Witness to Gettysburg

by Richard Wheeler

Book Overview

Combining vivid personal accounts of Gettysburg residents, battle reports from Union and Confederate soldiers, and his own deft narrative, Wheeler has created an unforgettable eyewitness history of the bloodiest engagement in America's Civil War. 48 illustrations.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452009847
• ISBN13: 9780452009844
• Release Date: March 1989
• Publisher: Plume Books
• Length: 273 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Gettysburg

amazing book. alot of good information. If you dont know much about Gettysburg. I would definatly recommend that you get this book.

Old Voices and Resonance

If you've ever fought in close battle or have witnessed such firsthand the place or places where it occured- or where others have fought- take on different meaning. Sadly, at the Gettysburg battlefield I watched many visitors drive by the various unit monuments and fields, momentarily glance at a map or brochure and then back out to what looked to be empty fields before moving on. There's not much in the way of shade in the area so many that I saw didn't leave their vehicles. Some even seemed bored, as though the expanse, didn't offer up much in the way of entertainment. Getting to a place isn't the same as getting back to the time. That takes work on our part and help from others. In this instance that help comes from Richard Wheeler's WITNESS TO GETTYSBURG. This is a book of old voices that come to back to life to tell their stories of the huge and costly three-day battle in early July of 1863. Thousands fell dead, tens of thousands more wounded in a fight that shaped the rest of the War Between the States and the nation itself. Yeah, this is just a 'history book,' but in it you'll find more than you ever would with a brochure and more of an opportunity to appreciate those who went before us- from the housewife who attended the crowded wounded to the soldiers who gave the last full measure and died horribly. There are some great fictional accounts of the fight and some excellent factual books. WITNESS TO GETTYSBURG has its place with the best of the factual personal histories. A good book and by the way, the Gettysburg battlefield is a place you should walk. Will it take time? Yes and in the summer months it can be hot and miserable but then so was the three-day battle.

Old Voices and Resonance

If you've ever fought in close battle or have witnessed such firsthand the place or places where it occured- or where others have fought- take on different meaning. At the Gettysburg battlefield I watched many drive by various unit monuments, momentarily glance at a map or brochure and then back out to the fields before moving on. There's not much in the way of shade so many I saw didn't leave their vehicles. Some even seemed bored, as though the empty expanse, didn't offer up much in the way of entertainment. Getting to a place isn't the same as getting back to the time. That takes work on our part and help from others. In this instance that help comes from Richard Wheeler's WITNESS TO GETTYSBURG. This is a book of old voices that come to back to life to tell their stories of a huge and costly three-day battle in early July of 1863. Thousands fell dead, thousands more wounded in a fight that shaped the rest of the War Between the States and the nation itself. Yeah, this is just a 'history book,' but in it you'll find more than you ever would with a brochure and more of an opportunity to appreciate those who went before us- from the housewife who attended the crowded wounded to the soldiers who gave the last full measure and died horribly. There are some great fictional accounts of the fight and some excellent factual books. WITNESS TO GETTYSBURG has its place in the ranks with some very personal histories. A good book and by the way, the Gettysburg battlefield is a place you should walk. Will it take time? Yes and in the summer months it can be hot and miserable but then so was the three-day battle.

Witness to Gettysburg

An excellent collection of the Battlefield stories from the people who experienced the battle first hand. It gives you a feel of being there and a better sense of what the participants and the townsfolk went through on those days in early July 1863.

Enjoyable & Easy To Read Account Of This Famous Battle

This book offers an interesting account of the Battle of Gettysburg as seen through the eyes of participants, both North & South, and civilian witnesses like towns folk and such. Not a detailed account of the battle but certianly a very easy to read and enjoyable (if you can say such about a terrible battle) story about this period of history. The use of first person accounts/recollections fits in with the historical narrative of the author which makes this book a pleasure to read.