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Covered With Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg
An award-winning Civil War historian provides a thoughtful account of the accomplishments of one of the Confederacy's most celebrated regiments, re-creating the three-day battle of Gettysburg from the perspective of the men who fought it and describing the devastating results of the battle on the regiment.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 1, 2017
Rod Gragg’s Covered with Glory is a very good combat narrative of the Confederate 26th North Carolina infantry at Gettysburg. Gragg sketches the regiment’s history from its formation in 1861. He traces the maturation of Col. Henry Burgwyn, the famed “Boy Colonel of the Confederacy,” who by the age of 21 years had graduated from the University of North Carolina, the Virginia Military Institute, and assumed command of the regiment. His dedication to duty and doggedness in training transformed the 26th North Carolina from a rowdy band of farm boys into one of the best drilled regiments in Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. The regiment performed valiantly in action, but gained the dubious honor of suffering a casualty rate of over 80 per cent – arguably the greatest casualty rate of any regiment at Gettysburg. At McPherson’s Ridge on the first day of the struggle, the 26th North Carolina, as part of Pettigrew’s brigade, confronted the Army of the Potomac’s vaunted “Iron Brigade” – neither organization was ever the same again. The North Carolinians entered the fight with 800 men and by dusk only 212 were still standing. After their attack as the Confederate left wing during Pickett’s Charge on Gettysburg’s third day, only 113 men answered the roll call.
As the back cover blurb attests, Gragg’s Covered with Glory puts a “human face” on the fighting spirit and horrendous anguish experienced by those on the field during the greatest battle on American shores. The book is recommended, especially for Civil War buffs, with a note that unlike many good battlefield or campaign histories which suffer from poor maps, Covered with Glory has too few -- but those contained are detailed and useful, although not to scale.
As the back cover blurb attests, Gragg’s Covered with Glory puts a “human face” on the fighting spirit and horrendous anguish experienced by those on the field during the greatest battle on American shores. The book is recommended, especially for Civil War buffs, with a note that unlike many good battlefield or campaign histories which suffer from poor maps, Covered with Glory has too few -- but those contained are detailed and useful, although not to scale.
December 2, 2013
This is a short history of the 26th North Carolina Regiment that fought for the Army of Northern Virginia in the Civil War. It's primary focus is the men who served and their role in the battle of Gettysburg.
This is the type of book that gives history a "personal" feel. Through the author's telling of the tale, we get to know these men - although some of them are mere boys. We see their commradery, learn their personality quirks and then watch in awe at the honor and bravery they display on the battlefields. We are duly heartbroken when they fall in the line of duty. The 26th NC lost 85% of its 800 man regiment during the battle.
In the epiloge, the author tells us what happened to the survivors - the men who faced and saw the horrors of war.
Loved this book, again because of the personal component, and the author's commitment to telling this story.
Recommend for Civil War students and particularly those studying the Battle of Gettysburg or the ANV in any type of depth.
This is the type of book that gives history a "personal" feel. Through the author's telling of the tale, we get to know these men - although some of them are mere boys. We see their commradery, learn their personality quirks and then watch in awe at the honor and bravery they display on the battlefields. We are duly heartbroken when they fall in the line of duty. The 26th NC lost 85% of its 800 man regiment during the battle.
In the epiloge, the author tells us what happened to the survivors - the men who faced and saw the horrors of war.
Loved this book, again because of the personal component, and the author's commitment to telling this story.
Recommend for Civil War students and particularly those studying the Battle of Gettysburg or the ANV in any type of depth.
November 26, 2019
One of the best Civil War regimental histories available for the Battle of Gettysburg. The 26th was an exceptional unit engaged in a desperate struggle to gain their countries freedom. Populated by many very well rounded men who sought to serve faithfully and true, the story grabs the reader and propels him through the years of privation and suffering to arrive at Gettysburg. Engaged on the 1st and 3rd days of the battle, the 26th is every units story. Rod Gragg does an excellent job of bringing life to men whose dreams and desires died with them more than a century ago. Highly recommended.
July 22, 2024
An in-depth look at the 26th North Carolina's Gettysburg Campaign. Gragg brings the regiment to life as the regiment faces deadly odds. He does a wonderful job of not only focusing on Burgwyn and Lane but the regiment as a whole. From training at Camp Carolina to charging McPheron's Ridge and Cemetery Hill, Gragg successfully follows the 26th through its highs and lows and delivers to us a well researched book.
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May 29, 2024Of the many books I have read on The Battle of Gettysburg this one stands out. It was intriguing to read a narrative focused on a specific regiment. Moreover, the way the author told the story using examples of individual soldiers really humanized the tragedy which unfolded the first three days of July 1863.
October 19, 2017
My great great grandfather Thomas Newton Justice was a private in the 26th Co. I. Would like to know if he was at Gettysburg. I know that he was at Jackson Hospital Richmond, VA and transferred to Camp Winder on 8/9/1863. Any ideas on how to find where he was injured and when?
December 31, 2013
Rod Gragg has performed something in his work on the 26th North Carolina which has become a newly found writing style in the past few year: a microhistory of a regimental history. By doing this, he brings us a story which is truly heartbreaking and so grand that even the most staunch Unionist should stand up and applaud.
Gragg is the author of other Civil War works such as The Confederate Goliath: The Battle of Fort Fisher and The Gettysburg Reader. He is also the director for the center of Military and Veteran Studies at Coastal Carolina University.
To call this book a microhistory of a regimental history is not really true. Gragg spends a good amount of time in the beginning of the book giving us a backstory into the regiment; where it was formed, who were the commanders and any political and military situations they found themselves in. The triumph of the book is the beginning in which we gain the knowledge of these people. Without that knowledge, the reader would not have any connection with these men as they marched into the onslaught of Herbst Woods and McPherson’s Ridge on July 1st. His accounts of New Bern and the political discourse which flew through the command make the reader wonder how they managed to stay together for so long. One of the best parts of the book is the relationship described between Burgwyn, the regiment’s commander, and Pettigrew, the brigade commander. This outlook shows how much their lives were intertwined all the way through the prose. Gragg also fuels the text with enough stories along with strategy and tactics that the reader is never bogged down in details. Many of the people you meet through this text become real through the descriptions and when the tactics are brought in, there is a greater understanding of what happened on those days in July without the use of maps. Gragg, however, does use maps to help the reader visualize what he is writing about along with some great photographs of these men.
As the end of the battle occurs, so much bravery and sacrifice was given by the men of the 26th North Carolina that you get chills when the numbers are listed off for their casualty rate. The dismal part of the retreat back to Virginia is one of the saddest moments of historical writing I can ever think of. What Rod Gragg has done is create a story and a scholarly work that can be read over and over again with enjoyment every time it is picked up. This book is highly recommended for any interested in the Battle of Gettysburg and the regiments who fought there.
Matthew Bartlett - Author, Gettysburg Chronicle
Gragg is the author of other Civil War works such as The Confederate Goliath: The Battle of Fort Fisher and The Gettysburg Reader. He is also the director for the center of Military and Veteran Studies at Coastal Carolina University.
To call this book a microhistory of a regimental history is not really true. Gragg spends a good amount of time in the beginning of the book giving us a backstory into the regiment; where it was formed, who were the commanders and any political and military situations they found themselves in. The triumph of the book is the beginning in which we gain the knowledge of these people. Without that knowledge, the reader would not have any connection with these men as they marched into the onslaught of Herbst Woods and McPherson’s Ridge on July 1st. His accounts of New Bern and the political discourse which flew through the command make the reader wonder how they managed to stay together for so long. One of the best parts of the book is the relationship described between Burgwyn, the regiment’s commander, and Pettigrew, the brigade commander. This outlook shows how much their lives were intertwined all the way through the prose. Gragg also fuels the text with enough stories along with strategy and tactics that the reader is never bogged down in details. Many of the people you meet through this text become real through the descriptions and when the tactics are brought in, there is a greater understanding of what happened on those days in July without the use of maps. Gragg, however, does use maps to help the reader visualize what he is writing about along with some great photographs of these men.
As the end of the battle occurs, so much bravery and sacrifice was given by the men of the 26th North Carolina that you get chills when the numbers are listed off for their casualty rate. The dismal part of the retreat back to Virginia is one of the saddest moments of historical writing I can ever think of. What Rod Gragg has done is create a story and a scholarly work that can be read over and over again with enjoyment every time it is picked up. This book is highly recommended for any interested in the Battle of Gettysburg and the regiments who fought there.
Matthew Bartlett - Author, Gettysburg Chronicle
January 1, 2012
The story of the 26th North Carolina Infantry. It follows them through their formation in 1861 through the end of the war at Appomattox. They saw action at most of the important battles of the Civil War, including Gettysburg, the wilderness and Spotsylvania and the siege of Petersburg. The book concentrates on their role in Gettysburg. They participated in the fighting during the first and third days. They led the charge up McPherson's Ridge on the first day and participated in Pickett's charge on day 3. Full of drama and action, and a good description of what it was like to fight in battles like that.
June 19, 2011
Probably the best Civil War Regimental History I've ever read. From start to finish, this book was just amazing. Covering the life, hard times and death of one of Lee's finest infantry regiments is no small task and Mr. Gragg has fashioned one of the finest and most interesting accounts of the Civil War's History. Anyone with an interest in general subjects...i.e...the Civil War, Gettysburg, McPherson's Ridge, or the Pickett-Pettigrew Charge must read this book!
February 18, 2011
Really good regimental history of the 26th NC in the Civil War. Gragg does a great job giving life to the soldiers he talks about in the book. This book really brings home the tragedy of the fratricide that was the Civil War, in light of the fact that North Carolina lost a quarter of its white male population to this blood-letting.
January 12, 2015
Outstanding writing on a horrific time in history. Such great detail allowed to me see such an unclose picture of what was occurring. I felt like I was there at times myself observing this carnage happening. Such a well written account of events filled with so many personal facts. A incredible glimpse into a dark time of our country's past. Highly recommend.
September 6, 2007
This book is everything the last wasn't. Well written, well researched, and engaging. The history was fascinating and the writing was great.
March 29, 2016
The best book on both Gettysburg and the Civil war I have ever read. Re-read it three times so far.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews