At Gettysburg and Elsewhere (Expanded, Annotated)


Book Description

One of the most important figures of the American Civil War penned this fascinating and unique memoir. John Gibbon's recollections of his service at Gettysburg and other great battles is frank and personal. This is not an overview of great battles but a soldier's account of the trials and triumphs of four years of horrific conflict. Gibbon wrote plainly about the great men with whom he served, some of whom he greatly admired and some who were difficult. Here are anecdotes of Lincoln, Grant, Meade, Hancock, Hooker, Pope, and many others that you won't read anywhere else. Gibbon was a central figure at Gettysburg, with Pickett's Charge aimed right at the forces he commanded. Wounded on the third day of the battle, he supplemented his memoir with portions of the outstanding narrative of that day by his aide, Lieutenant Frank Haskell. Every memoir of the American Civil War provides us with another view of the catastrophe that changed the country forever.




Diary of a Confederate Chaplain (Expanded, Annotated)


Book Description

"C. H. Ruffin, of Nash Co., wounded yesterday. Dies in my arms—in perfect peace. Charlie enlisted at 17, and, perhaps, was the wildest boy in his Regiment." Secular or religious, you will find Alexander Betts' diary from his service in the American Civil War moving, interesting, and illuminating of its time. Edited and published by his son in 1901, the diary entries provide fascinating details from everyday life during the war in the south. Betts barely mentions slavery, never mentions the names "Lincoln" or "Grant." He was referred to by Robert E. Lee as "that model chaplain." He attended to the spiritual needs of soldiers, yes, but also held many a dying man to comfort him. He was as devoted in his care to captured and wounded Union soldiers as his own. Every memoir of the American Civil War provides us with another view of the catastrophe that changed the country forever. For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample.




Winfield Scott Hancock


Book Description

An excellent biography of one of the principal commanders of the Civil War who was also a renowned politician after the war. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR




Northwestern Fights and Fighters (Expanded, Annotated)


Book Description

One of the most important collections of first-hand accounts of the Indian wars of the west is contained in this volume. Not as famous as the Little Bighorn fight, the Nez Perce and Modoc Wars were prominent conflicts between whites and Native Americans that brought the period of Indian Wars to a close. Included in this book are accounts by Chief Joseph, Edward Godfrey, General O.O. Howard, and others who fought in what was then considered the northwest: Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California. An account and analysis of the Custer fight is also in this book, as is a letter by Libby Custer to the New York Times protesting the depiction of her late husband. Every memoir of the American West provides us with another view of the conflicts that changed the country forever. For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample.




Soldiers' Civil War Letters (Expanded, Annotated)


Book Description

Perhaps no army in history, prior to the American Civil War, left such a remarkable and voluminous collection of letters to home during the years 1861 to 1865. This collection is one of the best. Men from all walks of life and all ranks in the service are represented here over the span of the entire war. The famous and anonymous are included—personal stories of great battles and humorous stories of army life. You'll find pathos, sorrow, fear, and great courage detailed in these letters. Most soldiers were very humble and modest about their own accomplishments but spoke of their comrades with love and admiration. Common soldiers often made remarkable observations. Every memoir of the American Civil War provides us with another view of the catastrophe that changed the country forever. For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers, tablets, and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample.




Correspondence of John Sedgwick, Major-General


Book Description

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.




Ends of War


Book Description

The Army of Northern Virginia's chaotic dispersal began even before Lee and Grant met at Appomattox Court House. As the Confederates had pushed west at a relentless pace for nearly a week, thousands of wounded and exhausted men fell out of the ranks. When word spread that Lee planned to surrender, most remaining troops stacked their arms and accepted paroles allowing them to return home, even as they lamented the loss of their country and cause. But others broke south and west, hoping to continue the fight. Fearing a guerrilla war, Grant extended the generous Appomattox terms to every rebel who would surrender himself. Provost marshals fanned out across Virginia and beyond, seeking nearly 18,000 of Lee's men who had yet to surrender. But the shock of Lincoln's assassination led Northern authorities to see threats of new rebellion in every rail depot and harbor where Confederates gathered for transport, even among those already paroled. While Federal troops struggled to keep order and sustain a fragile peace, their newly surrendered adversaries seethed with anger and confusion at the sight of Union troops occupying their towns and former slaves celebrating freedom. In this dramatic new history of the weeks and months after Appomattox, Caroline E. Janney reveals that Lee's surrender was less an ending than the start of an interregnum marked by military and political uncertainty, legal and logistical confusion, and continued outbursts of violence. Janney takes readers from the deliberations of government and military authorities to the ground-level experiences of common soldiers. Ultimately, what unfolds is the messy birth narrative of the Lost Cause, laying the groundwork for the defiant resilience of rebellion in the years that followed.




Sun Tzu at Gettysburg: Ancient Military Wisdom in the Modern World


Book Description

“The world’s most fascinating battles and how they were won or lost, according to the Chinese sage.”—Kirkus Reviews Imagine if Robert E. Lee had withdrawn to higher ground at Gettysburg instead of sending Pickett uphill against the entrenched Union line. Or if Napoléon, at Waterloo, had avoided mistakes he’d never made before. The advice that would have changed these crucial battles was written down centuries before Christ was born—but unfortunately for Lee, Napoléon, and Hitler, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War only became widely available in the West in the mid-twentieth century. As Bevin Alexander shows, Sun Tzu’s maxims often boil down to common sense, in a particularly pure and clear form. When Alexander frames these modern battles against 2,400-year-old precepts, the degree of overlap is stunning.




Sickles at Gettysburg


Book Description

“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




Adventures on the Western Frontier


Book Description

Above all, Gibbon recounts in detail the realities of army life and Indian warfare. He saw no gallant cavalry charges in the Sioux Campaign of 1876, only footsore infantrymen marching in search of Indian warriors who always managed to outdistance their pursuers. An avid sportsman and explorer, Gibbon also recounts hunting and fishing trips in the wilderness and a visit to the newly created Yellowstone Park.