‘Gettysburg’ Stands Out on the Subject of the Pivotal Civil War Battle

Stephen W. Sears’s nonfiction book about the battle of Gettysburg discloses substantial research on the Civil War.
‘Gettysburg’ Stands Out on the Subject of the Pivotal Civil War Battle
"Gettysburg," by Stephen W. Sears.
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Search a library or book store’s selections under the keyword “Gettysburg” and you'll instantly be overwhelmed. Not only are there a slew of books on the subject, but there are many with that very title.

Author of six award-winning Civil War books, Stephen W. Sears chose the “Gettysburg” as the title for his 2004 Houghton Mifflin book. However, the unoriginal name belies the distinct content within the pages of this 623-page book. Painstaking details are revealed in this seasoned historian’s work, evidenced by 56 pages of notes and bibliography.

Nineteen maps are included, as well as 18 pages listing every army present at the battle. The book even includes letters indicating who was killed, mortally wounded, wounded, captured, or missing.

By the time readers finish Sears’s “Gettysburg,” they should have a sense of actually being present during those fateful three days. Not only did Sears provide piercing facts, he also delivered assessments. In fact, in the introduction, he asserted: “What happened in the three days of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863, was in some measure a result of that arrogance.” In the chapter titled “High Command in Turmoil,” Sears opined, “Joe Hooker’s inability to keep his mouth shut contributed greatly to the mess he was in.”

To paint a boots-on-the-ground portrait of what actually transpired during the fighting in fields and rock outcroppings just outside the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Sears pored over countless documents. The battle resulting in over 50,000 casualties didn’t go undocumented by individuals who were there. Quoted passages abound throughout the book from soldiers’ journal entries, after-battle interviews, letters, memoirs, and more.

For example, Maj. General Carl Schurz conveyed his observances of Union Gen. George Meade’s demeanor the morning of July 2. He shared with readers how focused the general was after the previous day of fighting: “There was nothing in his appearance or his bearing … that might have made the hearts of the soldiers warm up to him. … His mind was evidently absorbed by a hard problem. But this simple, cold, serious soldier with his business-like air did inspire confidence.”

Sears also identifies the main players through photographs and character descriptions. For instance, in “A Simile of Hell Broke Loose,” he describes 18th Georgia Infantry Col. William Wofford as “a self-made, aggressive officer who on attack made himself highly visible.”

Sears ends his book where most Gettysburg books end—at Lincoln’s poignant, eminent, 272-word address. Yet, it’s the Winston Churchill quote Sears shares in the introduction that might best describe the lasting impression of the battle: “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

Gettysburg By Stephen W. Sears Houghton Mifflin Company, Jan. 1, 2004 Hardcover: 623 pages
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Deena C. Bouknight
Deena C. Bouknight
Author
A 30-plus-year writer-journalist, Deena C. Bouknight works from her Western North Carolina mountain cottage and has contributed articles on food culture, travel, people, and more to local, regional, national, and international publications. She has written three novels, including the only historical fiction about the East Coast’s worst earthquake. Her website is DeenaBouknightWriting.com