Covered with Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at the Battle of Gettysburg [Paperback]

Rod Gragg (Author), Services Southern Comm (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 19, 2001

Gettysburg was unarguably the greatest battle of the Civil War. Now, in a unique,close-up look at this pivotal moment in American history, awardwinning historian Rod Gragg follows the lives of a regiment of farmboys from North Carolina through three days of gore and glory in the fight that would help decide the fate of the nation. Told here fully for the first time is a remarkable and intensely moving story of the courage and sacrifice that typified Americans on both sides of our bloodiest conflict.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

On July 1, 1863, the 26th North Carolina Infantry marched toward Gettysburg with a strength of 843 officers and troops. Two days later, the regiment could muster only 156 soldiersAa staggering loss of 81.5%, perhaps the highest casualty rate of any Civil War regiment, North or South. Gettysburg is one of the most written-about battles in history, but Gragg (Confederate Goliath, etc.) has mined a host of primary sources for this engrossing study and paints a detailed, vivid picture of the destruction of one of Robert E. Lee's largest units. Following a brief history of the 26th, Gragg follows the Tarheels north from Fredericksburg into Pennsylvania, then moves with the regiment to Herr's Ridge west of Gettysburg. From this vantage point, 21-year-old Colonel Henry K. Burgwyn Jr. led his superbly trained unit into the teeth of enemy fire from two Union Iron Brigade regiments. Although the 26th forced the Yankees back, Burgwyn was killed and the regiment was decimated as bearer after bearer of the unit's flag went down like chaff. After resting on July 2, the regiment took part in Pickett's Charge. Gragg's prose is at its best as he describes the time it took for the gray-clad battle line to cross the mile from Seminary Ridge to the Federal line on Cemetery Ridge, suffering casualties all the while. This exemplary book puts a human face on the 26th North Carolina's tragic loss at Gettysburg and is one of the most original titles on the battle to appear in the past few years. Maps not seen by PW. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Award-winning historian Gragg offers yet another Civil War title (see, e.g., The Civil War, 1861-1865). The 26th North Carolina saw action early in the war at New Bern and Malvern Hill. On the first day at Gettysburg, it fought against the 24th Michigan in McPherson's Woods. On the third and final day, it participated in the infamous Pickett's Charge and suffered an 85 percent casualty rate, the highest of any regiment in the Civil War. Besides recounting the enormous loss of life and the heroic deeds of many men, Gragg reveals the human side of battle. Family diaries and letters describe the difficulties most soldiers faced in coping with military life. The author uses an impressive list of other books and historical sources. What emerges is a detailed but readable history of a regiment whose sacrifices and exploits merit studying. Recommended for its scholarship and depth of coverage to all academic and large public libraries and to special collections.DDavid Alperstein, Queens Borough P.L., Jamaica, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (June 19, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060934778
• ISBN-13: 978-0060934774
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #780,200 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your father's regimental history, February 10, 2001

By 

"jam-po" (APO, AE United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Covered with Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg (Hardcover)

Gragg's book is so much better than most regimental histories that I wonder whether it should even carry this label. It reminds me more of Ambrose's Band of Brothers (101st Airborne in WWII) than a regimental history. Battles are best studied from multiple perspectives, but histories tend to cluster at the two extremes--from the Olympian optic of the Generals at one, to the eyes of individual soldiers at the other. Using the experiences of a single Regimental formation, Gragg not only provides an excellent history of the unit, but occupies the key terrain between these two extremes to shift the reader's attention from an understanding of critical developments in the overall battle to the experiences of these (almost incredibly) committed soldiers. Gragg also captures the great mystery of cataclysms like Gettysburg in which participants, while closely joined in space and time, nevertheless witnesss thousands of separate dramas, acts of herorism and human tragedies. Gragg corrected a number of misconceptions I had about the battle. As one example, I will never again think of the first day as only a bloody meeting engagement, overshadowed by the assaults on the right and in the center on the second and third days. He also religously refers to the famous assault on the third day at the Pickett-Pettigrew Charge--a much more accurate moniker. Be careful about reading the book on a week night, you will find yourself drawing your poor unsuspecting colleagues at work into conversations about Gettysburg and the 26th North Carolina Infantry.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gragg Does it Again!, October 13, 2000

By 

C. Hooper "choop26" (Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Covered with Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg (Hardcover)

This latest book from Rod Gragg is the best modern regimental history I have read. Written form the perspective of members of the regiment, it offers rich detail and a moving narrative. The photographs bring the text to life. Gragg has written two of my favorite Civil War books, Confederate Goliath (the fight at Fort Fisher, NC) and the Illustrated Confederate Reader (a must read). As a member of the 26th NC (reenactors) I must say that I am even more proud to be a part of the unit. I eagerly look forward to his next book!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, June 7, 2004

By 

Weegee - See all my reviews

This review is from: Covered with Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at the Battle of Gettysburg (Paperback)

The narrow focus of what the 26th is most famous for is wonderful because it allows for many details. For those that don't know, they took atrocious casulaties over a 48 hour period, basically 8 out of 10 men went down. Their action is legendary, lining up against the Union's most famous, Iron Brigade, and also being the unit that could claim the farthest penetration into enemy territory on day 3.

As always, a couple of more maps would have been extremely helpful, but that being said, the ones there are well done.

Day 1 is treated extremely well with intense description of the action, almost minute by minute as far the 26th was concerned. The reading is smooth however, and most won't get lost in the details.

Day 3 has some of the best coverage that I have read because the author expands the focus for the Picket-Pettigrew-Trimble Charge to cover many of the other units involved. Of course, the 26th still gets the lions share of the commentary.

This book isn't for novices, but at the same time, you don't need to be a hardcore student to get it. I think a simple 2 or 3 page synopses of the battle will help so you don't get bogged down with some of the names, but more so you understand the importance of the battle in an overall perspective.

Again, the focus is the 26th at Gettysburg with a very brief prelude and wrap up to their other action. Highly recommended for the ACW afficionada and casual reader.

My only little quibble is with the quality of paper and tiny font for the paperback. Come on publishers, put the better works on better paper so they'll last longer.