The Cavalry at Gettysburg: A Tactical Study of Mounted Operations during the Civil War's Pivotal Campaign, 9 June-14 July 1863 [Paperback]

Edward G. Longacre (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1993

'For cavalry and/or Gettysburg enthusiasts, this book is a must; for other Civil War buffs, it possesses the qualities sought by students of the conflict...It bristles with analysis, details, judgments, personality profiles, and evaluations and combat descriptions, even down to the squadron and company levels. The mounted operations of the campaign from organizational, strategic, and tactical viewpoints are examined thoroughly' - "Civil War Times Illustrated".'The author's graphic recountings of the Virginia fights at Brandy Station, Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville, the Pennsylvania encounters at Hanover, Hunterstown, Gettysburg, and Fairfield, and finally the retreat to Virginia, are the finest this reviewer has read under a single cover. For those who enjoy the thunder of hoof beats, the clang of sabers, and the crack of pistols and carbines, this book has all of it. Generals and privates share the pages, as the mounted opponents parry and thrust across hundreds of miles of territory from June 9 to July 14, 1863' - "Civil War Times Illustrated".'Edward Longacre's study is a much-needed, long overdue piece of the complex mosaic which makes up the Gettysburg story. No Civil War Library should be without it. The volume adds an important perspective to one's understanding of this critical military operation' - "Military Images". Edward G. Longacre's books on the Civil War have won both the Fletcher Pratt Award of the Civil War Round Table of New York and the Moncado prize of the American Military Institute. They include "To Gettysburg and Beyond: The Twelfth New Jersey Volunteer Infantry", "II Corps", "Army of the Potomac, 1862-1865" (1988).

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For cavalry and/or Gettysburg enthusiasts, this book is a must; for other Civil War buffs, it possesses the qualities sought by students of the conflict. . . . [It] bristles with analysis, details, judgements, personality profiles, and evaluations and combat descriptions, even down to the squadron and company levels. The mounted operations of the campaign from organizational, strategic, and tactical viewpoints are examined thoroughly. The author’s graphic recountings of the Virginia fights at Brandy Station, Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville, the Pennsylvania encounters at Hanover, Hunterstown, Gettysburg, and Fairfield, and finally the retreat to Virginia, are the finest this reviewer has read under a single cover. For those who enjoy the thunder of hoofbeats, the clang of sabers, and the crack of pistols and carbines, this book has all of it. Generals and privates share the pages, as the mounted opponents parry and thrust across hundreds of miles of territory from June 9 to July 14, 1863."—Civil War Times Illustrated

(Civil War Times Illustrated )

"Edward Longacre’s study is a much-needed, long overdue piece of the complex mosaic which makes up the Gettysburg story. No Civil War Library should be without it. The volume adds an important perspective to one’s understanding of this critical military operation."—Military Images

(Military Images )

About the Author

Edward G. Longacre’s books on the Civil War have won both the Fletcher Pratt Award of the Civil War Round Table of New York and the Moncado prize of the American Military Institute. They include Mounted Raids of the Civil War, available in a Bison Books edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 340 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books (February 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803279418
• ISBN-13: 978-0803279414
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #151,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good review of the cavalry's role during the Gettysburg campaign, April 7, 2008

By 

Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Cavalry at Gettysburg: A Tactical Study of Mounted Operations during the Civil War's Pivotal Campaign, 9 June-14 July 1863 (Paperback)

This book, authored by Edward Longacre, tells the tale of Union and Confederate cavalry during the Gettysburg campaign--from Brandy Station to Lee's retreat to Virginia. As such, it does a good job of describing this subject. Longacre notes the value of this book (Page 9): ". . .no full length book has ever considered the contributions made by the mounted forces of the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac between 9 June and 14 July 1863."

The book begins with the structure of cavalry forces on each side, noting commanders down to the regimental level. The first full chapter described the Confederate cavalry, led by the flamboyant Jeb Stuart. The second chapter, likewise, explores the Union cavalry and its leadership structure. The key players on each side are noted. Confederate leaders of note: Fitzhugh Lee, Wade Hampton, Rooney Lee (Robert E. Lee's son). On the Union side: John Buford, David Gregg, Judson Kilpatrick (whose nickname was "Kill-Cavalry," given his reckless style). Other interesting figures: George Custer, Elon Farnsworth, Irvin Gregg, Thomas Devin, "Grumble" Jones, John Imboden, and Thomas Rosser.

The action begins at Brandy Station, as the Union cavalry showed greater ability than expected and surprised Stuart's cavalry, indicating that the northern mounted arm had become a force to be reckoned with. Then, the ongoing effort by Union cavalry to penetrate Stuart's screen of the southern infantry moving north to ascertain the Confederate columns' structure and progress(to no great success).

The story of Stuart's circuitous raid to the east, losing contact with Lee's army, is well told. As is John Buford's movement to Gettysburg, and his gutsy decision to take on Confederate infantry that would arrive on July 1st to begin the sanguinary struggle. The role of the mounted forces on both sides on the second and third days is well told, with the high point perhaps being Stuart's cavalry taking on the Union forces on the third day, ultimately unsuccessful.

The book closes with the telling of the role of cavalry on both sides as Lee's army retreated to the Potomac.

In the end, this is a useful depiction of the role of cavalry on both sides during the Gettysburg campaign. On both sides, cavalry played an important role. For those curious about the cavalry's place in this campaign, this would be worth looking at.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A History of the Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign, March 3, 2004

By 

Robin Friedman (Washington, D.C. United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Cavalry at Gettysburg: A Tactical Study of Mounted Operations during the Civil War's Pivotal Campaign, 9 June-14 July 1863 (Paperback)

Edward Longacre's book, "The Cavalry at Gettysburg" is a thorough, well-written study of the mounted arms of both the Union and Confederate armies during Lee's critical Pennsylvania campaign of June 9 -- July 14, 1863. This campaign culminated in the Battle of Gettysburg. As is well known, Jeb Stuart had embarked on a ride-around of the Union army beginning on June 24. He did not rejoin General Lee until late on July 2, well into the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Mr. Longacre examines Stuart's ride and its impact in detail. But he offers as well a comphrensive account of cavalry operations throughout the campaign. This is a subject that is sometimes overlooked, and it is good for those interested in the history of the Pennsylvania campaign to have the information gathered in one study.

An excellent feature of the book is the background Mr. Longacre gives on cavalry operations and on their development in both armies. Mr. Longacre also spends substantial time on the leaders of both the Confederate and Union cavalries -- during the time of this study Stuart for the South and Pleasanton for the North. He explains why the personal, hands-on dashing activities required in cavalry operations tended to attract flamboyant types of leaders.

Mr. Longacre describes well the different fighting styles of the Southern and Northern mounted arms and show too how the North gradually was able to turn its cavalry into an effective fighting force. He finds that the Union was well on its way to doing so by the Pennsylvania campaign, but he concludes that the Union cavalry still was not quite the equal of the Confederate unit during these summer months of 1863.

Mr. Longacre provides detailed discussions of the important and large-scale cavalry battle at Brandy Station, Virginia at the outset of the Pennsylvania campaign and follows it with accounts of engagements at Aldie and Middleburg as the Confederate infantry advanced. There is a good account of the backround of Stuart's ride-around, with Mr. Longacre less critical of Stuart than many other writers. He examines the battles between Stuart and the Union cavalry, particularly at Hanover, before Stuart finally rejoined General Lee on July 2.

The Union cavalry gets even-handed attention. Mr. Longacre offers excellent accounts of Burford's role in delaying the Confederate advance on the first day of the Battle and the significant fighting of Union General David Gregg against the Stonewall Brigade on the evening of July 2. This fighting greatly weakened the Confederate force which attacked Culp's Hill on the far right of the Union line, perhaps saving it from capture.

Mr Longacre offers a detailed account of the sometimes forgotten fighting at the east cavalry battlefield, some 4 miles east of Gettysburg on July 3. This was an important engagement in its own right and included some of the fiercest fighting of the Battle.

The book concludes with an extended discussion of the role of the cavalries following Lee's retreat from Gettysburg. Stuart in particular played an important role in allowing the Confederate army to escape accross the Potomac and various components of the Union cavalry distinguished themselves in pursuit.

This book is a technical study and presupposes a high level of backround and interest in the military history of the Civil War and of the Battle of Gettysburg. But it tells its story well and carefully. More maps would have been welcome.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Cavalry at Gettysburg, December 11, 2002

By 

K. Freeman (Apple Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Cavalry at Gettysburg: A Tactical Study of Mounted Operations during the Civil War's Pivotal Campaign, 9 June-14 July 1863 (Paperback)

The Cavalry at Gettysburg is an interesting study of the cavalry on both sides during the Gettysburg campaign. I'd recommend reading it in conjunction with Lee's Cavalrymen, Longacre's latest book.

Longacre gives a good picture of the various roles of mid-19th century cavalry, compares/contrasts ANV and AOP cavalry, and criticizes the current tactics of mounted assault. As in his later work, he opines that Confederates often didn't like to fight with sabers, and I still wish he would provide more documentary evidence for that. His point regarding the difficulties of poorly armed troopers who could either fight only on foot or only mounted, is well taken.

The description of the campaign itself starts with Brandy Station, goes through Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville, and then follows the various cavalry units as they traveled north. The fighting behind the Union right on July 3 gets a lot of time, as does the desperate rearguard action after the battle.

Longacre generally feels that CS cavalry retained the advantage throughout the campaign, for which he more or less blames Federal leadership. He effectively demolishes the argument that Stuart was not following orders or was "joy-riding" during the march into Pennsylvania, and speaks harshly of the performances of Robertson and Jenkins. He goes on to suggest that Federal tactical flexibility would serve them well in upcoming campaigns.

This is a detailed and useful study, made vivid by the use of a fair number of quotes.