Learning more about the 2nd Day at Gettysburg

[GBFan]

I'd like to learn more about the 2nd day at Gettysburg, I'm particularly interested in Sickles and the Artillery in the Peach Orchard. I'm hoping this summer to get a Guided tour at the battlefield, what other places should I look to learn more about this interesting part of the battle?

 

[prroh]

I'd like to learn more about the 2nd day at Gettysburg, I'm particularly interested in Sickles and the Artillery in the Peach Orchard. I'm hoping this summer to get a Guided tour at the battlefield, what other places should I look to learn more about this interesting part of the battle?

Try Coddington, Sears or Trudeau, they have excellent books on the entire battle. I prefer Sears. Pfanz has a book devoted to the second day. I am sure you will find what you want in any of the books mentioned.

 

[Robtweb1]

Is there a book, or a set of books that covers all three days and gives good troop positions and maps? I am still fairly ignorant when it comes to the Eastern theatre.

 

[rpkennedy]

Is there a book, or a set of books that covers all three days and gives good troop positions and maps? I am still fairly ignorant when it comes to the Eastern theatre.

I'd go with Coddington and Sears if you want a detailed account of what was going on, Trudeau if you want a slightly less comprehensive study of the battle.

Imhof put out a book about 10 years or so ago that is basically a map study of July 2nd and I would recommend to anyone that can find it (it had a limited publishing run and finding one will cost a pretty penny so I'd see if you know anyone you could borrow it from).

R

 

[prroh]

Is there a book, or a set of books that covers all three days and gives good troop positions and maps? I am still fairly ignorant when it comes to the Eastern theatre.

Try the authors listed above

 

[Brenal]

Gettysburg LBG James Hessler's "Sickles at Gettysburg" is a terrific analysis of the Sickles story.

 

[Rob9641]

I'd like to learn more about the 2nd day at Gettysburg, I'm particularly interested in Sickles and the Artillery in the Peach Orchard. I'm hoping this summer to get a Guided tour at the battlefield, what other places should I look to learn more about this interesting part of the battle?

Go to civilwartraveler.com - they have podcasts covering several of the 2nd day sites and even if you're not traveling the site, listening to the podcasts gives you great details.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

I shot this video in the Peach Orchard a couple of years ago. It will give you an idea of what the area looks like now with a little commentary by me. Take a look if you're interested.
Greg

 

[kholland]

I'm halfway thru Pfanz's book "Gettysburg- The Second Day" and it is a good read. It's got the info about the generals and battle scenes but it also has little vignettes about the common soldier and his experiences.

 

[Mosin]

Something that I'm really interested in on the second day is reading about the actions of Berdans 1st and 2nd United States Sharpshooters. I think their often overlooked but played a significant role on the 2nd days fight.
Particularly the 1st USSS and 3rd Maine late morning recon of Pitzer Woods to try and feel out where the Confederate right was located.

Mosin

 

[FZ11]

I shot this video in the Peach Orchard a couple of years ago. It will give you an idea of what the area looks like now with a little commentary by me. Take a look if you're interested.
Greg

Very informative video,thanks. Got any more to put up?

 

[hlightcap]

I'm halfway thru Pfanz's book "Gettysburg- The Second Day" and it is a good read. It's got the info about the generals and battle scenes but it also has little vignettes about the common soldier and his experiences.

This book is a must read if your interested in learning more about the second day. It was the first book that really help me understand the back and forth whirlwind fighting at the Wheatfield.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

Very informative video,thanks. Got any more to put up?

Thanks. appreciate your comment. Staying on the Day 2 theme, here's a short clip looking over the ground Hood's Division crossed on July 2nd.

 

[kelly023]

You may want to look at gettysburgdaily.com, if you haven't already. Gettysburg guides post new information on different topics of the battle daily. If you look in Archives you may find some interesting posts on July 2nd. If you're interested in spending a little money, go to https://www.pcnstore.com/index.php?cPath=29&osCsid=ftu8j7cb29vqjog8nlgul9vcr7 and purchase a few DVDs. They sell Gettysburg battlewalks given by park rangers and guides from various on various topics, including specific events of July 2nd. In "Battlewalks from 1997" there is a wonderful DVD on The Peach Orchard that's very informative.

kelly023

 

[hlightcap]

You may want to look at gettysburgdaily.com, if you haven't already. Gettysburg guides post new information on different topics of the battle daily. If you look in Archives you may find some interesting posts on July 2nd. kelly023

Gettysburg Daily is such a great resources if you haven't checked it out for informative videos.
Here is a link to all the videos if you're interested.

http://www.gettysburgdaily.com/?page_id=2544

Only one week away until I head up to Getty for my annual winter trip, cannot wait to have the battlefield to myself.

 

[TDMD]

Another good book would be Jay Jorgenson's Gettysburg's Bloody Wheatfield. It gives a very up close and tactically detailed account of the fighting on the Federal left on July 2.

 

[oldpete63]

Besides the excellent suggestions above - try to get some issues - the earlier issues, the better - of Gettysburg Magazine - they always have at least 3 - 4 comprehensive articles on the Second Day, written by some top notch folks, and really good maps. If you can't get Imhof's book on the second day (which is incredible, but going for an incredible price - I bought it for around $35 - have seen it selling for $600 and more) - Bradley Gottfried's " The Maps Of Gettysburg" , is a big help to use irregardless of which of the above you read. Below link is Gettysburg Magazine:
https://gatehousepress.net/mag home.html
The book by Jim Hessler is about the most recent out there - Sickles At Gettysburg - and is an awesome book. - As mentioned by Kelly - Gettysburg Daily has an online tour concerning Sickles and the 3rd Corps - very well done and informativeand the link is:
http://www.gettysburgdaily.com/?page_id=3598
I myself, after years of studying the 1st Day mainly, have started to take the step of learning the Second Day in depth, and it can be confusing, so much going on at once. I've already booked a Battlefield Guide for October - for 2 days at 3-4 hours apiece - just to get the hang of it better. And there is a nifty little web-site on the Wheatfield (my battlefield nemesis) :
http://www.wheatfield.goellnitz.org/
Then there is always the Gettysburg Discussion Group - where the discussions are Gettysburg-centric:
http://www.gdg.org/index.htm

And of course here at CivilWarTalk - folks have amazing knowledge, and extremely helpful

My rant is over