The second day's fighting at Gettysburg--the assault of the Army of
Northern Virginia against the Army of the Potomac on 2 July 1863--was
probably the critical engagement of that decisive battle and, therefore,
among the most significant actions of the Civil War.
Harry Pfanz, a former historian at Gettysburg National Military Park,
has written a definitive account of the second day's brutal combat. He
begins by introducing the men and units that were to do battle,
analyzing the strategic intentions of Lee and Meade as commanders of the
opposing armies, and describing the concentration of forces in the area
around Gettysburg. He then examines the development of tactical plans
and the deployment of troops for the approaching battle. But the
emphasis is on the fighting itself. Pfanz provides a thorough account of
the Confederates' smashing assaults -- at Devil's Den and Litle Round
Top, through the Wheatfield and the Peach Orchard, and against the Union
center at Cemetery Ridge. He also details the Union defense that
eventually succeeded in beating back these assaults, depriving Lee's
gallant army of victory.
Pfanz analyzes decisions and events that have sparked debate for more
than a century. In particular he discusses factors underlying the
Meade-Sickles controversy and the questions about Longstreet's delay in
attacking the Union left. The narrative is also enhanced by thirteen
superb maps, more than eighty illustrations, brief portraits of the
leading commanders, and observations on artillery, weapons, and tactics
that will be of help even to knowledgeable readers.
Gettysburg--The Second Day is certain to become a Civil War classic.
What makes the work so authoritative is Pfanz' mastery of the Gettysburg
literature and his unparalleled knowledge of the ground on which the
fighting occurred. His sources include the Official Records,
regimental histories and personal reminiscences from soldiers North and
South, personal papers and diaries, newspaper files, and last -- but
assuredly not least -- the Gettysburg battlefield. Pfanz's career in the
National Park Service included a ten-year assignment as a park historian
at Gettysburg. Without doubt, he knows the terrain of the battle as well
as he knows the battle itself.
