Into the Fight: Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg

by John Michael Priest

Using a wide range of sources from the monuments on the Gettysburg battlefield to accounts of the participants, the author rewrites the conventional thinking about the most famous charge of the Civil War. Each chapter reconstructs a piece of the timeline on July 3rd, 1863 and includes maps of artillery and infantry positions. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Genres: Civil War

278 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! I will be in Gettysburg next weekend, so it was quite timely for me to read this well-researched, well-written book. This book tells of the gory horrors we, as Americans, committed against each other. If more people would read books of this nature, we would not be so quick to be so-called "proud" of "Confederate Heritage". No offense meant, just my opinion.

[Greg Noonan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really is a seriously good book. Thoroughly and painstakingly researched, Priest has come up with what would probably have to be the definitive account of Pickett's ill-fated attack on July 3, 1863.
The book takes the reader through each portion of the battlefield at various times of the day and through the use of letters and diaries from the men there on the day, recounts their thoughts and misgivings and describes the placements of regiments and guns in almost forensic fashion.
Priest is also very particular in telling us how bodies of men moved about the battlefield once the shooting started, how the Confederate attack started to fall apart almost from the beginning and how Union reinforcements and artillery were quickly able to thin the Confederate lines from the flanks as well as the front. Such was the intensity of Federal fire, many Rebels did not even cross the Emmitsburg Rd.
Although more likely written for folks who already know something about the battle or the American Civil War, John Michael Priest has made another valuable contribution to the already large stable of Civil War books.

[Britt · Rating 2 out of 5]

After your mind finds a flow, this book is actually pretty good. It took me until about the middle to feel the pace pick up though. All in all, some very good information and plenty of great human interest stories.