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The Cavalry at Gettysburg, A Tactical Study of Mounted Operations during the Civil War's Pivotal Campaign, 9 June-14 July 1863
"For cavalry and/or Gettysburg enthusiasts, this book is a must; for other Civil War buffs, it possesses the qualities sought by students of the conflict. . . . [It] bristles with analysis, details, judgements, personality profiles, and evaluations and combat descriptions, even down to the squadron and company levels. The mounted operations of the campaign from organizational, strategic, and tactical viewpoints are examined thoroughly. The author's graphic recountings of the Virginia fights at Brandy Station, Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville, the Pennsylvania encounters at Hanover, Hunterstown, Gettysburg, and Fairfield, and finally the retreat to Virginia, are the finest this reviewer has read under a single cover. For those who enjoy the thunder of hoofbeats, the clang of sabers, and the crack of pistols and carbines, this book has all of it. Generals and privates share the pages, as the mounted opponents parry and thrust across hundreds of miles of territory from June 9 to July 14, 1863."-Civil War Times Illustrated Edward G. Longacre's books on the Civil War have won both the Fletcher Pratt Award of the Civil War Round Table of New York and the Moncado prize of the American Military Institute. They include Mounted Raids of the Civil War, available in a Bison Books edition.
338 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 12, 2023
A History Of The Cavalry In The Gettysburg Campaign
Edward Longacre's book, "The Cavalry at Gettysburg" (1993) is a thorough, well-written study of the mounted arms of both the Union and Confederate armies during Lee's critical Pennsylvania campaign of June 9 -- July 14, 1863. This campaign culminated in the Battle of Gettysburg. As is well known, Jeb Stuart had embarked on a ride-around of the Union army beginning on June 24. He did not rejoin General Lee until late on July 2, well into the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Mr. Longacre examines Stuart's ride and its impact in detail. But he offers as well a comprehensive account of cavalry operations throughout the campaign. This is a subject that is sometimes overlooked, and it is good for those interested in the history of the Pennsylvania campaign to have the information gathered in one study.
An excellent feature of the book is the background Mr. Longacre gives on cavalry operations and on their development in both armies. Mr. Longacre also spends substantial time on the leaders of both the Confederate and Union cavalries -- during the time of this study Stuart for the South and Pleasanton for the North. He explains why the personal, hands-on dashing activities required in cavalry operations tended to attract flamboyant types of leaders.
Mr. Longacre describes well the different fighting styles of the Southern and Northern mounted arms and show too how the North gradually was able to turn its cavalry into an effective fighting force. He finds that the Union was well on its way to doing so by the Pennsylvania campaign, but he concludes that the Union cavalry still was not quite the equal of the Confederate unit during these summer months of 1863.
Mr. Longacre provides detailed discussions of the important and large-scale cavalry battle at Brandy Station, Virginia at the outset of the Pennsylvania campaign and follows it with accounts of engagements at Aldie and Middleburg as the Confederate infantry advanced. There is a good account of the background of Stuart's ride-around, with Mr. Longacre less critical of Stuart than many other writers. He examines the battles between Stuart and the Union cavalry, particularly at Hanover, before Stuart finally rejoined General Lee on July 2.
The Union cavalry gets even-handed attention. Mr. Longacre offers excellent accounts of Buford's role in delaying the Confederate advance on the first day of the Battle and the significant fighting of Union General David Gregg against the Stonewall Brigade on the evening of July 2. This fighting greatly weakened the Confederate force which attacked Culp's Hill on the far right of the Union line, perhaps saving it from capture.
Mr Longacre offers a detailed account of the sometimes forgotten fighting at the east cavalry battlefield, some 4 miles east of Gettysburg on July 3. This was an important engagement in its own right and included some of the fiercest fighting of the Battle.
The book concludes with an extended discussion of the role of the cavalries following Lee's retreat from Gettysburg. Stuart in particular played an important role in allowing the Confederate army to escape across the Potomac and various components of the Union cavalry distinguished themselves in pursuit.
This book is a technical study and presupposes a high level of background and interest in the military history of the Civil War and of the Battle of Gettysburg. But it tells its story well and carefully. More maps would have been welcome.
Robin Friedman
Edward Longacre's book, "The Cavalry at Gettysburg" (1993) is a thorough, well-written study of the mounted arms of both the Union and Confederate armies during Lee's critical Pennsylvania campaign of June 9 -- July 14, 1863. This campaign culminated in the Battle of Gettysburg. As is well known, Jeb Stuart had embarked on a ride-around of the Union army beginning on June 24. He did not rejoin General Lee until late on July 2, well into the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Mr. Longacre examines Stuart's ride and its impact in detail. But he offers as well a comprehensive account of cavalry operations throughout the campaign. This is a subject that is sometimes overlooked, and it is good for those interested in the history of the Pennsylvania campaign to have the information gathered in one study.
An excellent feature of the book is the background Mr. Longacre gives on cavalry operations and on their development in both armies. Mr. Longacre also spends substantial time on the leaders of both the Confederate and Union cavalries -- during the time of this study Stuart for the South and Pleasanton for the North. He explains why the personal, hands-on dashing activities required in cavalry operations tended to attract flamboyant types of leaders.
Mr. Longacre describes well the different fighting styles of the Southern and Northern mounted arms and show too how the North gradually was able to turn its cavalry into an effective fighting force. He finds that the Union was well on its way to doing so by the Pennsylvania campaign, but he concludes that the Union cavalry still was not quite the equal of the Confederate unit during these summer months of 1863.
Mr. Longacre provides detailed discussions of the important and large-scale cavalry battle at Brandy Station, Virginia at the outset of the Pennsylvania campaign and follows it with accounts of engagements at Aldie and Middleburg as the Confederate infantry advanced. There is a good account of the background of Stuart's ride-around, with Mr. Longacre less critical of Stuart than many other writers. He examines the battles between Stuart and the Union cavalry, particularly at Hanover, before Stuart finally rejoined General Lee on July 2.
The Union cavalry gets even-handed attention. Mr. Longacre offers excellent accounts of Buford's role in delaying the Confederate advance on the first day of the Battle and the significant fighting of Union General David Gregg against the Stonewall Brigade on the evening of July 2. This fighting greatly weakened the Confederate force which attacked Culp's Hill on the far right of the Union line, perhaps saving it from capture.
Mr Longacre offers a detailed account of the sometimes forgotten fighting at the east cavalry battlefield, some 4 miles east of Gettysburg on July 3. This was an important engagement in its own right and included some of the fiercest fighting of the Battle.
The book concludes with an extended discussion of the role of the cavalries following Lee's retreat from Gettysburg. Stuart in particular played an important role in allowing the Confederate army to escape across the Potomac and various components of the Union cavalry distinguished themselves in pursuit.
This book is a technical study and presupposes a high level of background and interest in the military history of the Civil War and of the Battle of Gettysburg. But it tells its story well and carefully. More maps would have been welcome.
Robin Friedman
May 22, 2022
An interesting if understudied part of the Civil War-I only gave it 3 stars because at times it did seem to drag. Some parts were very interesting, but overall, Longacre is a solid historian but only a passable wordsmith. The importance of the Cavalry cannot be underestimated so the book is worth a read to Civil War Buffs. Casual readers may find it dry.
Reread it again, enjoyed it again
Reread it again, enjoyed it again
July 7, 2021
This is worth a read if you’re doing a deep dive into the Gettysburg Campaign or have a particular interest in Civil War cavalry operations and tactics. As far as I can tell this is the one single volume work that covers the entire campaign from the perspective of the cavalry of both armies. The information is dense and seems mostly accurate, though I did notice a few errors here and there. Some of which—like the assertion that Buford’s division carried a large number of Spencer repeating rifles—were corrected in the edition I was reading, but others were missed. My biggest complaint is the lack of quality maps. Granted, this is a fairly older work, but it was extremely difficult to keep track of where and when actions occurred. Even a single map showing the area of operations would’ve been handy, but in the whole book there are only 3 or 4, none of which are very detailed.
February 10, 2019
This title succeeds despite Longacre's awkward prose. His narrative would flow more smoothly if he wasn't as concerned with naming each and every commander. He seems oddly reluctant to use pronouns and sentences often have four, five, six or more proper nouns in them. He even goes so far as to create a sentence wherein "Early" arrives "early."
Yet the actions he's detailing are fascinating and detailed at a level I've rarely seen elsewhere. He doesn't shy from commentary or criticism either. True, the book has too few maps and those it does have are terrible. Still, I'd recommend the book to anyone interested in cavalry actions, scouting, and counterscouting during the American Civil War.
Yet the actions he's detailing are fascinating and detailed at a level I've rarely seen elsewhere. He doesn't shy from commentary or criticism either. True, the book has too few maps and those it does have are terrible. Still, I'd recommend the book to anyone interested in cavalry actions, scouting, and counterscouting during the American Civil War.
October 4, 2023
As I prepare for the Gettysburg Battlefield Licensed Guide test, I look at areas where I lack little to no knowledge, so I am prepared for the future to cover all aspects of those three July days in 1863 and the entire campaign. One of my weaknesses, I must admit, was cavalry. Besides Buford, I did not know much. I knew Custer was there, but my knowledge was subpar. Edward Longacre's book has been a great resource. It is a simple read and covers the cavalry at Gettysburg, which receives little attention, in an entertaining way that has taught me a lot. Because of Longacre, I appreciate the efforts of the Union cavalry at Gettysburg. I appreciate Gregg a whole lot more, for example. A good read for Civil War students!
June 6, 2022
This is an excellent source of information on individual fights and skirmishes during the period around the Gettysburg campaign. It also covers some aspects of the campaign which we seldom see in other accounts -- primarily because he has concentrated on the Calvary of the two sides. Although important, in many cases, these clashes took place away from the central conflict at Gettysburg.
During this campaign, one can follow the improvement in the Union cavalry as it comes closer to matching its opponents.
During this campaign, one can follow the improvement in the Union cavalry as it comes closer to matching its opponents.
July 25, 2017
This is an excellent historical study of the Cavalry during the Gettysburg Campaign. It is for the serious military history buff who is interested in tactics. It is not for the casual reader. My only complaint is that it didn't have enough maps to follow the action. Otherwise, a must read for serious students of Cavalry.
August 23, 2009
This book, authored by Edward Longacre, tells the tale of Union and Confederate cavalry during the Gettysburg campaign--from Brandy Station to Lee's retreat to Virginia. As such, it does a good job of describing this subject. Longacre notes the value of this book (Page 9): ". . .no full length book has ever considered the contributions made by the mounted forces of the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac between 9 June and 14 July 1863."
The book begins with the structure of cavalry forces on each side, noting commanders down to the regimental level. The first full chapter described the Confederate cavalry, led by the flamboyant Jeb Stuart. The second chapter, likewise, explores the Union cavalry and its leadership structure. The key players on each side are noted. Confederate leaders of note: Fitzhugh Lee, Wade Hampton, Rooney Lee (Robert E. Lee's son). On the Union side: John Buford, David Gregg, Judson Kilpatrick (whose nickname was "Kill-Cavalry," given his reckless style). Other interesting figures: George Custer, Elon Farnsworth, Irvin Gregg, Thomas Devin, "Grumble" Jones, John Imboden, and Thomas Rosser.
The action begins at Brandy Station, as the Union cavalry showed greater ability than expected and surprised Stuart's cavalry, indicating that the northern mounted arm had become a force to be reckoned with. Then, the ongoing effort by Union cavalry to penetrate Stuart's screen of the southern infantry moving north to ascertain the Confederate columns' structure and progress(to no great success).
The story of Stuart's circuitous raid to the east, losing contact with Lee's army, is well told. As is John Buford's movement to Gettysburg, and his gutsy decision to take on Confederate infantry that would arrive on July 1st to begin the sanguinary struggle. The role of the mounted forces on both sides on the second and third days is well told, with the high point perhaps being Stuart's cavalry taking on the Union forces on the third day, ultimately unsuccessful.
The book closes with the telling of the role of cavalry on both sides as Lee's army retreated to the Potomac.
In the end, this is a useful depiction of the role of cavalry on both sides during the Gettysburg campaign. On both sides, cavalry played an important role. For those curious about the cavalry's place in this campaign, this would be worth looking at.
The book begins with the structure of cavalry forces on each side, noting commanders down to the regimental level. The first full chapter described the Confederate cavalry, led by the flamboyant Jeb Stuart. The second chapter, likewise, explores the Union cavalry and its leadership structure. The key players on each side are noted. Confederate leaders of note: Fitzhugh Lee, Wade Hampton, Rooney Lee (Robert E. Lee's son). On the Union side: John Buford, David Gregg, Judson Kilpatrick (whose nickname was "Kill-Cavalry," given his reckless style). Other interesting figures: George Custer, Elon Farnsworth, Irvin Gregg, Thomas Devin, "Grumble" Jones, John Imboden, and Thomas Rosser.
The action begins at Brandy Station, as the Union cavalry showed greater ability than expected and surprised Stuart's cavalry, indicating that the northern mounted arm had become a force to be reckoned with. Then, the ongoing effort by Union cavalry to penetrate Stuart's screen of the southern infantry moving north to ascertain the Confederate columns' structure and progress(to no great success).
The story of Stuart's circuitous raid to the east, losing contact with Lee's army, is well told. As is John Buford's movement to Gettysburg, and his gutsy decision to take on Confederate infantry that would arrive on July 1st to begin the sanguinary struggle. The role of the mounted forces on both sides on the second and third days is well told, with the high point perhaps being Stuart's cavalry taking on the Union forces on the third day, ultimately unsuccessful.
The book closes with the telling of the role of cavalry on both sides as Lee's army retreated to the Potomac.
In the end, this is a useful depiction of the role of cavalry on both sides during the Gettysburg campaign. On both sides, cavalry played an important role. For those curious about the cavalry's place in this campaign, this would be worth looking at.
July 16, 2013
The role of the cavalry forces from both sides at the Battle of Gettysburg is examined. Successes and failures of mission are looked at and how they affected the outcome of the battle.
May 19, 2016
I didn't love this book but it was interesting. It gives a good description of Cavalry operations of both sides. It is not an easy read.
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