NF Best Gettysburg Book List

Non-Fiction

infomanpa

1st Lieutenant
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Location
Pennsylvania
Recently, Jim Hessler and Eric Lindblade did a podcast discussing their favorite reference sources and books about the battle. Since both are reputable Licensed Battlefield Guides, I think that their opinions are helpful. For those of you who don't want to take the couple of hours to listen to the podcast, I thought that I would list them here for your perusal and discussion:



Primary sources:

Official Records

Bachelder Papers

Battles and Leaders of the Civil War

The National Tribune, The Century Magazine, The Annals of the Civil War

Confederate Veteran magazine

Southern Historical Society papers

The Union Generals Speak edited by Bill Hyde



Campaign studies:

The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command – Edwin Coddington

High Tide at Gettysburg by Glenn Tucker

Lee and Longstreet at Gettysburg by Glenn Tucker

Gettysburg by Stephen Sears

Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage by Noah Trudeau

Confrontation at Gettysburg by John Hoptak



Micro-studies:

Gettysburg: The First Day by Harry Pfanz

Gettysburg: The Second Day by Harry Pfanz

Gettysburg: Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill by Harry Pfanz

Pickett’s Charge by George Stewart

Pickett’s Charge: Eyewitness Accounts by Richard Rollins

Pickett’s Charge by James Hessler and Wayne Motts

Protecting the Flank at Gettysburg by Eric Wittenberg

Devil’s Den by Garry Adelman and Timothy Smith

The Attack and Defense of Little Round Top by Oliver Willcox Norton

Stand Firm Ye Boys from Maine by Thomas Desjardin.

Gettysburg’s Bloody Wheatfield by Jay Jorgensen

John Buford at Gettysburg by Eric Wittenberg

Morning at Willoughby Run by Richard Shue

Gettysburg’s Peach Orchard by James Hessler and Britt Isenberg

Gettysburg Campaign Atlas by Philip Laino

The Maps of Gettysburg by Bradley Gottfried

Gettysburg, Day Two: A Study in Maps by John Imhof


Retreat:

Retreat from Gettysburg by Kent Masterson Brown

One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg by Eric Wittenberg, Michael Nugent, David Petruzzi

Meade and Lee After Gettysburg by Jeffrey Hunt

Battle of Falling Waters 1863 by George Franks



Topical studies:

A Strange and Blighted Land by Gregory Coco

A Vast Sea of Misery by Gregory Coco

Three Days at Gettysburg by Gary Gallagher

Pickett’s Charge in History and Memory by Carol Reardon

The Gettysburg Nobody Knows by Gabor Boritt

The 151st​ Pennsylvania Volunteers At Gettysburg by Michael Dreese

Gettysburg: A Journey In Time by William Frassanito

Early Photography at Gettysburg by William Frassanito
 
Because it's Gettysburg there are of course more IMHO.

One Volume Battle (where I'd place Sears and Trudeau)

Guelzo Gettysburg The Last Invasion (goes into the terrain and the 19th century military context more than the others)

Micro-Studies

Earl Hess Pickett's Charge

Shultz and Mingus Second Day of Gettysburg

Wittenberg Gettysburg's Forgotten Cavalry Actions

Hessler Sickles at Gettysburg

Spruill Summer Thunder

Cole Civil War Artillery at Gettysburg

Gottfried Artillery of Gettysburg

Ryan Spies, Scouts and Secrets in The Gettysburg Campaign

Periodical Articles

Gettysburg (c. 1990 to date)

I would also suggest moving Norton to Primary Sources.
 
You can find some more suggestions here:


Lots of overlap in the lists, which is a good thing. The most interesting takeaway from these lists is how they describe the importance of the Bachelder Papers, but that reference is not readily available. Some publisher needs to fix that.
 
Very much appreciated Jim and Eric's podcast. Thanks for the additional lists and recommendations.
 
Lots of overlap in the lists, which is a good thing. The most interesting takeaway from these lists is how they describe the importance of the Bachelder Papers, but that reference is not readily available. Some publisher needs to fix that.

I'd settle for an online version that could be accessed, even if it wasn't searchable.

Ryan
 
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