Download or read book The Union Generals Speak written by Bill Hyde and published by LSU Press. This book was released on 2003-04-01 with total page 454 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Union Generals Speak is the first annotated edition of the 1864 congressional investigation into Major General George Gordon Meade's conduct during the Gettysburg campaign. The transcripts alone, which present eyewitness accounts from sixteen participant officers at Gettysburg, offer a wealth of information about the what and the why of one of the most pivotal battles in American history; but it is the addition of contextual comments and background material by Bill Hyde that unleashes this virtually untapped resource for readers. Laden with ulterior motives, prejudices, faulty recollection, and outright lies, the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War's report is a minefield of inaccuracies. Hyde's comprehensive analysis, informed by recent scholarship, transforms it into an accessible, rewarding aid for students of the Gettysburg chapter in the Civil War. In the course of the volume, Hyde gives thorough examination to the origins and purpose of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, the political climate and military thinking in Washington at the time of the Meade hearings, and the hidden agendas of the witnesses and seven committee members. He maintains that the JCCW's dissatisfaction with Meade went much deeper than disapproval of the general's hesitancy to pursue and cripple Lee's Army of Northern Virginia on July 4, 1863—a failure that disappointed every northern citizen from Lincoln to the ordinary soldier. The bipartisan body of mostly radical Republicans who favored a ruthless defeat of the South aimed, Hyde shows, to restore power to the committee's favorite, Major General Joseph Hooker, whom Meade had succeeded as commander of the Army of the Potomac only three days before Gettysburg. The unfolding of the Gettysburg campaign, the career of General Meade, and the North's highly politicized method of warmaking all receive new illumination in The Union General's Speak. Hyde's balanced critique of this important primary source reminds us that though Meade is remembered now mainly for his role in defeating the Confederates at Gettysburg, the JCCW hearings confirmed that he was not the leader to win the war.

Download or read book The Generals Of Gettysburg written by Larry Tagg and published by Da Capo Press. This book was released on 2008-12-15 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Filled with insightful anecdotes and lively narrative, The Generals of Gettysburg presents detailed information on the character and personality of all 133 combat-command officers as well as an in-depth account of each man's actions on the field. This marriage of character --the features and attributes of a man -- with each general's battlefield record, offers new insights into the battle and its outcome.

Download or read book Sickles at Gettysburg written by James A. Hessler and published by Savas Beatie. This book was released on 2009-06-25 with total page 505 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Sickles is as dividing a figure in Civil War history as there is. In his masterful work . . . Hessler . . . puts him out there with all his wrinkles” (Confederate Book Review). Winner of the Robert E. Lee Civil War Roundtable of Central New Jersey’s Bachelder-Coddington Literary Award Winner of the Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable’s Distinguished Book Award By licensed battlefield guide James Hessler, this is the most deeply-researched, full-length biography to appear on this remarkable American icon. No individual who fought at Gettysburg was more controversial, both personally and professionally, than Major General Daniel E. Sickles. By 1863, Sickles was notorious as a disgraced former Congressman who murdered his wife’s lover on the streets of Washington and used America’s first temporary insanity defense to escape justice. With his political career in ruins, Sickles used his connections with President Lincoln to obtain a prominent command in the Army of the Potomac’s 3rd Corps—despite having no military experience. At Gettysburg, he openly disobeyed orders in one of the most controversial decisions in military history. Hessler’s critically acclaimed biography is a balanced and entertaining account of Sickles colorful life. Civil War enthusiasts who want to understand General Sickles’ scandalous life, Gettysburg’s battlefield strategies, the in-fighting within the Army of the Potomac, and the development of today’s National Park will find Sickles at Gettysburg a must-read. “The few other Sickles biographies available will now take a back seat to Hessler’s powerful and evocative study of the man, the general, and the legacy of the Gettysburg battlefield that old Dan left America. I highly recommend this book.”—J. David Petruzzi, coauthor of Plenty of Blame to Go Around: Jeb Stuart’s Controversial Ride to Gettysburg

Download or read book Gettysburg as the Generals Remembered It written by Robert P. Broadwater and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2014-01-10 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is an examination of reminiscences of the primary leaders on both sides at the battle of Gettysburg and a comparison of these reminiscences to the historical record. Many generals presented statements written decades after the Civil War, when the Gettysburg Campaign was the topic of historical research and personal controversy. This comparative history illuminates how history is shaped as well as how the famous battle unfolded.

Download or read book Meade at Gettysburg written by Kent Masterson Brown, Esq. and published by UNC Press Books. This book was released on 2021-05-03 with total page 488 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although he took command of the Army of the Potomac only three days before the first shots were fired at Gettysburg, Union general George G. Meade guided his forces to victory in the Civil War's most pivotal battle. Commentators often dismiss Meade when discussing the great leaders of the Civil War. But in this long-anticipated book, Kent Masterson Brown draws on an expansive archive to reappraise Meade's leadership during the Battle of Gettysburg. Using Meade's published and unpublished papers alongside diaries, letters, and memoirs of fellow officers and enlisted men, Brown highlights how Meade's rapid advance of the army to Gettysburg on July 1, his tactical control and coordination of the army in the desperate fighting on July 2, and his determination to hold his positions on July 3 insured victory. Brown argues that supply deficiencies, brought about by the army's unexpected need to advance to Gettysburg, were crippling. In spite of that, Meade pursued Lee's retreating army rapidly, and his decision not to blindly attack Lee's formidable defenses near Williamsport on July 13 was entirely correct in spite of subsequent harsh criticism. Combining compelling narrative with incisive analysis, this finely rendered work of military history deepens our understanding of the Army of the Potomac as well as the machinations of the Gettysburg Campaign, restoring Meade to his rightful place in the Gettysburg narrative.

Download or read book The Gettysburg Address written by Abraham Lincoln and published by Open Road Media. This book was released on 2022-11-29 with total page 9 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The complete text of one of the most important speeches in American history, delivered by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. On November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln arrived at the battlefield near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to remember not only the grim bloodshed that had just occurred there, but also to remember the American ideals that were being put to the ultimate test by the Civil War. A rousing appeal to the nation’s better angels, The Gettysburg Address remains an inspiring vision of the United States as a country “conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

Download or read book Observing Hancock at Gettysburg written by Paul E. Bretzger and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2016-03-22 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: General Winfield Scott Hancock was perhaps the most influential officer in the federal lines, though he commanded only one of seven Union corps at Gettysburg. On day one, he rallied fleeing troops and placed them in the formidable position the Union army occupied for the remainder of the battle. In a frantic few minutes on day two, he masterfully conducted reinforcements into a yawning gap in his defensive line, securing the position just moments before the Confederates advanced to try to take it. On the third day, he led the successful defense against the massive frontal assault known as Pickett's Charge. Understanding Hancock's pivotal actions at Gettysburg is essential to understanding the battle itself. This book covers his entire life and military career.

Download or read book Generals Killed at Gettysburg written by Wikipedians and published by . This book was released on 2020-03 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, author and battlefield guide Joe Mieczkowski examines the Generals killed at The Battle of Gettysburg. No other Civil War battle claimed as many general officers. Of 120 generals present at Gettysburg, nine were killed or mortally wounded during the battle. Two more would die soon thereafter. The devasting loss of life among the general officers contributed to the outcome of the battle. Both North and South attempted to cope with the death of their leaders and the resulting instability. Following the battle neither army was ever the same again. The South, in particular, never recovered. We can only guess at how the war might have changed had so many not been killed. The Gettysburg Campaign In the wake of Confederate victory at Chancellorsville, Virginia (May 1-4, 1863), Lee decided to attempt a second invasion of the North. This would take pressure off Virginia's farms during the growing season, especially in the "breadbasket of the Confederacy," the Shenandoah Valley. Additionally, any victories won on Northern soil would put political pressure on Abraham Lincoln's administration to negotiate a settlement to the war, or might lead to the South's long hoped-for military alliance with England and France. The campaign began under a shadow on both sides. Union generals Hiram Berry and Amiel Whipple and Confederate general Elisha Paxton were killed at Chancellorsville. Lee's aggressive corps commander, Lieutenant General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, had been mortally wounded by his own men at Chancellorsville. The Army of Northern Virginia reorganized from two corps to three, with Lt. Gen. Richard "Dick" Ewell replacing Jackson in the Second Corps and Lt. Gen. Ambrose Powell (A. P.) Hill commanding the newly formed Third Corps. Lieutenant General James Longstreet--Lee's "Old War Horse"--retained command of the First Corps. The Army of Northern Virginia was about to invade enemy territory with two of its three corps commanders newly appointed to their positions. On the Union side, the Army of the Potomac was still under the command of General Joe Hooker, who had lost the Chancellorsville battle. As reports arrived that the Confederates had crossed the Potomac and were on Northern soil, Hooker dispersed his army widely, trying to simultaneously protect the approaches to Washington, Philadelphia and Baltimore. He'd lost Lincoln's confidence, and the president made the difficult choice to replace an army commander in the face of an enemy invasion. On June 28, Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade--who had only been promoted to corps command less than six months earlier--was placed in charge of the Union's largest army. The Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (July 1-July 3, 1863), was the largest battle of the American Civil War, involving around 90,000 men in the Union's Army of the Potomac under Major General George Gordon Meade and approximately 75,000 in the Confederacy's Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert Edward Lee. Casualties at Gettysburg totaled 23,000 for the Union. Confederate casualties were 28,000, more than a third of Lee's army. Largely irreplaceable losses, especially among general officers, to the South's largest army, combined with the Confederate surrender of Vicksburg, Mississippi, on July 4, marked what is widely regarded as a turning point in the Civil War, although the conflict would continue for nearly two more years and witness several more major battles, including Chickamauga, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Nashville, etc. This book provides a useful reference to the events of Gettysburg and the devastating loss of leadership on both sides.

Download or read book Confederate General William Extra Billy Smith written by Scott L. Mingus and published by Grub Street Publishers. This book was released on 2013-04-19 with total page 599 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An award-winning biography of one of the Confederacy’s most colorful and controversial generals. Winner of the 2013 Nathan Bedford Forrest History Book Award for Southern History Nominated for the 2014 Virginia Book Award for Nonfiction Despite a life full of drama, politics, and adventure, little has been written about William “Extra Billy” Smith—aside from a rather biased account by his brother-in-law back in the nineteenth century. As the oldest and one of the most controversial Confederate generals on the field at Gettysburg, Smith was also one of the most charismatic characters of the Civil War and the antebellum Old South. Known nationally as “Extra Billy” because of his prewar penchant for finding loopholes in government postal contracts to gain extra money for his stagecoach lines, Smith served as Virginia’s governor during both the war with Mexico and the Civil War; served five terms in the US Congress; and was one of Virginia’s leading spokesmen for slavery and states’ rights. Extra Billy’s extra-long speeches and wry sense of humor were legendary among his peers. A lawyer during the heady Gold Rush days, he made a fortune in California—and, as with his income earned from stagecoaches, quickly lost it. Despite his advanced age, Smith took to the field and fought well at First Manassas, was wounded at Seven Pines and again at Sharpsburg, and marched with Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania. There, on the first day at Gettysburg, Smith’s frantic messages about a possible Union flanking attack remain a matter of controversy to this day. Did his aging eyes see distant fence-lines that he interpreted as approaching enemy soldiers—mere phantoms of his imagination? Or did his prompt action stave off a looming Confederate disaster? This biography draws upon a wide array of newspapers, diaries, letters, and other firsthand accounts to paint a portrait of one of the South’s most interesting leaders, complete with original maps and photos.

Download or read book Generals at Gettysburg written by Americana Souvenirs & Gifts and published by . This book was released on 2000-10-01 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Meade of Gettysburg written by Freeman Cleaves and published by University of Oklahoma Press. This book was released on 1960 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: General George Gordon Meade is best known to history as the commander of the victorious Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg. In his own lifetime meager credit was allotted him for his achievement at Gettysburg, for his long pursuit of General Robert E. Lee into Virginia, and for the furious marches his men were forced into both before and after Gettysburg, until final victory at Appomattox Courthouse. And since his death in 1872, frequent criticism has been meted out to him for not following up the victory his troops accomplished. In this account of Meade and his achievements, the author has attempted to sift the truth from War Office archives and records, from private and public documents, to assess fairly the value of Meade's services.

Download or read book The Generals Of Gettysburg written by Larry Tagg and published by Da Capo Press. This book was released on 2008-12-15 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Filled with insightful anecdotes and lively narrative, The Generals of Gettysburg presents detailed information on the character and personality of all 133 combat-command officers as well as an in-depth account of each man's actions on the field. This marriage of character --the features and attributes of a man -- with each general's battlefield record, offers new insights into the battle and its outcome.

Download or read book Chancellorsville and Gettysburg written by Abner Doubleday and published by . This book was released on 1882 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Commanders of Gettysburg written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-02-09 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures of Meade, Lee, and important people, places, and events in their lives. *Includes Bibliographies of both Meade and Lee for further reading. "The fact of the matter is that George G. Meade, unexpectedly and against all odds, thoroughly outgeneraled Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg." - Stephen Sears With the exception of George Washington, perhaps the most famous general in American history is Robert E. Lee (January 19, 1807 - October 12, 1870), despite the fact he led the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia against the Union in the Civil War. Lee is remembered today for constantly defeating the Union's Army of the Potomac in the Eastern theater from 1862-1865, considerably frustrating Lincoln and his generals. His leadership of his army led to him being deified after the war by some of his former subordinates, especially Virginians, and he came to personify the Lost Cause's ideal Southern soldier. His reputation was secured in the decades after the war as a general who brilliantly led his men to amazing victories against all odds. Ironically, one of the generals who often escapes the attention of Civil War fans who compile the lists of best generals is the man who defeated Lee to win the war's most famous battle, George G. Meade (1815-1872). In late June 1863, Meade took command of the Army of the Potomac just 3 days before the start of the battle, and he was facing Lee, who had a nearly unblemished record in the East and was less than 2 months removed from a stunning victory at Chancellorsville. Given the command situations on July 1, 1863, certainly nobody would have expected Meade to get the better of Lee as they faced off for the first time, but that's exactly what happened. Using a strong "fishhook" line on high ground that allowed him to shift soldiers along interior lines, Meade skillfully held off ferocious attacks on both of his flanks during the second day of the battle. And despite his successes and his legacy, Lee wasn't perfect. On the final day, Meade accurately predicted Lee would attack his center, and Lee complied, ordering Pickett's Charge despite the fact his principle subordinate and corps leader, General James Longstreet, advised against the charge. Feeling the need to try to strike a decisive blow, Lee went ahead with the assault, ending his army's defeat at Gettysburg with a violent climax that left half of the men who charged killed or wounded. The Commanders of Gettysburg comprehensively covers the crucial command decisions made by Meade and Lee at Gettysburg, but it also chronicles the lives and careers of both generals, from West Point to their first meeting during the Mexican-American War, their climactic clash at Gettysburg, and their service through the end of the war. Along with bibliographies and pictures of important people, places, and events in their lives, you will learn about Lee and Meade like you never have before, in no time at all.

Download or read book Meade written by Richard Allen Sauers and published by Potomac Books, Inc.. This book was released on 2014-05-14 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Most students of the American Civil War know the name George Gordon Meade, but few can tell you about the man. Rising from the Union officer corps to lead the previously ill-fated Army of the Potomac, Meade took overall command only hours before his forces encountered Robert E. Lee's Confederates at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1863." "Historian Richard Sauers shows that while Meade led his men to victory in one of the most famous battles in history, he was soon embroiled in political battles with fellow generals and Washington politicians. Despite detractors' efforts to question Meade's judgment and smear his reputation - efforts often exacerbated by the general's own volatile temper and undiplomatic behavior - he continued to put duty to his country and his men first. When Ulysses S. Grant was named lieutenant general in charge of all Union forces, Grant made his headquarters with the Army of the Potomac and soon overshadowed Meade. Sauers chronicles the tense relationship that developed between the two men and the effect it had on the crucial last days of the war." "This concise but authoritative account is the only recent biography of Meade and should spark renewed study of one of the Civil War's most underrated leaders."--Jacket

Download or read book The Battle of Gettysburg written by James Tackach and published by Greenhaven Press, Incorporated. This book was released on 2002 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents seventeen essays that chronicle the events of the Battle of Gettysburg which took place on July 1 to 3, 1863, and discusses why the South lost that battle and why Meade failed to pursue Lee, Gen. George Pickett's fatal charge across the Union center, and more.

Download or read book Gettysburg written by Iain C. Martin and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-09-10 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the summer of 1863, General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia advanced into Pennsylvania in a daring offensive to win the Civil War in a single campaign. They met the Union Army at a quiet crossroads town called Gettysburg, and engaged in the greatest battle ever fought on American soil. Three days of combat ended on July 3 with Pickett's Charge, a heroic assault by nine of Lee's brigades against the Union defenses on Cemetery Ridge. Their repulse at the stone wall became known as the "high-water mark" of the Confederacy. At the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery that November, Lincoln used the occasion to deliver his Gettysburg Address, a short, two-minute speech that became the most famous in American history. In this original retelling of the Gettysburg story, Iain C. Martin draws upon firsthand accounts—from the generals to the lowly privates and civilians caught in the epic struggle. Readers will discover history through the experiences of two Gettysburg teenagers—Matilda "Tillie" Pierce and Daniel Skelly. Featuring the artwork of Don Troiani, original photos, full-color maps, interesting tales, and trivia, Gettysburg gives young readers a fascinating look into this great turning point of American history—and just in time for the 150th anniversary of the epic battle.