I read about this book in a "Five Best books about…" list in the Wall Street Journal and got it (second hand) off Amazon less than a month ago. It is an outstanding one volume work on the Confederate ill-fated "invasion" of Pennsylvania, culminating in the decisive Battle at Gettysburg, on July 1-3, 1863. <\/p>\n
Once I started it, I found it hard to put down, but it’s not for a person with a casual interest in the Battle of Gettysburg – the text is 514 pages long. <\/p>\n
At times the text is a breezy read, as Sears has fascinating human interest stories, or discusses the various generals. At other times it is excruciating – almost painful to read the battle scenes. On some of the scenes I’d have to take a break after half a page. "War is Hell" as Sears let’s you know in no uncertain terms. The courage exhibited by both sides is astonishing, the casualty levels horrendous (almost one-third of Lee’s army was killed, wounded, or taken prisoner – or "missing."), some of the generals are brilliant and inspiring. Others – you kind of wished their own troops had shot them.<\/p>\n
How did Lee, the great general of the Civil War, lose this battle so decisively? He was overconfident, he didn’t communicate well with his generals at Gettysburg, and he persisted in attacking the Union army when they were dug in on the high ground. The famous Picket’s Charge on the third day, had no realistic chance of success.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Union general, George Meade, who’d only been the commander for three days when the battle began, handled his units quite skillfully. In this battle, he out-generalled Robert E. Lee. <\/p>\n
The only quibble I had with the book, is that it could have had more maps. There were 19, but a few more would have been useful.<\/p>\n