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Gettysburg: Tad Lincoln's story
The three day Battle of Gettysburg - as everyone knows - was the climax of the American Civil War. The fictional account of that desperate struggle, given here, is told from the point of view of Lincoln's favourite son, Tad. Tad often accompanied his father on his nightly visits to the telegraph office in the War Department. There he saw the commander in chief reading coded telegrams and moving pins about on maps of the several theatres of the war.
F.N. Monjo, not only skilfully dramatizes this great, historic event, but also gives young readers a vivid sense of what happened, and what was at stake at Gettysburg. As Tad Lincoln tells his story, we see both armies crossing the Potomac, and witness the terror that swept Pennsylvania as the rebel invasion gathers momentum. The two giant hosts converge upon, and overwhelm the sleepy little town. Thousands of young men die in the Peach Orchard, the Wheatfield, and in the Devil's Den. And four moths later, Father Abraham himself travels to Gettysburg, to put into words the compelling reasons for their dreadful sacrifice.
Superb illustrations by Douglas Gorsline depict Pickett's Charge, the delivering of the Gettysburg Address and all the important leaders who figured in the conflict.
F.N. Monjo, not only skilfully dramatizes this great, historic event, but also gives young readers a vivid sense of what happened, and what was at stake at Gettysburg. As Tad Lincoln tells his story, we see both armies crossing the Potomac, and witness the terror that swept Pennsylvania as the rebel invasion gathers momentum. The two giant hosts converge upon, and overwhelm the sleepy little town. Thousands of young men die in the Peach Orchard, the Wheatfield, and in the Devil's Den. And four moths later, Father Abraham himself travels to Gettysburg, to put into words the compelling reasons for their dreadful sacrifice.
Superb illustrations by Douglas Gorsline depict Pickett's Charge, the delivering of the Gettysburg Address and all the important leaders who figured in the conflict.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1976
14 people want to read
About the author
F.N. Monjo
30 books4 followersF.N. Monjo. Ferdinand Nicolas Monjo (1924-1978) was a children's novelist and editor. After graduating from Columbia University, he worked in editorial positions at several major children's publishing companies, including Simon & Schuster's Golden Books and American Heritage's Junior Library.
His grandfather, also named F.N. Monjo, was an Arctic furrier.
His grandfather, also named F.N. Monjo, was an Arctic furrier.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 7, 2025
A short account of one of the most important, if not the most important, battles of the American Civil War as seen throught the eyes of the President's son, Tad Lincoln.
Tad regularly accompanied his father to the War Department's telegraph office and watched as the red (Confederacy) and blue (Union) pins were moved up and down the map and the coded messages were received and interpreted. He was, thus, in a good position to give his version of the events and he does most succinctly.
Thousands were killed before the Union triumphed and Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address.
December 2020
Saw this on the shelves and thought I would read it again. I feel that I may have been a little harsh in giving three stars first time round and this time it is definitely more a four-star book. There is far more detail in it than I seem to have given credit to in the earlier review.
Accompanying his father, President Abraham Lincoln, every step of the way and listening to the generals discussing the progress of the war, Tad is a party to everything that is going on. He even knows the code words for different generals, on both sides. For instance General Robert E. Lee is codenamed 'Hunter' or 'Happy' while Jeff Davis is 'Hosannah' or 'Husband' and when a coded message comes in with 'Happy Chester Abel' he knows that means 'Lee attacked Meade'.
There was much toing and froing before the Battle of Gettysburg took place, one minute the Confederates were advancing and the Unionists were retreating and then the roles were reversed as the Union soldiers pressed forward. Then just north of Gettysburg on 1 July 1863 the two armies met head on.
General Meade led the Union forces and he had to fight off attacks from General Ewell, attacking him from Culp's Hill, and General Longstreet, attacking him in the Peach Orchard and the Wheatfield. Then 15,000 Rebels, under General George Pickett of Virginia, charged from Seminary Ridge, shrieking at the top of their voices the Rebel Yell. But they couldn't break Meade's lines and, with 5,000 of them dead and many more severely injured, they were obliged to retreat. General Lee was distraught and he was said to have put his head in his hands and cried, 'Too bad. Oh, too bad!'
Despite the Union victory, Tad said that his father was upset and that he said the war was 'eating out my life'. And he could not get any proper rest and Tad heard him say, 'Rest is good for the body, I suppose. But the tired part of me is inside and out of reach.' And when the President heard that Meade had declared that his men needed 'greater effort to drive from our soil every vestige of the presence of the invader' he was annoyed. He stated that it was not just a war to save the state of Pennsylvania and stressed, 'The whole country is our soil!'
While the Confederates limped home, and many of them were so badly injured that they just wanted to be left behind to die rather than suffer the agonies of a long journey with no anaesthetic to ease their pain, Lincoln delivered that powerful Gettysburg Address, which Tad said he did not read because he knew it by heart.
Mixing fact with fiction F.N. Monjo has produced a very readable account of the Battle which gives the reader a feel for the personalities involved on both sides and just how traumatic this episode in the American Civil War was. I have amended my original assessment to now be four stars.
Tad regularly accompanied his father to the War Department's telegraph office and watched as the red (Confederacy) and blue (Union) pins were moved up and down the map and the coded messages were received and interpreted. He was, thus, in a good position to give his version of the events and he does most succinctly.
Thousands were killed before the Union triumphed and Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address.
December 2020
Saw this on the shelves and thought I would read it again. I feel that I may have been a little harsh in giving three stars first time round and this time it is definitely more a four-star book. There is far more detail in it than I seem to have given credit to in the earlier review.
Accompanying his father, President Abraham Lincoln, every step of the way and listening to the generals discussing the progress of the war, Tad is a party to everything that is going on. He even knows the code words for different generals, on both sides. For instance General Robert E. Lee is codenamed 'Hunter' or 'Happy' while Jeff Davis is 'Hosannah' or 'Husband' and when a coded message comes in with 'Happy Chester Abel' he knows that means 'Lee attacked Meade'.
There was much toing and froing before the Battle of Gettysburg took place, one minute the Confederates were advancing and the Unionists were retreating and then the roles were reversed as the Union soldiers pressed forward. Then just north of Gettysburg on 1 July 1863 the two armies met head on.
General Meade led the Union forces and he had to fight off attacks from General Ewell, attacking him from Culp's Hill, and General Longstreet, attacking him in the Peach Orchard and the Wheatfield. Then 15,000 Rebels, under General George Pickett of Virginia, charged from Seminary Ridge, shrieking at the top of their voices the Rebel Yell. But they couldn't break Meade's lines and, with 5,000 of them dead and many more severely injured, they were obliged to retreat. General Lee was distraught and he was said to have put his head in his hands and cried, 'Too bad. Oh, too bad!'
Despite the Union victory, Tad said that his father was upset and that he said the war was 'eating out my life'. And he could not get any proper rest and Tad heard him say, 'Rest is good for the body, I suppose. But the tired part of me is inside and out of reach.' And when the President heard that Meade had declared that his men needed 'greater effort to drive from our soil every vestige of the presence of the invader' he was annoyed. He stated that it was not just a war to save the state of Pennsylvania and stressed, 'The whole country is our soil!'
While the Confederates limped home, and many of them were so badly injured that they just wanted to be left behind to die rather than suffer the agonies of a long journey with no anaesthetic to ease their pain, Lincoln delivered that powerful Gettysburg Address, which Tad said he did not read because he knew it by heart.
Mixing fact with fiction F.N. Monjo has produced a very readable account of the Battle which gives the reader a feel for the personalities involved on both sides and just how traumatic this episode in the American Civil War was. I have amended my original assessment to now be four stars.
August 20, 2022
Mr. Monjo wrote one of my favorite children's books, "The One Bad Thing about Father," about Teddy Roosevelt. Although his books are written for children, they are equally enjoyable for grown-ups (or grown-ups reading to children). He doesn't write down to children but writes from a child's perspective. "Gettysburg" is no exception. It is written from young Tad Lincoln's point of view. Mr. Monjo had to walk a fine line between explaining the horrors of war (and the battle of Gettysburg in particular) and not being so graphic as to give children nightmares. I think he succeeded.
May 28, 2013
gr 4-6 43 pgs
Civil War. Told from the perspective of Tad Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's son. Tad tells the reader what he knows about the Civil War, focusing on the battle at Gettysburg, based upon what his father tells him and what he learns by following his father around.
A short story with illustrations, but I think the subject matter makes it better for older readers.
Civil War. Told from the perspective of Tad Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's son. Tad tells the reader what he knows about the Civil War, focusing on the battle at Gettysburg, based upon what his father tells him and what he learns by following his father around.
A short story with illustrations, but I think the subject matter makes it better for older readers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews