Encompasses the heartbreak and triumph of Gettysburg -Contains descriptions unmatched in Civil War literature -Reveals the momentous decisions of Lee, Longstreet, and Meade and fatal manoeuvrings of the forces of the field In this unique book the Civil War comes vividly to life. Eyewitness accounts - many available for the first time in decades - by generals, journalists, and ordinary foot soldiers, both blue and gray, re-live the conflict in all its terrible glory. This volume brings you a human perspective on the war - its most decisive battles, its most remarkable personalities. Gettysburg: Two Eyewitness Accounts is American history at its finest - and a reading experience you will never forget. In some ways it epitomized the entire war: three hot days in July filled with missed opportunities, great courage, inconsistent leadership, and horrific, relentless carnage. In this rare volume we see the battle from both sides, as experienced by two very different combatants, one Union and the other Confederate. From Little Round Top to Devil's Den to Pickett's Charge, Lt. Frank A. Haskell and Col. William C. Oates, one with meticulous hindsight and the other still feverish with war, re-create three days that changed American history.
Franklin Aretas Haskell was born on July 13, 1828, in Tunbridge, Vermont. He participated in the Battle of Gettysburg as an aide to Union General John Gibbon. His account is regarded not only as a useful and informative historical source but also as a minor masterpiece in the literature of the Civil War.
Williams Calvin Oates was born on December 1, 1835, in Pike County, Alabama. He was the commander of the 15th Alabama Infantry at Gettysburg.