes seemed a little overeager to defend Meade amidst his many critics, especially regarding his slow and cautious pursuit of Lee's withdrawing army. But in his analysis of that, I loved his summation on page 572 when he wrote, "It might have been more fitting if Lincoln and members of his administration, instead of castigating Meade, had acknowledged that the Army of the Potomac in 1863 had reached the nadir of its strength and effectiveness largely as a result of their own timid and unrealistic recruitment policies and their practice of filling the legal quotas of generals with political appointees." As hesitant as Meade appeared to be, this is a clear example of how Coddington frequently took valuable word space to explain a great variety of factors involved in so many aspects of the campaign, such as the undeniable impact that political decisions had on Meade's victorious but depleted army as it limped off the battlefield in pursuit of a still formidable foe.
And though there were times when it felt like too many roster names and details were being mentioned, Coddington more than made up for that with his perceptive assessments of the myriad decisions made amidst the long campaign.
Coddington also sometimes seemed a little overeager to defend Meade amidst his many critics, especially regarding his slow and cautious pursuit of Lee's withdrawing army. But in his analysis of that, I loved his summation on page 572 when he wrote, "It might have been more fitting if Lincoln and members of his administration, instead of castigating Meade, had acknowledged that the Army of the Potomac in 1863 had reached the nadir of its strength and effectiveness largely as a result of their own timid and unrealistic recruitment policies and their practice of filling the legal quotas of generals with political appointees." As hesitant as Meade appeared to be, this is a clear example of how Coddington frequently took valuable word space to explain a great variety of factors involved in so many aspects of the campaign, such as the undeniable impact that political decisions had on Meade's victorious but depleted army as it limped off the battlefield in pursuit of a still formidable foe.
want-to-obtain
July 3, 2025Many say single best book on Getttysburg.
On the hunt for it. Battlefield guides mostly use this book.
I did read Killer Angels years ago and liked it.
Hancock the Superb is a nice read too.
Was disappointed in recent visit, we spread ourselves too thin.
On the hunt for it. Battlefield guides mostly use this book.
I did read Killer Angels years ago and liked it.
Hancock the Superb is a nice read too.
Was disappointed in recent visit, we spread ourselves too thin.
January 20, 2018
A very good book. It describes the armies’ organization and movements from the beginning of the campaign in Virginia. It also deals in less detail with the retreat of Lee after the battle. The battle is covered in detail. Well-written and complete; it anticipates and answers questions about the campaign, relates information from many sources, points out contradictions and supports in contemporary accounts and traces changing details in some participants’ stories. Scholarly approach includes extensive information in the footnotes.
August 13, 2020
No serious study of the Battle of Gettysburg can be undertaken without reading Coddington's work.
It is very readable, well documented and undertakes the campaign from Brandy Station to the final withdrawal of Lee's forces over the Potomac at Falling Waters. It provides just the right amount of detail which encourages the reader to read further about that particular aspect of the battle.
I don't remember when I started reading this. My intention was to use it as the starting point in my pursuit of a Guide's license. But that has changed as I have found my interests span too many aspects of military history. It has inspired me nonetheless into looking further into some of those details that Coddington points out. Having the battlefield as my backyard will undoubtedly have me reaching for this book again and again.
It is very readable, well documented and undertakes the campaign from Brandy Station to the final withdrawal of Lee's forces over the Potomac at Falling Waters. It provides just the right amount of detail which encourages the reader to read further about that particular aspect of the battle.
I don't remember when I started reading this. My intention was to use it as the starting point in my pursuit of a Guide's license. But that has changed as I have found my interests span too many aspects of military history. It has inspired me nonetheless into looking further into some of those details that Coddington points out. Having the battlefield as my backyard will undoubtedly have me reaching for this book again and again.
July 25, 2018
This is the book most recommended for getting the TOTAL picture of the major (and some minor) events on the Battle of Gettysburg, the campaigns leading up to & the aftermath of the battle until Lee escaped back into Virginia. Well researched & documented, I found it very even handed in presenting evidence to support any of the author's opinions. It helped me to understand the conflicting points of view of different events & what was most likely the reason/cause of certain results. Highly recommended for the serious history student of the battle as well as anyone wanting an in-depth view as well as the big picture view of this pivotal moment in our country's history. Scholarly but not overly so.
October 17, 2023
1968, but still the standard on Gettysburg.
in re-reading it after 20 years I noticed how it reads a lot like Freeman’s “Lee’s Lieutenants”. Not surprisingly, being also a “Study in Command”, but the excellent prose was similar as well.
It was somewhat refreshing to not have a battle account inundated with innumerable first hand accounts from the private’s point of view, as is so commonplace now in micro histories of battles. That has its place, but their absence here led to a much clearer narrative. Since it is a command level study, there was nothing lost by the lack of including a sometimes tedious litany of first hand accounts.
Oh: great maps, for 1968!
in re-reading it after 20 years I noticed how it reads a lot like Freeman’s “Lee’s Lieutenants”. Not surprisingly, being also a “Study in Command”, but the excellent prose was similar as well.
It was somewhat refreshing to not have a battle account inundated with innumerable first hand accounts from the private’s point of view, as is so commonplace now in micro histories of battles. That has its place, but their absence here led to a much clearer narrative. Since it is a command level study, there was nothing lost by the lack of including a sometimes tedious litany of first hand accounts.
Oh: great maps, for 1968!
August 27, 2022
Finally finished. An immaculately researched scholarly work that was a painful slog. The minute details of numbered army units movement and placement were only briefly interrupted by insights into the actual battle action. I only finished the book based on my commitment to read this “definitive” accounting of the Gettysburg campaign
July 7, 2018
Coddington brought a really fresh perspective to the battle and the commanders involved in it. As a scholarly work its really unequaled but the prose is, surprisingly, quite good as well. A must read for Civil War buffs.
May 12, 2019
Excellent in every way. This is military history at its best. The author takes us on an epic sweep of the campaign, and, in lucid detail, recounts the culminating battle. He has a knack for shifting seamlessly between the tactical and the strategic aspects of this pivotal campaign of the Civil War. Also, in equally nuanced fashion, we get the impacts of leadership and morale, as well as the logistical, topographical, and political perspectives.
The book is long, but hardly seems excessive. The ample notes testify to Coddington's thorough and scholarly research. And, something that often gets short-shrift in such a work, the maps are highly readable and numerous. He manages to switch in a very balanced fashion between the Union and Confederate sides. Both Lee and Meade, not to mention Davis and Lincoln, were well aware of what was at stake when Lee sidled up the Shenandoah and Cumberland valleys to take on the Federals on their own turf.
It's fascinating to see how and why generals on both sides were second-guessed after the war, not only by the media, but especially by their peers, and even by themselves. This was me of the last wars in which commanders literally led from the front, often with tragic results. The common soldier had therefore a clearer picture of just what kind of person was in charge when he fought. At the same time, the limits of personal leadership, especially when isolated by the tenuous links of railways and telegraph lines from a distant headquarters, meant that officers (as well as their men) were often left in the dark fog of war.
The reader can certainly marvel at the skill with which Lee got tens of thousands of men, with very little loss, as far North as he did, pretty much baiting Hooker (then Meade) into battle. On the other hand, Lee seemed to run out of ideas as the climactic battle developed around Gettysburg. Meade, temperamentally Lee's opposite, was more flexible, perhaps explaining his greater overall success in the campaign.
Strangely, just as Lee suddenly emerged suddenly in force in Pennsylvania, he just about as quickly, and fairly successfully, made his way home with a very weakened, but still intact army. The Army of the Potomac was in a reactive mode throughout the campaign. As it happened, this became a winning strategy. But Meade's (and Lincoln's) essentially conservative approach to the invasion shows the difference, at this point in the war, between what the North and South had to achieve.
Meade could afford to just not lose a major battle, whereas Lee had to win convincingly on the battlefield to secure a political victory (i.e., affect the 1864 election in the North, influence foreign recognition) for the South. It's fair to say, after Gettysburg, along with the near-simultaneous defeat at Vicksburg, the Confederacy was doomed.
The Gettysburg Campaign is not necessarily an easy read. If you're not flipping between the various maps and your spot in the text with some regularity, you're probably going to miss a quite a bit. The thing is, this is so well-written, that you want to check back to see what Hood or Buford was up to that day or that hour. You get the hardtack and horseshoe info, along with the plans and decision-making that set all the men, horses, and wagons down those dusty roads in June and July of 1863.
This and McPherson's Battle Cry Of Freedom are two of the best books on the American Civil War.
The book is long, but hardly seems excessive. The ample notes testify to Coddington's thorough and scholarly research. And, something that often gets short-shrift in such a work, the maps are highly readable and numerous. He manages to switch in a very balanced fashion between the Union and Confederate sides. Both Lee and Meade, not to mention Davis and Lincoln, were well aware of what was at stake when Lee sidled up the Shenandoah and Cumberland valleys to take on the Federals on their own turf.
It's fascinating to see how and why generals on both sides were second-guessed after the war, not only by the media, but especially by their peers, and even by themselves. This was me of the last wars in which commanders literally led from the front, often with tragic results. The common soldier had therefore a clearer picture of just what kind of person was in charge when he fought. At the same time, the limits of personal leadership, especially when isolated by the tenuous links of railways and telegraph lines from a distant headquarters, meant that officers (as well as their men) were often left in the dark fog of war.
The reader can certainly marvel at the skill with which Lee got tens of thousands of men, with very little loss, as far North as he did, pretty much baiting Hooker (then Meade) into battle. On the other hand, Lee seemed to run out of ideas as the climactic battle developed around Gettysburg. Meade, temperamentally Lee's opposite, was more flexible, perhaps explaining his greater overall success in the campaign.
Strangely, just as Lee suddenly emerged suddenly in force in Pennsylvania, he just about as quickly, and fairly successfully, made his way home with a very weakened, but still intact army. The Army of the Potomac was in a reactive mode throughout the campaign. As it happened, this became a winning strategy. But Meade's (and Lincoln's) essentially conservative approach to the invasion shows the difference, at this point in the war, between what the North and South had to achieve.
Meade could afford to just not lose a major battle, whereas Lee had to win convincingly on the battlefield to secure a political victory (i.e., affect the 1864 election in the North, influence foreign recognition) for the South. It's fair to say, after Gettysburg, along with the near-simultaneous defeat at Vicksburg, the Confederacy was doomed.
The Gettysburg Campaign is not necessarily an easy read. If you're not flipping between the various maps and your spot in the text with some regularity, you're probably going to miss a quite a bit. The thing is, this is so well-written, that you want to check back to see what Hood or Buford was up to that day or that hour. You get the hardtack and horseshoe info, along with the plans and decision-making that set all the men, horses, and wagons down those dusty roads in June and July of 1863.
This and McPherson's Battle Cry Of Freedom are two of the best books on the American Civil War.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2021
"The Gettysburg Campaign" by Edward Coddington deserves the highest praise imaginable for a thoughtful, comprehensive, and rollicking history of perhaps the most important military campaign in United States history: the Battle of Gettysburg. There is plenty of detail stuffed in here for the ardent reader of Civil War and military history; however, Coddington teases out the movements, ebbs, and flows of the battle in great detail, marching the reader up and down the lines from Culp's and Cemetery Hills in the north down to Cemetery Ridge and Little and Big Round Top.
One's flank is never "in the air" with Coddington as a guide! The movements of the Confederate and United States armies are recreated, and arguments and speculation over certain movements, as well as the motives of certain commanders, is admirably addressed. Emerging from Coddington's account is an appreciation for how close the United States came to losing Gettysburg, save for the valor, courage, and daring of men like Hays, Hancock, Haskell, Chamberlain and, above all, United States commander George G. Meade.
Coddington dusts off and burnishes the image of Meade as the ultimate victor of Gettysburg. Despite subsequent revisionist history and a sense that he allowed Lee to escape from Pennsylvania and Maryland in the aftermath of the battle, Meade's legacy should be praised to the heavens in light of Coddington's telling. Meade was in fact no Churchill or Lee on the battlefield; however, he was articulate, balancing carefulness with aggression, and understood what the objectives of the United States Army were far better than others who later criticized his generalship. Meade may not have been the only general who could have won at Gettysburg; but he was one of the few, undoubtedly, who could have won the war.
In the aftermath, Gettysburg does appear to be the shoals upon which the Confederacy began its slow demise. Coddington's book painstakingly tells readers why, in military and leadership perspectives, the United States emerged victorious. What the book leaves to readers to ponder is how significant that loss of life and limb were to our history. It was indeed a "new birth of freedom" that the United States soldiers were fighting for, and one should never forget that, and the ideas, persecution, and slaveholding they were fighting to repel.
One's flank is never "in the air" with Coddington as a guide! The movements of the Confederate and United States armies are recreated, and arguments and speculation over certain movements, as well as the motives of certain commanders, is admirably addressed. Emerging from Coddington's account is an appreciation for how close the United States came to losing Gettysburg, save for the valor, courage, and daring of men like Hays, Hancock, Haskell, Chamberlain and, above all, United States commander George G. Meade.
Coddington dusts off and burnishes the image of Meade as the ultimate victor of Gettysburg. Despite subsequent revisionist history and a sense that he allowed Lee to escape from Pennsylvania and Maryland in the aftermath of the battle, Meade's legacy should be praised to the heavens in light of Coddington's telling. Meade was in fact no Churchill or Lee on the battlefield; however, he was articulate, balancing carefulness with aggression, and understood what the objectives of the United States Army were far better than others who later criticized his generalship. Meade may not have been the only general who could have won at Gettysburg; but he was one of the few, undoubtedly, who could have won the war.
In the aftermath, Gettysburg does appear to be the shoals upon which the Confederacy began its slow demise. Coddington's book painstakingly tells readers why, in military and leadership perspectives, the United States emerged victorious. What the book leaves to readers to ponder is how significant that loss of life and limb were to our history. It was indeed a "new birth of freedom" that the United States soldiers were fighting for, and one should never forget that, and the ideas, persecution, and slaveholding they were fighting to repel.
June 15, 2021
It’s amazing how well Edwin Coddington’s Gettysburg tome still holds up. Despite it being published more than 50 years ago—and hundreds of Gettysburg books having come out since—this still stands as the best single volume work on the Gettysburg Campaign.
The most beneficial aspect of the book is the research. Obviously years of exhaustive study must’ve gone into this work. I mean, the end notes alone could be their own book. When reading any other Gettysburg book, TGC:ASIC is the benchmark to compare it to.
Now, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this to someone who’s brand new to the Battle of Gettysburg because of how dense it is. It can get a little overwhelming due to how much information there is. This is an operational and command study. Coddington covers everything from the aftermath of the Battle of Chancellorsville, the planning stages of the campaign, and the events from early June to mid-July 1863. He gets into the strategic reasons for the operation and does discuss the tactical decisions, but if strategy or tactics are what you’re interested in there are other books that might suit you better.
I will say that this isn’t without flaws. The most glaring is that the final chapter on the retreat and pursuit is far less detailed than the rest of the book. Of course that’s not Coddington’s fault as he died in 1967 before he’d finished and it had to be completed by some else.
Besides the research and detail, Coddington was adept at analyzing the decision making of the various officers during the campaign. He’s usually fair in his interpretations, certainly more so than earlier “Lost Cause” writers and their disciples, and even some modern historians. That being said, he doesn’t escape some of the more cliched and demonstrably false narratives about Longstreet on July 2nd and 3rd.
My last real criticism is that it can be a bit of a slog to get through this sometimes. Coddington was a fine writer, but being a historian was his real strong suit. You read this because of the strength of the information and research, not the prose.
The most beneficial aspect of the book is the research. Obviously years of exhaustive study must’ve gone into this work. I mean, the end notes alone could be their own book. When reading any other Gettysburg book, TGC:ASIC is the benchmark to compare it to.
Now, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this to someone who’s brand new to the Battle of Gettysburg because of how dense it is. It can get a little overwhelming due to how much information there is. This is an operational and command study. Coddington covers everything from the aftermath of the Battle of Chancellorsville, the planning stages of the campaign, and the events from early June to mid-July 1863. He gets into the strategic reasons for the operation and does discuss the tactical decisions, but if strategy or tactics are what you’re interested in there are other books that might suit you better.
I will say that this isn’t without flaws. The most glaring is that the final chapter on the retreat and pursuit is far less detailed than the rest of the book. Of course that’s not Coddington’s fault as he died in 1967 before he’d finished and it had to be completed by some else.
Besides the research and detail, Coddington was adept at analyzing the decision making of the various officers during the campaign. He’s usually fair in his interpretations, certainly more so than earlier “Lost Cause” writers and their disciples, and even some modern historians. That being said, he doesn’t escape some of the more cliched and demonstrably false narratives about Longstreet on July 2nd and 3rd.
My last real criticism is that it can be a bit of a slog to get through this sometimes. Coddington was a fine writer, but being a historian was his real strong suit. You read this because of the strength of the information and research, not the prose.
February 14, 2025
This summer, my wife and I visited the Gettysburg National Park, and booked a tour with one of their excellent licensed guides. This was a fantastic experience, and one I would recommend for everyone to do at least once in their lifetime. I was so impressed with the guide's knowledge and demeanor that I looked at the procedures that these guides must go through to get their license. I came across an extensive reading list, and the "bible" on that list was Coddington's The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command. Based on the "recommendation" I purchased it from Amazon and began reading it.
The book is not an easy read, and is more a history book than the novels I mostly read nowadays, but it was a fantastic experience. The depth and detail of Professor Coddington's work is staggering. While I cannot compare it to other works on this subject, Coddington's work appears monumental in both scope and detail. I cannot recommend it enough. As a non-historian with limited knowledge of the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg, I needed to see the battlefield and have the experience of a tour given by one of the licensed guides at Gettysburg before attempting to read this book. That sequence worked very well for me.
I recommend this book highly, but it goes with a warning: it is not an easy book to deal with and the detail is overwhelming, but it was great fun to see the work of a first class historian and learn about this monumental story in American History.
Sadly, Professor Coddington passed away before publication of this work. I would have loved to walk around the battlefield with him, but the licensed guides at Gettysburg do a fantastic job of passing his knowledge to us.
The book is not an easy read, and is more a history book than the novels I mostly read nowadays, but it was a fantastic experience. The depth and detail of Professor Coddington's work is staggering. While I cannot compare it to other works on this subject, Coddington's work appears monumental in both scope and detail. I cannot recommend it enough. As a non-historian with limited knowledge of the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg, I needed to see the battlefield and have the experience of a tour given by one of the licensed guides at Gettysburg before attempting to read this book. That sequence worked very well for me.
I recommend this book highly, but it goes with a warning: it is not an easy book to deal with and the detail is overwhelming, but it was great fun to see the work of a first class historian and learn about this monumental story in American History.
Sadly, Professor Coddington passed away before publication of this work. I would have loved to walk around the battlefield with him, but the licensed guides at Gettysburg do a fantastic job of passing his knowledge to us.
May 1, 2026
Just finished The Gettysburg Campaign by Edwin B. Coddington—one that had been sitting on my list for a while—and I am glad I finally got to it.
It is a classic for a reason. Written in the 1960s, it offers a clear, well-structured, and authoritative account of the campaign from a predominantly high-command perspective. Coddington does an excellent job tracking corps, division, and brigade movements without getting lost in excessive tactical minutiae. That said, readers looking for granular regimental detail may notice some omissions—for example, the absence of mention of the 124th New York (“Orange Blossoms”) at Little Round Top.
Where the book really stands out is in its comprehensive scope. Beyond the three days at Gettysburg, Coddington gives meaningful attention to Lee’s retreat, including Williamsport and Falling Waters, and presents a thoughtful analysis of General Meade’s decisions. His argument that Meade lacked the strength to pursue more aggressively—despite pressure from Washington and Lincoln—is particularly well developed and persuasive.
It took me just under three weeks to finish, and I came away with a much deeper understanding of the campaign as a whole. If you are looking for a foundational, command-level study of Gettysburg, this is absolutely worth your time.
It is a classic for a reason. Written in the 1960s, it offers a clear, well-structured, and authoritative account of the campaign from a predominantly high-command perspective. Coddington does an excellent job tracking corps, division, and brigade movements without getting lost in excessive tactical minutiae. That said, readers looking for granular regimental detail may notice some omissions—for example, the absence of mention of the 124th New York (“Orange Blossoms”) at Little Round Top.
Where the book really stands out is in its comprehensive scope. Beyond the three days at Gettysburg, Coddington gives meaningful attention to Lee’s retreat, including Williamsport and Falling Waters, and presents a thoughtful analysis of General Meade’s decisions. His argument that Meade lacked the strength to pursue more aggressively—despite pressure from Washington and Lincoln—is particularly well developed and persuasive.
It took me just under three weeks to finish, and I came away with a much deeper understanding of the campaign as a whole. If you are looking for a foundational, command-level study of Gettysburg, this is absolutely worth your time.
November 18, 2023
Edwin Coddington's book is seen as the definitive book on the Gettysburg Campaign. I have had licensed battlefield guides tell me it is their Bible for the battle. I tried reading it and struggled with it because I thought it was dry. In addition to the dryness, I did not enjoy Coddington's style. He focuses on the why it happened versus what happened. I think another issue is when this book was written John Batchelder's papers were not public knowledge and Coddington was the first historian, I believe, to get access to these documents. Now that they are public this makes the book not as good as when it was first published in the 1960's. One of the pros of Coddington's book is that he gave the Union credit for winning the battle. I have come across books, articles and people's opinions that the North won because the South made mistakes and Lee's subordinates failed him. Coddington rightfully points out that the North won the battle. This book I am sure was a great book when it first came out, but this mentality of this is the "definitive" has to change.
December 1, 2020
Excellent in depth history of the Gettysburg Campaign. Beginning with an outline of the overall state of the war as it existed in the spring of 1863, the book then goes through the planning of the campaign, the movement of the Army of Northern Virginia north into Pennsylvania, the response of the Army of the Potomac, the three days of the battle itself, and ends with the retreat of the Army of Northern Virginia back across the Potomac.
A series of excellent maps helps make sense of the narrative.
I think anyone with an interest in the topic would enjoy this book.
A series of excellent maps helps make sense of the narrative.
I think anyone with an interest in the topic would enjoy this book.
May 1, 2021
You have to really, rally be interested in Civil War military history to read this 600 page magnum opus. I chose it because I looked at online recommendations from professional military historians and it was regarded as the most complete, but not the most artistic, account of the campaign. I think they are right. One treasure among many: a clear accounting of the days after the battle and why Meade had some good reasons for not immediately charging after Lee. In fact Meade seems to have out-generalled Lee by a decent margin over the whole campaign.
June 19, 2019
A Gettysburg licensed tour guide once told me if I wanted to pass the tour guide test to study Coddington. I’ve read it now twice and it is the most complete single volume history of the battle I’ve ever seen. Probably too much detail for most folks. Definitely aimed at the Gettysburg fanatic.
February 17, 2019
Very well written with a great amount of detail.
October 28, 2019
Coddy B makes money moves.
October 30, 2019
Best one volume study of Gettysburg. It's on my list to re-read it.
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