Guide to the Battle of Gettysburg

The U.S. Army War College Guides to Civil War Battles

by Jay Luvaas (Editor), Harold W. Nelson (Editor), Leonard J. Fullenkamp (Editor)

Here at last is the long-anticipated revised edition of one of the most respected and popular guides to the Gettysburg National Military Park. The authors have made significant changes to the guide, addressing alterations to the park during the past fifteen years and adding new information and improved maps that enrich park visitors' understanding of one of the bloodiest and most momentous battles in American history.

A compact but richly detailed volume depicting the events of the Battle of Gettysburg day-by-day and hour-by-hour, the guide retains its signature blend of official reports, commanding officers' observations, and terrain descriptions, as well as easy-to-use maps that allow park visitors to follow the battle as it actually unfolded. For the new edition, the authors provide double the number of maps-this time by master cartographer Steven Stanley-to effectively track directional changes for visitors driving through the park. They include new sections highlighting the strategic and operational context for the Gettysburg campaign and providing background about Lee's decision to invade Pennsylvania. They have also added new information about the cavalry battle on Day 3 and the decisions and actions of General Meade, and the "Capabilities and Doctrine" appendix now addresses more fully the evolution of cavalry tactics in the battle's aftermath. The new volume also features for the first time a useful appendix on logistics, which illuminates one of the army commander's most challenging tasks, sustaining the force during the campaign.

Genres: Civil War, History, American Civil War, War, Military Fiction

360 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

A U.S. Navy veteran, Jay Luvaas graduated from Allegheny College, and received a Ph.D. in history from Duke University. He served as the Director of the Flowers Collection of Southern Americana at Duke University Library, and as a long-time professor of history at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. He was the first civilian to be appointed as Visiting Professor of Military History at the United States Military Academy. He also taught at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, PA, where he served as Professor of Military History from 1982 to 1995. Following his retirement, he was honored in 1997 as a Distinguished Fellow of the Army War College. He twice received the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal from the Department of the Army for his many contributions to the educational mission of the U.S. Army.

Reviews

[Mike Thiac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overall look at the three days in July 1863, when the United States of America became a nation.

It is a combination of tour guide of the battlefield with notes of the combatants to guide you, to give you into the eye view of the participants. At the end it gives you a look at overall methods of fire and maneuver, and the order of battle of the two armies.

I’ve owned this for over 30 years, but I’m finally gotten off my ass and read it. I’m visiting the battlefield soon,and I will have this book with me. It’s a quick read, can kill it in a day. But it’s a good reference for anyone going to the military park.

[Mark Singer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been to the Gettysburg battlefield twice; once in in 1995 and again in 2003, and will bring this book with me the next time I go. The volume is one of a series in official US Army War College guides to Civil War Battles, and is based on the old practice of staff rides for Army officers. The book gives twenty five different destinations on the battlefield, has excellent maps, and has excerpts from veterans descriptions of the battle. This was required reading for a course on the American Civil War that I took at Temple University-Ambler in the Fall of 2009.;

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

particularly helpful in digesting the battle from those who experienced it

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book and great for touring the battlefield. I wish the maps were color so the terrain and units would stand out better but the information and directions are first rate.

[David Runyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent tour of the battlefield accompanied by primary source reports from the soldiers who fought.

[Mell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid guidebook that focuses on driving to different spots within the battlefield and walking around. Book contains many first hand accounts of the battle from letters written (by both Union and Confederate soldiers and commanders) during and after the 1863 skirmish.

[Manuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

second in my 3 books i read as introduction about the Battle at Gettysburg

enough maps to help you understand the movements. Text is easy and contains personal recollections from the soldiers

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful combo of tour book and collection of official battle reports. A little clumsy to navigate through at times, but a good resource.