The History Buff's Guide to Gettysburg (History Buff's Guides) by Thomas R. Flagel And Ken Allers Jr.

by Thomas R. Flagel

Prior to the battle of Gettysburg in July 1-3, 1863, the costliest battle of the Civil War had been Antietam, in September 1862, in which more than 23,000 were killed or wounded in eleven hours. At Gettysburg, approximately 33,000 were killed or wounded and another 10,000 missing in action. The History Buff's Guide to Gettysburg covers the action of those days and the surrounding area by means of detailed top-ten lists, ranking the best, worst, first, and most significant elements of the largest and deadliest battle of the Civil War.Chapters Coming to the Crossroads: Why the battle was fought, the people involved, key events leading up to the battle, and the role of the environment The Battle: Why Confederate forces prevailed on the first day and Union forces on the second, why Pickett's Charge failed, the bloodiest fields of fire, and the actions of civilians during the battle The Last Full Measure: The regiments with the worst losses, the highest-ranking officers wounded or killed, the most common causes of death The Wake of the Battle: Military and civilian reactions, civilian activities after the battle, and lasting effects In Retrospect: The best and worst performing commanders, myths and misconceptions, and enduring controversies Pursuing Gettysburg: Points of interest on the battlefield and in town, the best monuments, Lincoln sites in the area, sites that have been lost to development, and the best books on GettysburgFrom the days leading up to the historic battle and the aftermath in which the townsfolk were left to rebuild their lives and town (and the later establishment of the national battlefield park), The History Buff's Guide to Gettysburg is a fresh, new approach to the subject.

Genres: Civil War, History, Nonfiction, American Civil War

Paperback

First published April 27, 2006

About the author

Dr. Thomas Flagel is an associate professor of History at Columbia State Community College in Franklin, Tennessee. He holds degrees from Loras College (B.A. History), Kansas State University (M.A., European History), Creighton University (M.A., International Relations), MTSU (Ph.D.m Public History) and has studied at the University of Vienna.

A national speaker, particularly on the Civil War, he also serves on several historic preservation boards and has worked with the Library of Congress and the National Park Service,

Originally from the Midwest, he has also lived in Austria and the Czech Republic. Among his ancestors are several American Civil War veterans, including a great, great, great grandfather from the 2nd Iowa Volunteer Infantry.

Reviews

[Michael Lehman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great info not only on the battle, but also on the town and the cemeteries. i believe it is a must have for anyone interested in Gettysburg.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book's format of having each essay be pretty much independent reading is both its greatest strength and greatest weakness. A reader can pick up the book and flip through the topics, find something that interests them, and read about it quickly and easily without and background in the subject at hand-- the essentials they need to understand and enjoy the subject at hand are all present in the essay. However, if you're reading the book cover to cover, this can be annoying, as there is considerable repetition in many of the essays. That aside, there is a wealth of information on many different aspects of Gettysburg here, from the history of the location before and after the battle to the personalities and events... it's all here. This fine work is mostly introductory, though even seasoned readers on the subject will discover some new interesting details. Most informative and interesting to me were the sections on how the battlefield dealt with the aftermath of the battle, and how the site went from unremarkable to revered in the century or so after the confrontation.

[Jessika Hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an avid Gettysburg fan, I've read quite a few books on the subject. I would recommend this book here to beginner's & aficionados alike.

With a little big of something for everyone, this book covers a wide range of topics. It was easy to read, too, which I think had a lot to do with its format. Each topic was preceded by a short intro. I read through the book, but the "top 10" lists would also be nice for a quick perusal of whichever topic might interest you. The text was informative without being dry. Obviously, I'm not an expert on Gettysburg, but I was actually pleasantly surprised to learn some things I did not know, which I did not expect. I thought this would be just a basic overview of the battle, and it does have a very accessible description of the event. But it also contains history of the battlefield itself, the town, the key players, and more.

When I say this book has something for every Gettysburg fan, I mean it. I definitely recommend this read.

[Edward Zitvogel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Lots of valuable information and rare tidbits. Strongly recommend.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good overview of the Battle of Gettysburg. I especially enjoyed the sections on the battle, post-battle reactions, controversies, and myths. I only wish I had read this book before we went to Gettysburg.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for someone who is into lists and likes things organized. There is so much to learn about Gettysburg and this book takes it deeper.