Prior to the battle of Gettysburg on July 1-3, 1863, the costliest battle of the Civil War had been Antietam, in September 1862, in which more than 23,000 were killed or wounded in eleven hours. At Gettysburg, approximately 33,000 were killed or wounded and another 10,000 missing in action.
The History Buff's Guideâ„¢ to Gettysburg covers the action of those days and the surrounding area by means of detailed top-ten lists, ranking the best, worst, first, and most significant elements of the largest and deadliest battle of the Civil War.
Chapters include:
- Coming to the Crossroads: Why the battle was fought, the people involved, key events leading up to the battle, and the role of the environment.
- The Battle: Why Confederate forces prevailed on the first day and Union forces on the second, why Pickett's charge failed, the bloodiest fields of fire, and the actions of civilians during the battle.
- The Last Full Measure: The regiments with the worst losses, the highest-ranking officers wounded or killed, the most common causes of death.
- The Wake of the Battle: Military and civilian reactions, civilian activities after the battle, and lasting effects.
- In Retrospect: The best and worst performing commanders, myths and misconceptions, and enduring controversies.
- Pursuing Gettsyburg: Points of interest on the battlefield and in town, the best monuments, Lincoln sites in the area, sites that have been lost to development, and the best books on Gettysburg.
From the days leading up to the historic battle and the aftermath in which the townsfolk were left to rebuild their lives and town (and the later establishment of the national battlefield park), The History Buff's Guideâ„¢ to Gettysburg is a fresh, new approach to the subject.
