Beneath a Northern Sky: A Short History of the Gettysburg Campaign (The American Crisis Series: Books on the Civil War Era)
by Steven E. Woodworth
The American Crisis (12)
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Of all the places and events in this nation's history, Gettysburg may well be the name best known to Americans. Millions flock each year to the little town in south-central Pennsylvania where more than 135 years ago the largest, bloodiest, and most dramatic battle of the Civil War raged across the now-peaceful hills and meadows. The subject of an epic movie and a best-selling work of fiction, the battle continues to fascinate Americans. Indeed, for most Americans, Gettysburg is the Civil show more War. In Beneath a Northern Sky, eminent Civil War historian Steven E. Woodworth offers a balanced and thorough overview of the entire battle, its drama, and its meaning. From Lee's decision to take his heretofore successful Army of Northern Virginia across the Potomac and into Pennsylvania to the withdrawal of the battle-battered Confederate's back across the river into Virginia, Woodworth paints a vivid picture of this pivotal campaign. In this day-by-day account, he describes the fierce fighting that left 48,000 men dead or wounded at sites that have now become famous: Little Round Top, Cemetery Ridge, Devil's Den. This new book provides a realistic sequence of events surrounding the legendary Pickett's Charge, detailing the Confederate's magnificent display of courage and the Union's stalwart, rock-hard defense. Woodworth describes the strategic and tactical decision making and shows how infighting and disagreements among the leaders on both sides impacted the campaign. He details the mind set and morale of the soldiers, revealing how--surprisingly--Union leaders did not take advantage of their troops' high spirits after their victory to finish off the retreating Confederates. Instead of focusing on only one aspect of the Gettysburg Campaign as most other books do, Beneath a Northern Sky tells the tale of the entire battle in a richly detailed but swiftly moving narrative. This new approach to a defining battle is sure to fascinate Civil War buffs and all those interested in the rich history of the United States. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This is a very thorough walk through of those three days in July as well as the period leading up to the clash. I think Woodworth delivered a wonderful concise battlefield history of this epic battle.
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Author Information
42+ Works 1,955 Members
Steven E. Woodworth was born on January 28, 1961. He received a B.A. in history from Southern Illinois University in 1982 and a Ph.D. from Rice University in 1987. He is a professor of history at Texas Christian University and an expert on the Civil War. He has written a number of books on the topic including Jefferson Davis and His Generals: The show more Failure of Confederate Command in the West, While God Is Marching On: The Religious World of Civil War Soldiers, Nothing but Victory: The Army of the Tennessee 1861-1865, Manifest Destinies: Westward Expansion and the Civil War, and This Great Struggle: America's Civil War. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Common Knowledge
- People/Characters
- Robert E. Lee
- Important places
- Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA; Pennsylvania, USA
- Important events
- American Civil War (1861 | 1865); Gettysburg Campaign (1863); Battle of Gettysburg (1863-07-01 | 1863-07-03)
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Statistics
- Members
- 66
- Popularity
- 473,464
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.40)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
