At Gettysburg and Elsewhere (Expanded, Annotated): The Civil War Memoir of John Gibbon

by John Gibbon

One of the most important figures of the American Civil War penned this fascinating and unique memoir. John Gibbon's recollections of his service at Gettysburg and other great battles is frank and personal. This is not an overview of great battles but a soldier's account of the trials and triumphs of four years of horrific conflict. Gibbon wrote plainly about the great men with whom he served, some of whom he greatly admired and some who were difficult. Here are anecdotes of Lincoln, Grant, Meade, Hancock, Hooker, Pope, and many others that you won't read anywhere else. Gibbon was a central figure at Gettysburg, with Pickett's Charge aimed right at the forces he commanded. Wounded on the third day of the battle, he supplemented his memoir with portions of the outstanding narrative of that day by his aide, Lieutenant Frank Haskell. Every memoir of the American Civil War provides us with another view of the catastrophe that changed the country forever.

Genres: Civil War

339 pages, Paperback

Published November 3, 2016

Reviews

[Ecthelion · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the all time great memoirs of the Civil War. Written by John, yet edited by his oldest daughter Francis and published posthumously, its equal parts alluring and well described, yet blunt and straight forward.

Though stationed in Utah at the commencement of the war and only arriving in the DC vicinity on Oct. 1861, John saw every major battle of the eastern theatre, from 2nd Bull Run to Appomattox. His accounts of Antietam’s Bloody Cornfield and Gettysburg’s Pickett’s Charge are must reads for any scholar on the subject.

Perhaps most popularly known for his training, and perhaps ‘tempering’, of the famous Iron Brigade, John explains his methodology behind turning raw volunteers into literal killing automatons.

Must Read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Randy Fonner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read!

[Robert Condry]

Great story of exciting times, but Gibbon was only a very good writer, not a great one. Worth reading though if you are into this period of history.

[BLAKE T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Star

Clear..concise ..well written …by all appearances an honest appraisal of what occurred as seen by a consummate professional who’s contributions are often overlooked.