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Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage – A Comprehensive Narrative History from Chancellorsville to Pickett's Charge and the Union Victory
America's Civil War raged for more than four years, but it is the three days of fighting in the Pennsylvania countryside in July 1863 that continues to fascinate, appall, and inspire new generations with its unparalleled saga of sacrifice and courage. From Chancellorsville, where General Robert E. Lee launched his high-risk campaign into the North, to the Confederates' last daring and ultimately-doomed act, forever known as Pickett's Charge, the battle of Gettysburg gave the Union army a victory that turned back the boldest and perhaps greatest chance for a Southern nation. Now acclaimed historian Noah Andre Trudeau brings the most up-to-date research available to a brilliant, sweeping, and comprehensive history of the battle of Gettysburg that sheds fresh light on virtually every aspect of it. Deftly balancing his own narrative style with revealing firsthand accounts, Trudeau brings this engrossing human tale to life as never before.
720 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2002
514 people are currently reading
1448 people want to read
About the author
Noah Andre Trudeau
16 books48 followersAmerican Civil War historian. He has won the Civil War Round Table of New York's Fletcher Pratt Award and the Jerry Coffey Memorial Book Prize. A former executive producer at National Public Radio, he lives in Washington, DC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
March 19, 2023
A magnificent piece of ACW historical writing.
July 6, 2023
Trudeau's Study Of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg is, as Trudeau aptly points out in the Preface to his book, "Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage", "one of the most unforgettable sagas in United States history." The Battle offers ample opportunity for reflection. It invites every reader to think and to work out for him or herself an understanding of the Battle and its significance.
Trudeau's book offers a comprehensive account of the Battle of Gettysburg, beginning with the factors which led to the Confederacy's second invasion of the North and concluding with President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (November 19, 1863.) He sees the invasion, and the Battle of Gettysburg, as an attempt by General Robert E. Lee to wage a "war of annihilation" by destroying the Union Army and forcing a recognition of Southern independence. His account emphasizes the sheer ferocity and desperation of the fighting during these three terrible days (July 1 -- July 3, 1863) of the Battle. The subtitle of the book, "A Testing of Courage" describes its theme succinctly as Trudeau focuses on the carnage and the fighting over tremendous odds and hardship by the two contending armies. There was extraordinary heroism displayed by both sides during these days, by soldiers, by their officers and by civilians who witnessed the Battle. Trudeau's account of the Battle focuses on the fighting, the valor, and the suffering of the participants.
Trudeau's book invites comparison with Steven Sears's comprehensive study of the Battle of Gettysburg published this year. I found that Sears's book had the larger sweep. The individual chapters are, on the whole, longer and Sears's account tends to show how the events of one day cascaded into the events of the next. Also, Sears is much more prone to editorializing during the course of his narrative, offering the reader a point-by-point discussion of decisions by the armies' high commands.
Trudeau's account, in contrast, is more episodic. His chapters tend to be shorter, and each chapter is punctuated into short sections and paragraphs. Trudeau shifts his scenes, as Sears does not, from one portion of the battle to another. Thus, while giving the reader discussions of the progress of the Picket -- Pettigrew charge on July 3, Trudeau shifts focus several times to discuss the development of the cavalry battle between JEB Stuart and George Custer that went on at roughly the same time for the Union rear. As for the July 2 Battle, Trudeau tends to shift the reader's attention between the battle for the Union left and the battle for its right. Trudeau is less prone that Sears to interrupt his narrative with editorializing about the various command decisions (although he does some of this) and more inclined to let the events of the day speak for themselves.
Trudeau spends more time than does Sears on day 2 of the Battle, particularly the uncoordinated yet fierce Southern attacks on the Union left; and Sears is more thorough on day 3. Sears devotes a great deal of attention to Lee's retreat from Pennsylvania following the battle and to Meade's pursuit. Trudeau's account is short on these matters. Sears' account is sharper in is portrayal of the Lee - Longstreet disagreements over the conduct of the Battle and also makes more of the impact of JEB Stuart's absence during the Pennsylvania campaign. Thus in some ways, it takes a rather more holistic view of the Battle than does Trudeau's study.
I found both Trudeau's and Sears's accounts of the Battle of Gettysburg fascinating. A reading of either book, or of both books, is time well spent. The books will encourage the reader to think about the meaning of our Civil War and of the role of the tragedy of these days and years in forming our nation.
Robin Friedman
The Battle of Gettysburg is, as Trudeau aptly points out in the Preface to his book, "Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage", "one of the most unforgettable sagas in United States history." The Battle offers ample opportunity for reflection. It invites every reader to think and to work out for him or herself an understanding of the Battle and its significance.
Trudeau's book offers a comprehensive account of the Battle of Gettysburg, beginning with the factors which led to the Confederacy's second invasion of the North and concluding with President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (November 19, 1863.) He sees the invasion, and the Battle of Gettysburg, as an attempt by General Robert E. Lee to wage a "war of annihilation" by destroying the Union Army and forcing a recognition of Southern independence. His account emphasizes the sheer ferocity and desperation of the fighting during these three terrible days (July 1 -- July 3, 1863) of the Battle. The subtitle of the book, "A Testing of Courage" describes its theme succinctly as Trudeau focuses on the carnage and the fighting over tremendous odds and hardship by the two contending armies. There was extraordinary heroism displayed by both sides during these days, by soldiers, by their officers and by civilians who witnessed the Battle. Trudeau's account of the Battle focuses on the fighting, the valor, and the suffering of the participants.
Trudeau's book invites comparison with Steven Sears's comprehensive study of the Battle of Gettysburg published this year. I found that Sears's book had the larger sweep. The individual chapters are, on the whole, longer and Sears's account tends to show how the events of one day cascaded into the events of the next. Also, Sears is much more prone to editorializing during the course of his narrative, offering the reader a point-by-point discussion of decisions by the armies' high commands.
Trudeau's account, in contrast, is more episodic. His chapters tend to be shorter, and each chapter is punctuated into short sections and paragraphs. Trudeau shifts his scenes, as Sears does not, from one portion of the battle to another. Thus, while giving the reader discussions of the progress of the Picket -- Pettigrew charge on July 3, Trudeau shifts focus several times to discuss the development of the cavalry battle between JEB Stuart and George Custer that went on at roughly the same time for the Union rear. As for the July 2 Battle, Trudeau tends to shift the reader's attention between the battle for the Union left and the battle for its right. Trudeau is less prone that Sears to interrupt his narrative with editorializing about the various command decisions (although he does some of this) and more inclined to let the events of the day speak for themselves.
Trudeau spends more time than does Sears on day 2 of the Battle, particularly the uncoordinated yet fierce Southern attacks on the Union left; and Sears is more thorough on day 3. Sears devotes a great deal of attention to Lee's retreat from Pennsylvania following the battle and to Meade's pursuit. Trudeau's account is short on these matters. Sears' account is sharper in is portrayal of the Lee - Longstreet disagreements over the conduct of the Battle and also makes more of the impact of JEB Stuart's absence during the Pennsylvania campaign. Thus in some ways, it takes a rather more holistic view of the Battle than does Trudeau's study.
I found both Trudeau's and Sears's accounts of the Battle of Gettysburg fascinating. A reading of either book, or of both books, is time well spent. The books will encourage the reader to think about the meaning of our Civil War and of the role of the tragedy of these days and years in forming our nation.
Robin Friedman
June 14, 2013
I have been an avid reader all my life, but in 2009 I picked up Gettysburg by Stephen W. Sears before my first visit to the Gettysburg battlefield. My visit there (and to Antietam) coupled with Sears' excellent writings were a life-changing experience for me.
When reading about Gettysburg in preparation for an upcoming presentation, rather than reread Sears and I decieded to pick up another book on the battle (this one). I first read Trudeau's writing in his excellent Southern Storm: Sherman's March to the Sea and was interested to see how he would deal with Gettysburg differently. The two books are of very similiar length and both came out around the time of the 140th anniversary of the battle, although Trudeau was published far enough ahead of Sears that the former appears in the bibliography of the latter.
In a purely by-the-page-numbers look, Sears has one notable advantage: a proper treatment of the ten day retreat from Gettysburg, something Trudeau skims over. It is a bit surprising, especially since both give nearly the same number of pages to the campaign leading up to July 1st. For the three days of battle, Trudeau uses more pages (mostly at the expense of the post-battle events), with the difference in page count being most notable on the first day. However, I don't think either author shortchanges any of the three days. Both books also contain endnote citations and bibliography.
The main content difference is Trudeau's focus on more human interest stories, including civilians. In terms of sheer enjoyable reading, this gives an advantage to Trudeau. However, this comes at the cost of a more detailed look at the events themselves.
Trudeau does have an advantage in maps. Sears' are not bad, but in the fashion of "Southern Storm" (which contained day-by-day maps of Sherman's march) Trudeau delivers more maps which are often better detailed and down to the regimental level. At the same time, they are frequent enough and large enough not to lose sight of the big picture.
I also have to praise this book's almost slavish dedication to chronological order of events. Historians usually write in a loose chronological order, but Trudeau makes an better than usual job of trying to show parallel events happening in parallel. At times this causes some repetitiveness, but I value to the perspective it provides.
In conclusion, this is a really good book that offers enough stylistic differences from its peer. I think more casual readers will find more enjoyable reading from Trudeau while Sears will be preferred by bigger Civil War buffs (although they will likely find Trudeau also well worth the read).
(I offer no comparison to The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command which seems to remain the most highly regarded book on the campaign, but which I have not yet read.)
When reading about Gettysburg in preparation for an upcoming presentation, rather than reread Sears and I decieded to pick up another book on the battle (this one). I first read Trudeau's writing in his excellent Southern Storm: Sherman's March to the Sea and was interested to see how he would deal with Gettysburg differently. The two books are of very similiar length and both came out around the time of the 140th anniversary of the battle, although Trudeau was published far enough ahead of Sears that the former appears in the bibliography of the latter.
In a purely by-the-page-numbers look, Sears has one notable advantage: a proper treatment of the ten day retreat from Gettysburg, something Trudeau skims over. It is a bit surprising, especially since both give nearly the same number of pages to the campaign leading up to July 1st. For the three days of battle, Trudeau uses more pages (mostly at the expense of the post-battle events), with the difference in page count being most notable on the first day. However, I don't think either author shortchanges any of the three days. Both books also contain endnote citations and bibliography.
The main content difference is Trudeau's focus on more human interest stories, including civilians. In terms of sheer enjoyable reading, this gives an advantage to Trudeau. However, this comes at the cost of a more detailed look at the events themselves.
Trudeau does have an advantage in maps. Sears' are not bad, but in the fashion of "Southern Storm" (which contained day-by-day maps of Sherman's march) Trudeau delivers more maps which are often better detailed and down to the regimental level. At the same time, they are frequent enough and large enough not to lose sight of the big picture.
I also have to praise this book's almost slavish dedication to chronological order of events. Historians usually write in a loose chronological order, but Trudeau makes an better than usual job of trying to show parallel events happening in parallel. At times this causes some repetitiveness, but I value to the perspective it provides.
In conclusion, this is a really good book that offers enough stylistic differences from its peer. I think more casual readers will find more enjoyable reading from Trudeau while Sears will be preferred by bigger Civil War buffs (although they will likely find Trudeau also well worth the read).
(I offer no comparison to The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command which seems to remain the most highly regarded book on the campaign, but which I have not yet read.)
October 1, 2015
This book was impecabley researched and written. It shows the three day bloodiest and most deadly battle on American soil ever, from the points of view of the President, the officers, the inlisted man, and the civilian. It explains all the strategy and the mistakes that were made do to poor nutrition and almost starvation of the troups, to the difficulty of communication over long distances at that period of time.
I would highly recommend this book to all history buffs, and to all war buffs.
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
I would highly recommend this book to all history buffs, and to all war buffs.
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
August 5, 2024
As one who's read a lot of presidential biographies, and is now making my way through the Civil War, there are some parallels in the quality of the books out there on each subject. Whether it's Ron Chernow writing about George Washington, or Jon Meacham about Lincoln, or Doris Kearns Goodwin on FDR, our best writers tend to write about the best presidents. The only books about someone like Millard Fillmore are written by people you've never heard of, and they're often not as good, either because the authors or the subjects themselves are second-tier, or some combination of both.
Such is the case when it comes to the Civil War. It’s often the lesser-known authors who write microhistories or cover more obscure battles, while many of the most talented authors gravitate to the best-known events. Some of those lesser-known books might be quite good, but some of the most compelling end up being about the likes of Gettysburg - it's a marquee event in its own right, made better by the fact that it attracts some of the best authors.
So that's a long way of saying that this is a very good book on a very engaging subject written by a very talented author. And yet I have to be honest in rating it - while, objectively speaking, it may be a five-star book in many ways, subjectively, it ended up being more of a three-star read for me.
The good: the book is very well-written. And well-structured, in a way that enhances its readability. The first third covers the month prior to the battle, providing context about Gen. Lee’s military and political calculations about what to do next after his victory at Chancellorsville, before he begins marching toward Pennsylvania.
Once he arrives, time in the book slows down. Whereas earlier chapters cover periods of several days, later chapters cover single days at a time. And once the battle begins, each chapter is further divided into subchapters, each of which covers a period of hours or even minutes. Any time there’s a shift of location or perspective, there is a double-spaced paragraph break that makes the story easy to follow in digestible chunks as it unfolds.
The book, as with the battle itself, builds toward the climax of Pickett’s Charge before rather swiftly concluding. In reviewing and critiquing the generals’ performance, Trudeau is an equal opportunity faultfinder, offering fair but honest assessments of both Lee and Union Gen. Meade. The first full day of the battle “laid bare the failings of Lee's command style and the dysfunctional nature of his army's operational culture,” he writes, citing “a fog of misunderstanding and miscommunication that muffed opportunities and needlessly squandered lives” for which Lee's “responsibility… is painfully obvious.” As for Meade, he’s said to have “operated more as a sort of supernumerary corps commander than as an army leader,” putting out fires as they arose without a broader strategy. Ultimately, he ends up giving them both credit for essentially doing the best they could under the circumstances.
But (and here are the buts), most everything that happens during the battle - including what should be the compelling, dramatic climax - is described mostly in tactical and technical terms. It’s mostly focused on what happened when and where, and despite the inclusion of stories from civilians caught in the crossfire, I never really got a feel for what it was all like.
The book is also not necessarily for the beginner who knows little about Gettysburg. I’m not a complete neophyte, but I’m also no expert, and I felt that the writing could sometimes seem to assume a prior familiarity with details - events are foreshadowed with knowing references, individuals are introduced whose names we’re assumed to know, myths and legends are referenced that mean nothing to the layman. And the maps are good, but there are no photos - apparently the reader knows what the place and all the principals look like, right, so why include them?
Overall, the writing and the structure of the book capably conveyed the nuts and bolts. But in other books about other battles - indeed, in other books about this very battle - there is more emotion, and gallantry, and pathos, and dynamic descriptions of compelling characters and what they went through, together with an analysis of why it all mattered. This book told me what happened at Gettysburg. But it didn’t make me care. And maybe it wasn’t meant to, which could account for the many five-star reviews by people seemingly unbothered by what bothered me.
So I give it a solid three for being a good, well-written read, but one that I’m unlikely to look back on, or remember much about, in the months and years to come. And that can really make the difference between an excellent book and one that’s simply good. Sometimes, at least for me in this case, the best authors taking on the best-known topics may not always make for the best combination.
Such is the case when it comes to the Civil War. It’s often the lesser-known authors who write microhistories or cover more obscure battles, while many of the most talented authors gravitate to the best-known events. Some of those lesser-known books might be quite good, but some of the most compelling end up being about the likes of Gettysburg - it's a marquee event in its own right, made better by the fact that it attracts some of the best authors.
So that's a long way of saying that this is a very good book on a very engaging subject written by a very talented author. And yet I have to be honest in rating it - while, objectively speaking, it may be a five-star book in many ways, subjectively, it ended up being more of a three-star read for me.
The good: the book is very well-written. And well-structured, in a way that enhances its readability. The first third covers the month prior to the battle, providing context about Gen. Lee’s military and political calculations about what to do next after his victory at Chancellorsville, before he begins marching toward Pennsylvania.
Once he arrives, time in the book slows down. Whereas earlier chapters cover periods of several days, later chapters cover single days at a time. And once the battle begins, each chapter is further divided into subchapters, each of which covers a period of hours or even minutes. Any time there’s a shift of location or perspective, there is a double-spaced paragraph break that makes the story easy to follow in digestible chunks as it unfolds.
The book, as with the battle itself, builds toward the climax of Pickett’s Charge before rather swiftly concluding. In reviewing and critiquing the generals’ performance, Trudeau is an equal opportunity faultfinder, offering fair but honest assessments of both Lee and Union Gen. Meade. The first full day of the battle “laid bare the failings of Lee's command style and the dysfunctional nature of his army's operational culture,” he writes, citing “a fog of misunderstanding and miscommunication that muffed opportunities and needlessly squandered lives” for which Lee's “responsibility… is painfully obvious.” As for Meade, he’s said to have “operated more as a sort of supernumerary corps commander than as an army leader,” putting out fires as they arose without a broader strategy. Ultimately, he ends up giving them both credit for essentially doing the best they could under the circumstances.
But (and here are the buts), most everything that happens during the battle - including what should be the compelling, dramatic climax - is described mostly in tactical and technical terms. It’s mostly focused on what happened when and where, and despite the inclusion of stories from civilians caught in the crossfire, I never really got a feel for what it was all like.
The book is also not necessarily for the beginner who knows little about Gettysburg. I’m not a complete neophyte, but I’m also no expert, and I felt that the writing could sometimes seem to assume a prior familiarity with details - events are foreshadowed with knowing references, individuals are introduced whose names we’re assumed to know, myths and legends are referenced that mean nothing to the layman. And the maps are good, but there are no photos - apparently the reader knows what the place and all the principals look like, right, so why include them?
Overall, the writing and the structure of the book capably conveyed the nuts and bolts. But in other books about other battles - indeed, in other books about this very battle - there is more emotion, and gallantry, and pathos, and dynamic descriptions of compelling characters and what they went through, together with an analysis of why it all mattered. This book told me what happened at Gettysburg. But it didn’t make me care. And maybe it wasn’t meant to, which could account for the many five-star reviews by people seemingly unbothered by what bothered me.
So I give it a solid three for being a good, well-written read, but one that I’m unlikely to look back on, or remember much about, in the months and years to come. And that can really make the difference between an excellent book and one that’s simply good. Sometimes, at least for me in this case, the best authors taking on the best-known topics may not always make for the best combination.
August 18, 2024
Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage by Noah Andre Trudeau is a great starter book for the Battle of Gettysburg. Trudeau covers the two armies marching from Virginia into Pennsylvania that led to the most famous battle of the Civil War on three July days. However, Trudeau hardly covers Lee's retreat and that is a con in my book.
One of the pros to Trudeau's book is he provides the time, so you know what the hour was for parts of the battle. Trudeau also provides a solid conclusion why the Army of the Northern Virginia lost the battle. Lost Causers will not be too ecstatic reading his arguments. I also like Trudeau provides what happened to the people involved in the battle.
There are some cons to this book. For example, there are no illustrations, which would be extremely beneficial to people who are learning about the battle for the first time. There were some errors in the book as well. Trudeau stated The Iron Brigade got its name at Antietam whereas they earned the nickname at The Battle of South Mountain. Trudeau also seems to downplay the first day of the battle. The first day saw heavy fighting and had more casualties than Cold Harbor. July 1st set up the events of the next two days, so I do not understand why people do not see the importance of that day.
Despite the flaws it is a good starter book. Stephen Sears is another one I would recommend. For microhistories, I recommend David Martin's book about the first day, Henry Pfanz's books, and Earl Hess' Pickett's Charge book.
One of the pros to Trudeau's book is he provides the time, so you know what the hour was for parts of the battle. Trudeau also provides a solid conclusion why the Army of the Northern Virginia lost the battle. Lost Causers will not be too ecstatic reading his arguments. I also like Trudeau provides what happened to the people involved in the battle.
There are some cons to this book. For example, there are no illustrations, which would be extremely beneficial to people who are learning about the battle for the first time. There were some errors in the book as well. Trudeau stated The Iron Brigade got its name at Antietam whereas they earned the nickname at The Battle of South Mountain. Trudeau also seems to downplay the first day of the battle. The first day saw heavy fighting and had more casualties than Cold Harbor. July 1st set up the events of the next two days, so I do not understand why people do not see the importance of that day.
Despite the flaws it is a good starter book. Stephen Sears is another one I would recommend. For microhistories, I recommend David Martin's book about the first day, Henry Pfanz's books, and Earl Hess' Pickett's Charge book.
August 12, 2022
Superb. Although I’ve visited the site many times, this was my first read of a full-length, impartial study of the Gettysburg Battle. I’ll probably read others.
June 9, 2023
Gettysburg is neither a quick read nor an easy one. I knew quite a bit about the battle before I started reading courtesy of my daughter's fascination with it in primary and midschool (If you had called our house, our answering machine would have asked the Civil War question of the week.) This book is a whole other level of detail. While it starts slowly, meticulously setting up context, troop disposition, leadership and decisions prior to July 1, from then on, it is a sweeping story which builds and builds through Pickett's Charge and the aftermath suffered by both sides. In between, there are detailed maps, sometimes by the quarter hour, of troop positions and engagements. Leadership, heroics and cowardice, good and bad judgment, luck and the incredibly detailed descriptions of battle and tactics give this book a monumental sweep. I thought it was terrific. I'm very glad I read it.
October 27, 2022
Great info but my right- dominant brain couldn't sieve thru all the details! Did a lot of skimming:)
June 11, 2019
I tried to decide whether it is better to read a history book on a subject like Gettysburg before or after visiting the actual site. This time I started the book before my trip and found myself confused by the topography of the battlefield, so I put the book down about halfway through it. At Gettysburg I took a tour with a licensed battlefield guide, spent time in the museum and revisited many of the crucial sites on my own. I then picked up the book again and read it to its conclusion. In the case of Gettysburg, I believe having viewed the site, the book was much more enjoyable.
Trudeau provides a chronological account of those historic days that maps out troop movements, skirmishes and accounts by both military and civilian witnesses. The diagrams of the country side and deployments were very helpful, again, more meaningful after having actually seen the site. I would recommend this book to anyone who visits Gettysburg; even casual history buffs like me.
Trudeau provides a chronological account of those historic days that maps out troop movements, skirmishes and accounts by both military and civilian witnesses. The diagrams of the country side and deployments were very helpful, again, more meaningful after having actually seen the site. I would recommend this book to anyone who visits Gettysburg; even casual history buffs like me.
August 10, 2023
Mr. Trudeau's story of Gettysburg left me with an impression of the fighting which won't fade quickly. The story of Gettysburg is told in the modern narrative style with extensive first hand quotes and stories mixed in. For those who normally don't read military history, but have more than a passing interest in Gettysburg this is an excellent read. Those who regularly read military history will also enjoy this account. The maps are easy to read and plentiful if at times misplaced in relation to the narrative. The only piece lacking is a bit more background on those primary personages in the recounting of the history - although doing so would have probably necessitated a second volume.
February 2, 2021
Outstanding research. Must read for history buffs.
October 20, 2025
Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage by Noah Andre Trudeau is a comprehensive, single-volume account of the Battle of Gettysburg. The book chronologically traces the events leading up to the battle, the three days of intense fighting from July 1–3, 1863, and the aftermath of the conflict.
Trudeau draws on a wide range of primary sources, including letters, diaries, newspaper articles, and official military reports, from both high-ranking generals and ordinary soldiers. This mix of perspectives provides a vivid and humanizing view of the battle.
In addition to detailed narrative coverage, Trudeau offers in-depth commentary on the military tactics and command decisions that shaped the outcome. His analysis illuminates the challenges, miscommunications, and strategic choices that defined this pivotal moment in the Civil War. Gettysburg is often viewed as the turning point of the war, and this book helps readers understand why it earned that distinction.
Highly detailed and deeply analytical, Trudeau’s work provides as much context and information as possible, creating a thorough and immersive account. It will particularly appeal to readers interested in military history and battlefield strategy. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Trudeau draws on a wide range of primary sources, including letters, diaries, newspaper articles, and official military reports, from both high-ranking generals and ordinary soldiers. This mix of perspectives provides a vivid and humanizing view of the battle.
In addition to detailed narrative coverage, Trudeau offers in-depth commentary on the military tactics and command decisions that shaped the outcome. His analysis illuminates the challenges, miscommunications, and strategic choices that defined this pivotal moment in the Civil War. Gettysburg is often viewed as the turning point of the war, and this book helps readers understand why it earned that distinction.
Highly detailed and deeply analytical, Trudeau’s work provides as much context and information as possible, creating a thorough and immersive account. It will particularly appeal to readers interested in military history and battlefield strategy. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of the Battle of Gettysburg.
October 3, 2018
The Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863, is the most well-researched battle of the American Civil War. In the 1990s, Noah Andre Trudeau began synthesizing decades of research to produce the first comprehensive book on that battle since The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command (1968). Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage (2002) is the result of his effort. It is a sweeping narrative of that three day struggle, which resulted in approximately 48,000 American casualties.
Although Trudeau summarizes the entire campaign from beginning to end, Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage is primarily about the battle. It is also not strictly a military history. Like his book The Last Citadel: Petersburg, the author weaves the civilian experience, including townsfolk and journalists, into his narrative. It strikes just the right balance between anecdote and explanation, and never gets bogged down in minutiae.
The book is organized chronologically, which is helpful for keeping track of events across such a large battlefield. Unfortunately, it isn’t consistent. Events on July 3 are broken down practically hour by hour, whereas the entire attack on July 2 is given one section, from 4:10 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. I understand it’s difficult to determine when events occurred with one hundred percent accuracy, but breaking up that six hour period into smaller bits would have been helpful.
Trudeau is unique in arguing Richard S. Ewell, not Henry Heth, was responsible for initiating the Battle of Gettysburg. By mid-afternoon on July 2, Heth had withdrawn his division out of enemy contact in conformity with General Lee’s order. It was Ewell who decided to “come to Heth’s rescue” and bring on a general engagement. I see the merits of this unconventional argument. Trudeau continues to focus on Ewell’s actions, and the bizarre sideshow around Culp’s Hill, an often neglected aspect of the battle.
The author crosses a line, however, by asserting Lee had nothing to apologize for after the disastrous Pickett’s Charge. Everyone but Lee and Pickett seemed to know the attack would fail and commented to that effect at the time. In ordering the charge, Lee ignored previous experience and his most trusted corps commander’s serious misgivings. It was because Lee’s plan wasn’t properly or fully implemented that it failed, Trudeau argued. That strikes me as wishful thinking rather than a conclusion drawn from available evidence.
Overall, Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage is a competent and compelling narrative of the Gettysburg Campaign. It came on the heels of a long period of micro-histories of the battle, so a reexamination of the big picture was necessary. Since then, I think Stephen W. Sears has improved significantly on this effort, but Trudeau’s is still a solid work.
Noah Andre Trudeau (born February 23, 1949) is a former executive producer at National Public Radio who lives in Washington, D.C. He is a history graduate of the State University of New York at Albany. His other books include Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War, 1862-1865 (1998), The Last Citadel: Petersburg (2014), and Southern Storm: Sherman’s March to the Sea (2008).
Although Trudeau summarizes the entire campaign from beginning to end, Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage is primarily about the battle. It is also not strictly a military history. Like his book The Last Citadel: Petersburg, the author weaves the civilian experience, including townsfolk and journalists, into his narrative. It strikes just the right balance between anecdote and explanation, and never gets bogged down in minutiae.
The book is organized chronologically, which is helpful for keeping track of events across such a large battlefield. Unfortunately, it isn’t consistent. Events on July 3 are broken down practically hour by hour, whereas the entire attack on July 2 is given one section, from 4:10 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. I understand it’s difficult to determine when events occurred with one hundred percent accuracy, but breaking up that six hour period into smaller bits would have been helpful.
Trudeau is unique in arguing Richard S. Ewell, not Henry Heth, was responsible for initiating the Battle of Gettysburg. By mid-afternoon on July 2, Heth had withdrawn his division out of enemy contact in conformity with General Lee’s order. It was Ewell who decided to “come to Heth’s rescue” and bring on a general engagement. I see the merits of this unconventional argument. Trudeau continues to focus on Ewell’s actions, and the bizarre sideshow around Culp’s Hill, an often neglected aspect of the battle.
The author crosses a line, however, by asserting Lee had nothing to apologize for after the disastrous Pickett’s Charge. Everyone but Lee and Pickett seemed to know the attack would fail and commented to that effect at the time. In ordering the charge, Lee ignored previous experience and his most trusted corps commander’s serious misgivings. It was because Lee’s plan wasn’t properly or fully implemented that it failed, Trudeau argued. That strikes me as wishful thinking rather than a conclusion drawn from available evidence.
Overall, Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage is a competent and compelling narrative of the Gettysburg Campaign. It came on the heels of a long period of micro-histories of the battle, so a reexamination of the big picture was necessary. Since then, I think Stephen W. Sears has improved significantly on this effort, but Trudeau’s is still a solid work.
Noah Andre Trudeau (born February 23, 1949) is a former executive producer at National Public Radio who lives in Washington, D.C. He is a history graduate of the State University of New York at Albany. His other books include Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War, 1862-1865 (1998), The Last Citadel: Petersburg (2014), and Southern Storm: Sherman’s March to the Sea (2008).
November 26, 2019
An excellent, very thorough survey of the subject Civil War battle. The command structure of the opposing armies is a primary focus--the corps, division, brigade and regimental structures under Meade and Lee. Keeping the personnel involved in the various machinations of the battle straight was occasionally difficult, but the author's attention to detail is well worth it. Copious maps are included, which helps.
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August 9, 2011If you are looking for more details on the battle than is in the Shelby Foote or Bruce Catton Civil War volumes, than this is the place to be. One objection was the lack of footnotes, etc. However, if you are just interested in the story and you aren't actually going to check up on the author's work, then it really doesn't matter, in my opinion.
August 30, 2020
This is an excellent single-volume description of how the battle of Gettysburg unfolded. No doubt there are more detailed accounts of the battle, but to get a one volume summary of the three days,, as well as the run-up to the battle and its aftermath, is about as much as a lay reader can probably absorb. Having been to Gettysburg 4 times, reading this gives me a much better appreciation of the multiple points of attack, and key tactics employed by both sides. One key takeaway from this book, is getting a much better understanding of the failure of execution of Lee's plan on the 3rd Day to attack Cemetery Ridge. It seems the author gives much more credence to the chance that Lee's plan may have worked, had there been better communication and support by other key brigades to come into action around Pickett's. Lee was also more "hands off" in terms of giving his orders and expecting them to be carried out than I had realized. There was a lot of lack of clarity and firmness to his orders, which contributed to fuzzy execution. Also, I learned how important the coordination of artillery in support of the advancing infantry was, and how the Confederates had insufficient ammunition to do the job of troop support. Likewise we see how close the Rebels came to flanking Little Round Top on Day 2, but their intelligence gathering and disconnected flow of information prevented proper execution. The Rebels suffered a severe weakening in their forces coming out of this campaign, but I am struck by how close this came to actually being a Confederate victory but for these little details being botched.
I liked the section at the end where Trudeau provides a short re-cap of major players in this story and what happened to them following the battle and the war. Also we found some detail about an ancestor on my wife's family regarding Col. John Randolph Lane of North Carolina who was wounded on the first day of the battle.
Thirteen years ago I actually walked across the fields from Seminary Ridge towards the Copse of Trees on Cemetery Ridge and just wondered aloud with our Boy Scout group "what was Lee thinking?" with this insane charge. It may have still been a long shot with all facets of the plan having to be executed flawlessly, but this book gave me a far better understanding of what Lee's intentions were and the tactics that simply were not followed. I wonder today, had the Union forces been defeated there, how different things would be, and would the United States be a 50-state nation today? Lincoln's visit to the cemetery to deliver his now immortal Gettysburg Address in November 1863, reflects the importance of this battle that Lincoln attached to these events in saving our nation.
I liked the section at the end where Trudeau provides a short re-cap of major players in this story and what happened to them following the battle and the war. Also we found some detail about an ancestor on my wife's family regarding Col. John Randolph Lane of North Carolina who was wounded on the first day of the battle.
Thirteen years ago I actually walked across the fields from Seminary Ridge towards the Copse of Trees on Cemetery Ridge and just wondered aloud with our Boy Scout group "what was Lee thinking?" with this insane charge. It may have still been a long shot with all facets of the plan having to be executed flawlessly, but this book gave me a far better understanding of what Lee's intentions were and the tactics that simply were not followed. I wonder today, had the Union forces been defeated there, how different things would be, and would the United States be a 50-state nation today? Lincoln's visit to the cemetery to deliver his now immortal Gettysburg Address in November 1863, reflects the importance of this battle that Lincoln attached to these events in saving our nation.
December 31, 2021
An excellent one-volume study of the most important military engagement of the American Civil War. Trudeau succeeds in crafting an exceedingly readable narrative of the actions and attitudes that form the story arc of the battle. Beginning in May 1863 following the Confederate victory at Chancellorsville, Trudeau traces the movements of both armies from their camps in Virginia to their meeting in Gettysburg.
Trudeau faithfully follows a strict chronology in the telling of his story, chunking the account in manageable bites so as not to create confusion or challenge the reader’s memory. Another important strength of Trudeau’s telling is his use of first person accounts from a wide range of characters, from generals to children in the town and the officers and enlisted men on both sides in between. These human interest accounts bring a needed depth and dimension to a story of war as it is more than just the tactical movements of regiments and brigades.
The limitations of Trudeau’s version of the Gettysburg story is not so much a weakness as it is a limitation of a one volume treatment of an event comprising so much in terms of movement and action. While I found this work to be a bit more readable than Sears, there is not much to distinguish the two. Both are excellent overviews of the battle.
Trudeau faithfully follows a strict chronology in the telling of his story, chunking the account in manageable bites so as not to create confusion or challenge the reader’s memory. Another important strength of Trudeau’s telling is his use of first person accounts from a wide range of characters, from generals to children in the town and the officers and enlisted men on both sides in between. These human interest accounts bring a needed depth and dimension to a story of war as it is more than just the tactical movements of regiments and brigades.
The limitations of Trudeau’s version of the Gettysburg story is not so much a weakness as it is a limitation of a one volume treatment of an event comprising so much in terms of movement and action. While I found this work to be a bit more readable than Sears, there is not much to distinguish the two. Both are excellent overviews of the battle.
October 8, 2023
This is the third book I've read about Gettysburg (the other two being Gettysburg and Gettysburg: The Last Invasion), and in some ways the most incoherent, as Trudeau does his best to recount the battle blow by blow. (Obviously, this is an impossible dream, but the effort is impressive.) He uses primary sources from Union officers and enlisted men, Confederate officers and enlisted men, and citizens of Gettysburg, which all together provide a kind of kaleidoscopic view of July 1st through 3rd, 1863. (Yes, purely by serendipity, I was reading about the battle of Gettysburg on the 160th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg.) He isn't as good as either Sears or Guelzo at providing a framework to hang the individual vignettes on---he's more interested in what's happening to the guys on the ground than he is in what the generals thought they were doing, which is a quite justifiable prioritization of material (I certainly prefer it to histories that are only interested in what the generals think), but it does mean that his recounting, form following content, is chaotic.
October 16, 2024
Gettysburg: A testing of courage by Noah Andre Trudeau
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Whilst there are thousands of books written on the battle of Gettysburg, this one is a great place to start! The perfect blending of colorful human interest stories and an hour by hour battle progression/easy to follow troop deployments that allow for a readily digestible understanding of what happened on those three hot days in July of 1863. A very enjoyable read that had a smooth flow to the writing style from this author, I would highly recommend this one !
And as a side note…. A huge shoutout to @addressinggettysburg @civilwarbreakfastclub @thebattleofgettysburgpodcast @thehistorythingspodcast podcasts for deepening my interest not only in the battle of Gettysburg, but also the civil war/history in general. After all, History is NOT boring ! So tune in to these great podcasts and enjoy ! 🇺🇸
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#gettysburg #battleofgettysburg #civilwar #civilwarbattlefield #history #historyisnotboring #addressinggettysburg #civilwarbreakfastclub #thebattleofgettysburgpodcast #learning #bookreview #bookstagram #read #readmorebooks
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Whilst there are thousands of books written on the battle of Gettysburg, this one is a great place to start! The perfect blending of colorful human interest stories and an hour by hour battle progression/easy to follow troop deployments that allow for a readily digestible understanding of what happened on those three hot days in July of 1863. A very enjoyable read that had a smooth flow to the writing style from this author, I would highly recommend this one !
And as a side note…. A huge shoutout to @addressinggettysburg @civilwarbreakfastclub @thebattleofgettysburgpodcast @thehistorythingspodcast podcasts for deepening my interest not only in the battle of Gettysburg, but also the civil war/history in general. After all, History is NOT boring ! So tune in to these great podcasts and enjoy ! 🇺🇸
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#gettysburg #battleofgettysburg #civilwar #civilwarbattlefield #history #historyisnotboring #addressinggettysburg #civilwarbreakfastclub #thebattleofgettysburgpodcast #learning #bookreview #bookstagram #read #readmorebooks
March 1, 2021
Trudeau demonstrates the thoroughness of his research by providing a very detailed account of the three days of battle as well as the events leading up to Gettysburg. The book was an interesting read and it refreshed my knowledge of the battle. However, there are two areas that would require improvement: 1) The quality of the maps. (Some were oddly placed within the text. The more detailed/blown-up maps failed to indicate what section of the battlefield they were depicting.) 2) A simplified organizational chart in the beginning of the book would have been more helpful than a detailed breakdown at the end of the text.
April 22, 2024
This was a really great account of the Battle of Gettysburg, a topic that's been an obsession of mine for most of my life. I found this book particularly interesting because of the authors dedication to providing the information in a tight chronological format. He jumps all over the place, from story to story as the battle unfolds through the three days, rather than presenting the Wheatfield story, then Devil's Den, then Little Round Top etc. It really helped me to understand the chaos of battle. And while helped to understand the chaos, the book was remarkably easy to follow and read. Lots of information was presented and it took my a long time to read, but it was ultimately worth it.
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April 17, 2023This is the sixth or seventh book I have read about the battle. I think I would rank it as #2 (behind Guelzo but ahead of Sears). Trudeau excels in blending very human and gritty primary sources into a cogent narrative. He deftly holds together fascinating details alongside big picture strategy. I enjoy Guelzo's book more because it seems better at recognizing patterns, cause & effect, and interpretation of facts.
Trudeau's book is a worthy read for either first time students of the battle or for more seasoned veterans.
Trudeau's book is a worthy read for either first time students of the battle or for more seasoned veterans.
July 24, 2024
Noah Trudeau's Gettysburg: A Testng of Courage, is a very readable account of the Battle of Gettysburg. Prior to reading it I was given mixed reviews of very good to outstanding, and I believe that is a oustanding history that lends to the historiography of this battle, by the detail and narrative style of the author.
I have read many books on the battle and it stands outside of Coddington's among the best single volume histories on Gettysburg that I have read. I rate this a 4.5 star read and have no problems recommending it to others.
I have read many books on the battle and it stands outside of Coddington's among the best single volume histories on Gettysburg that I have read. I rate this a 4.5 star read and have no problems recommending it to others.
May 29, 2025
After reading, this is probably my favorite book on Gettysburg, even eclipsing Sears’ work on the battle. Trudeau’s style is very digestible. He jumps around to specific actions that occurred during the battle, using each section to focus on, for example, a part of the fighting at Culp’s Hill, or the morning’s movements at the east cavalry field. I feel like I have a much better understanding of the chronology of the battle after reading this. Also, there are numerous well-drawn maps included that add immensely to the reading experience.
December 29, 2019
No Quarter
I am reading or rereading a number of books about Gettysburg in hopes that the cumulative effect will lift some of the fog of the battle. Trudeau's book indeed does give me a clearer picture especially on the union right and into Lee's thinking. Well-written and mapped. My only quibble is with the high percentage of footnotes that merely identify medal of honor winners, a detail that may have worked better as an addendum.
I am reading or rereading a number of books about Gettysburg in hopes that the cumulative effect will lift some of the fog of the battle. Trudeau's book indeed does give me a clearer picture especially on the union right and into Lee's thinking. Well-written and mapped. My only quibble is with the high percentage of footnotes that merely identify medal of honor winners, a detail that may have worked better as an addendum.
February 26, 2020
I thought Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage by Noah Andre Trudeau was excellent. It is very detailed with nearly an hour by hour account of the battle. I have long felt that the victory at Vicksburg was as important if not more important than the outcome at Gettysburg. While I still feel Vicksburg was a more strategic victory, I now feel that Gettysburg was such a crushing blow to the Army of Northern Virginia that it never quite recovered. I think Trudeau was able to convey that point.
December 22, 2023
I have a vast collection of civil war books, with most concentrating on the Gettysburg Campaign or aspects thereof. This is my “go to” when it comes to a work that covers, throughly, the entire campaign. Easy to read and I love the way in which the author can keep you on track in regards to what is happening and where/when it’s occurring (remember there’s a lot going on during that battle). Lots of great maps too.
February 26, 2015
My most recent read was Noah Andre Trudeau's Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage. Many books have been written about the battle at Gettysburg, so you're easily forgiven if you ask - why bother reading another one? The answer is that I previously read Trudeau's book Southern Storm: Sherman's March to the Sea and enjoyed it tremendously. Southern Storm was compelling and detailed, including the perspectives of not only the northern invaders and southern defenders but the population they were fighting among as well. Trudeau also took the time to explore the generals' decisions and thought processes. If Gettysburg was written like Southern Storm was, I thought that it too would be a great read.
The book is divided into sections. Trudeau begins with a section on the prelude to the battle, examining Lee's reasoning for the invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania as well as the Army of Northern Virginia's move northward and the Army of the Potomac's response to it. As the armies gather around Gettysburg and the battle begins, each day becomes a section of the book. Finally, as the Army of Northern Virginia begins to fall back southward a section covers their retreat and the fallout of the battle.
Trudeau's account of Gettysburg is very detailed. He doesn't stop at the Corps or Division level when examining the fighting; instead he gets right down to the regiment and company level. Using individual officers' and soldiers'accounts of the battle, the story is at times told from their perspective. When writing about an entire war or a theater of a war, this much detail is problematic, but when narrowing the focus down to a single battle, it sheds light on not just how things happened, but why things happened the way they did. Furthermore, he doesn't focus on just specific parts of the battle, he focuses on it as a whole. Day by day, hour by hour, his account demonstrates how successes and failures on one part of the field influenced what happened on other parts of the field. He also looks at how Lee and Meade managed their armies, why decisions and orders were made, and how those orders were interpreted. He considers how the personalities of the commanders and their interpersonal relationships effected the battle. Furthermore, he includes not only the accounts of the military participants, but accounts from newspaper reporters and citizens of Gettysburg. The citizen's perspectives are particularly useful; you not only get an understanding about how they were effected by the battle, you get a non-military look at how the battle unfolded.
One of Trudeau's missions in writing Gettysburg was to dispel some myths about the battle. Overall, one of the myths Trudeau examines is the one that lays a great deal of fault for the Confederate loss at Stuart's absence; instead of blaming Stuart, he shows how Stuart was delayed and why he as late as well as showing that Lee did in fact have some cavalry available to him. On the first day, he looks at whether it was Heth's decisions that brought about the battle, coming to the conclusion that it was not Heth's but Ewell's actions that brought about the battle. On the third day after, he holds that Lee had nothing to apologize for; instead that he considered what had happened on the previous days and made a "well-considered plan." You may or may not agree with his conclusions, but Trudeau does make solid arguments for all but the last. He argues that "If all the parts had worked as they were designed to do, the grand attack might very well have succeeded" yet throughout the book there are criticisms of his command style, exposures of fissures in the command structure, and evidence that Lee overestimated the damage done to the Army of the Potomac that weakens his argument that Lee didn't have anything to apologize for.
I only have one other complaint about the book, the final section on the Army of Northern Virginia's withdrawal and the battle's fallout. The first four sections of the book are incredibly detailed accounts of movement and fighting but the last section lacks that same detail. It would have made the book longer than its already considerable length but I still felt somewhat shortchanged at the end.
Despite that reservation, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Gettysburg, finding that it indeed was written similarly to Southern Storm. It's easily the best book I've read about the battle and one that I'd easily recommend to anyone who wants to learn about the battle. It could be easy to get lost in the details of the command structure, but Trudeau's writing style generally prevents it and there is an order of battle for both armies at the back of the book if you forget which brigade, division, or corps a unit belongs to. He also makes frequent use of maps which allow the reader to visualize the relationships of units on the field and their movements. As usual I read the Kindle version of the book and unusually, these maps were of excellent quality and placed with the relevant text. Rating this book took a lot of consideration; I really wanted to give it 5 stars but the lack of detail in that last section compared to the previous four just nagged on me. The result is a four star rating, but don't let that deter you from reading this book; it truly is a must read on one of our nation's most famous battles.
The book is divided into sections. Trudeau begins with a section on the prelude to the battle, examining Lee's reasoning for the invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania as well as the Army of Northern Virginia's move northward and the Army of the Potomac's response to it. As the armies gather around Gettysburg and the battle begins, each day becomes a section of the book. Finally, as the Army of Northern Virginia begins to fall back southward a section covers their retreat and the fallout of the battle.
Trudeau's account of Gettysburg is very detailed. He doesn't stop at the Corps or Division level when examining the fighting; instead he gets right down to the regiment and company level. Using individual officers' and soldiers'accounts of the battle, the story is at times told from their perspective. When writing about an entire war or a theater of a war, this much detail is problematic, but when narrowing the focus down to a single battle, it sheds light on not just how things happened, but why things happened the way they did. Furthermore, he doesn't focus on just specific parts of the battle, he focuses on it as a whole. Day by day, hour by hour, his account demonstrates how successes and failures on one part of the field influenced what happened on other parts of the field. He also looks at how Lee and Meade managed their armies, why decisions and orders were made, and how those orders were interpreted. He considers how the personalities of the commanders and their interpersonal relationships effected the battle. Furthermore, he includes not only the accounts of the military participants, but accounts from newspaper reporters and citizens of Gettysburg. The citizen's perspectives are particularly useful; you not only get an understanding about how they were effected by the battle, you get a non-military look at how the battle unfolded.
One of Trudeau's missions in writing Gettysburg was to dispel some myths about the battle. Overall, one of the myths Trudeau examines is the one that lays a great deal of fault for the Confederate loss at Stuart's absence; instead of blaming Stuart, he shows how Stuart was delayed and why he as late as well as showing that Lee did in fact have some cavalry available to him. On the first day, he looks at whether it was Heth's decisions that brought about the battle, coming to the conclusion that it was not Heth's but Ewell's actions that brought about the battle. On the third day after, he holds that Lee had nothing to apologize for; instead that he considered what had happened on the previous days and made a "well-considered plan." You may or may not agree with his conclusions, but Trudeau does make solid arguments for all but the last. He argues that "If all the parts had worked as they were designed to do, the grand attack might very well have succeeded" yet throughout the book there are criticisms of his command style, exposures of fissures in the command structure, and evidence that Lee overestimated the damage done to the Army of the Potomac that weakens his argument that Lee didn't have anything to apologize for.
I only have one other complaint about the book, the final section on the Army of Northern Virginia's withdrawal and the battle's fallout. The first four sections of the book are incredibly detailed accounts of movement and fighting but the last section lacks that same detail. It would have made the book longer than its already considerable length but I still felt somewhat shortchanged at the end.
Despite that reservation, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Gettysburg, finding that it indeed was written similarly to Southern Storm. It's easily the best book I've read about the battle and one that I'd easily recommend to anyone who wants to learn about the battle. It could be easy to get lost in the details of the command structure, but Trudeau's writing style generally prevents it and there is an order of battle for both armies at the back of the book if you forget which brigade, division, or corps a unit belongs to. He also makes frequent use of maps which allow the reader to visualize the relationships of units on the field and their movements. As usual I read the Kindle version of the book and unusually, these maps were of excellent quality and placed with the relevant text. Rating this book took a lot of consideration; I really wanted to give it 5 stars but the lack of detail in that last section compared to the previous four just nagged on me. The result is a four star rating, but don't let that deter you from reading this book; it truly is a must read on one of our nation's most famous battles.
February 25, 2017
This book was impecabley researched and written. It shows the three day bloodiest and most deadly battle on American soil ever, from the points of view of the President, the officers, the inlisted man, and the civilian. It explains all the strategy and the mistakes that were made do to poor nutrition and almost starvation of the troups, to the difficulty of communication over long distances at that period of time.
I would highly recommend this book to all history buffs, and to all war buffs.
I would highly recommend this book to all history buffs, and to all war buffs.
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