Retreat From Gettysburg

RebProf · #1 02-27-2006, 05:22 PM

Kent Masterson Brown. Retreat From Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, and the Pennsylvania Campaign. Chapel Hill: The U of N. C. Press, 2005.

This is an excellently researched book which laboriously documents the logistical reasons behind the Confederate incursion into Pennsylvania and the ways in which the logistical goals were achieved. The major portion of the book deals with the Confederate retreat and the way in which the logistics of the withdrawal were handled. The author has very carefully located the Confederate hospitals at Gettysburg, the number of men in each, how they were triaged and evacuated, and the incidents which befell the hospital trains on their way south. The same meticulous attention is given to ordinance and quartermaster trains.

The problems faced by Meade are not neglected and the attempts to determine Confederate intentions while relocating the AoP's base of supply are dealt with fully.

There is excellent coverage of the small unit fighting which broke out as the Union cavalry pursued the lengthy wagon trains of Lee's army. The author makes the point that Union logistics problems prevented the Northern cavalry from being more effective in harrassing the retreat of the Army of Northern Virginia.

I find this to be one of the better written C.W. books I have read recently. It deals with a neglected feature of the Gettysburg Campaign. I recommend the book.

RebProf

ole · #2 02-27-2006, 11:01 PM

Thanks for the recommendation, Prof,

Retreat from Gettysburg makes a giant leap to #31 on my "to be read next" list.

Understand that this was Imboden's finest hour. Was the author's opinion the same (or maybe that book was the source of the Imboden thread)?

Thanks,
Ole

lrd89 · #3 02-28-2006, 02:11 AM

I am adding it to my list too.

RebProf · #4 02-28-2006, 02:42 PM

The author does not use the phrase "Imboden's finest hour" but the manner in which Imboden carried out his assignment is discussed in fine detail. One of the things I like about this book is that the author describes what happened and keeps his analysis to a minimum. When an analysis or opinion is given it is clearly labled as such. This is a refreshing contrast from many books in which the author mixes fact with opinion without distinguishing between them.

I hope you will get the book. It has a wealth of information.

ole · #5 02-28-2006, 04:08 PM

RebProf:
I would have sworn I had the book, but I guess I'll have to get it.

Thanks for the recommendation.
Ole

samgrant · #6 02-28-2006, 08:28 PM

I recnetly received that book, haven't read it yet.

Is this a candidate for a future Book Discussion?

RebProf · #7 03-09-2006, 01:03 PM

The author's conclusion, which I will leave for you to read so as not to spoil any surprises, is such that I think there might well be future discussion about the book. I will leave that for others to decide. I will say that the thesis of the book is not new but the thesis is presented in a powerful fashion, well supported by research.