Customer Reviews

Crossroads of the Conflict: Defining Hours for the Blue and Gray: A Guide to the Monuments of Gettysburg

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Don McLaughlin's years spent as a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg from 1983 to 1997 along with nearly 10 years of research have culminated in this posthumously published work covering every single Gettysburg monument. Presented in chronological order and accompanied by numerous hand-drawn maps, Crossroads of the Conflict: Defining Hours for the Blue and Gray: A Guide to the Monuments of Gettysburg is an ideal traveling companion for those looking for specific monuments on the Gettysburg battlefield.

McLaughlin's book provides a brief summary for each of the 1300+ monuments and 400+ pieces of artillery which blanket the battlefield. The author provides the numerical designation of regiments and batteries, how they fit within the Brigade-Division-Corps structure of their army, nicknames, and whatever description of the unit's activity on the battlefield was included on each monument.

The maps detail exactly where on the field of battle these multitudes of monuments are located. I appreciated the attention to detail, but I would have liked these better had the maps been drawn to scale. In any case, the sheer number of maps, a must in a book covering this topic, was definitely appreciated.

This self-published effort through Outskirts Press does have some noticeable spelling and grammatical errors, but not enough to detract from the overall value of the book.

In order to truly appreciate the usefulness of this book, we need to look at the background of its author, the late Don McLaughlin. Mr. McLaughlin loved Gettysburg so much he actually moved there to be closer to the battlefield! According to the book's introduction, he spent nearly 10 years chronicling these monuments to the men who fought there. McLaughlin used his research in his work as a Licensed Battlefield Guide for 14 years. If anyone knows about the monuments contained within the Park boundaries at Gettysburg, the author does.

If you are at all interested in the Battle of Gettysburg, are a battlefield tramper, or are looking to visit Gettysburg in the future, Crossroads of the Conflict is a must have first rate reference work and a unique tribute from family to a man who loved history.

I purchased this book to take on a tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield. This was my 9 or 10th tour of Gettysburg and I wanted some more in depth reading that also would offer a guide to the monuments. To my surprise Crossroads of the Conflict was a complete and comprehensive guide to all the monuments and had choice bits of information as well. I was astonished by the information and historical details that were provided along with the inscriptions of all the monuments. It was helpful, easy to read and all-inclusive for the tour. I have a background in the Gettysburg Battlefield and did not expect to learn more about it from a guide book; however I did discover things I did not know.

I was also interested in Donald McLaughlin and read the Introduction which explained the back ground of the book. McLaughlin was a Battlefield guide and did extensive research during his years as a guide. The book was thoroughly researched, explained and annotated and will be useful for anyone who loves the battle. I recommend it to anyone who would like an extensive tour and has the time to savor every moment walking or riding the battlefield. It is worth purchasing the book.

I am a long-time student of Gettysburg and a fairly frequent visitor to the battlefield, since I live only about an hour away. It is clear that the author put a great deal of time and effort into preparing this volume. It does indeed provide detailed information on the monuments and artillery on the Gettysburg battlefield. But the book provides only an inventory of monuments as well as a brief narrative of what took place nearby during the battle. There are plenty of somewhat unsophisticated maps. But there isn't a single photograph or other depiction of the monuments, nor is there any history of most of the monuments (e.g., when placed and by whom). The quality of paper in this small press edition is also rather poor and uninviting. After paging through it, I cannot imagine how I will use this in the future, and regret that I ordered it. Had I had a chance to review it beforehand, I would not have bought it. There are clearly far better battlefield guides available, many with superb maps as well as photographs and descriptions of monuments, though none of them is probably as encyclopedic as this one. Unless you are VERY interested in the minutia of Gettysburg, I would advise you to forego purchasing this book unless it is deeply discounted.

This book is for the Civil War Buff who enjoys reading about or touring battlefields of the Civil War. It has maps, inscriptions and information on monuments and markers from the battle at Gettysburg that determined the outcome of the Civil War. It is for the enthusiast or aficionado who is an expert or novice. A book for anyone who wishes to be immersed in the history of the battle of Gettysburg. Written by a former tour guide, McLaughlin, it is one of a kind.

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There are over 1300 monuments, markers, and tablets at Gettysburg. This book has great maps of where most are located and much of what is written upon them. It's a great resource for all students of the Battle of Gettysburg