Fire on the River, The Defense of the World's Longest Covered Bridge and How It Changed the Battle of Gettysburg [Perfect Paperback]

George Sheldon (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0977931501 | ISBN-13: 978-0977931507 | Publication Date: July 1, 2006

It is late June 1863 in southern Pennsylvania. The Confederates are invading the North, and one of their toughest and most cantankerous generals has decided to capture the grand covered bridge that spans the Susquehanna from Wrightsville to Columbia. From there, General Jubal Early plans to capture Lancaster, and then seize the state's capital, Harrisburg. Local militia, made up of inexperienced schoolboys, convalescing wounded soldiers, and untested but valiant Black troops, took positions west of Wrightsville. General Early's men were battle-hardened, and easily outnumbered the inexperienced defenders. Easily out gunned, the Federals were to prevent the Southerners from crossing the bridge. General Early had orders to destroy it, but intended to capture it on his way to siege the North. Fire on the River tells the story that is often described as a mere skirmish in most history books. What happened in the tiny village of Wrightsville, Pennsylvania on June 28, 1863 changes the course of the Civil War. Here is the story that for so long has been overlooked in the history books. It is an amazing story of courage, and perhaps not surprisingly, how the U.S. Congress never compensated the bridge's owner for the loss, yet the burning of the covered bridge probably saved the Union.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

George Sheldon is the author of When the Smoke Cleared at Gettysburg, a Washington Post bestseller. A former newspaper correspondent and syndicated contract writer, Sheldon lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Fire on the River is his 21st book.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Quaker Hills Press Incorporated (July 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0977931501
• ISBN-13: 978-0977931507
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,130,692 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a fulltime journalist and author, located in Lancaster, PA. I have written and published over 30 books. I am a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. I am currently working on several more books, including a true crime book. I also writing another Pennsylvania history book.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great topic and well-researched; poorly written, March 8, 2007

By 

C. Gilbert (Lancaster, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fire on the River, The Defense of the World's Longest Covered Bridge and How It Changed the Battle of Gettysburg (Perfect Paperback)

This is a great book for civil war buffs and historians looking for that next level of detail that isn't covered in the mainstream books, but be forewarned that this is a low-budget effort and the author didn't seem to have anyone proofread it; many typos, incorrect grammatics and writing errors are prevalent. This is unfortunate because the topic is terrific, the content and research are excellent, and I otherwise enjoyed the book tremendously. Hopefully, the author will correct it for the next edition. I would still recommend it to anyone interested in this area.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, November 26, 2008

By 

Michael E. Fitzgerald (Kingwood, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fire on the River, The Defense of the World's Longest Covered Bridge and How It Changed the Battle of Gettysburg (Perfect Paperback)

The other reviewer is 100% correct. This could not have been proofread, grammatical errors abound and the writing errors are 3rd grade level. But I agree: Buy this book and enjoy it. It provides a level of detail regarding the Gettysburg campaign I have found nowhere else. For all of its written and publishing flaws George Sheldon has a winner in this short, somewhat terse, 164 page pamphlet. It could easily be made into a remarkably good movie.

The author focuses on the farthest penetration of Confederate troops during Robert E. Lee's second northern invasion. Led by no less a warrior than John B Gordon, the Confederates reach the Susquehanna River at Wrightsville, north and east of Baltimore (!!) and 40 miles northeast of Gettysburg. At Wrightsville was a key military objective, the world's longest covered bridge. Over a mile long, 27 feet wide and 40 feet above the river, it had 27 stone piers and included a carriageway, a walkway, canal towpaths and a double-track railway. It provided the primary transportation corridor between York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC. With control of this crossing Confederates intend to attack Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's capital, from behind.

But events conspire to prevent their plans. First Union forces destroy the bridge. Then Gordon concurrently receives orders from Lee for a dramatic change in plans, to fall back and begin concentrating Confederate forces around Gettysburg. The rest, as they say, is history.

This is really one very interesting, meticulously researched and delightful read. There are wonderful vignettes and human interest passages within this work's covers. It really is fun. Don't miss it.

3.0 out of 5 stars A Nice Little Book, But...., September 2, 2010

By 

George A. Albany "George A. Albany, III" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fire on the River, The Defense of the World's Longest Covered Bridge and How It Changed the Battle of Gettysburg (Perfect Paperback)

I second the emotion on proof-reading. I don't think anyone did; it looks like the epitome of using spell check and thinking you've proof read a document. The poor proof-reading also makes me wonder about the accuracy of some of the details of the story, e.g. did such-and-such a unit actually approach from the direction stated, or are there errors in that information too?

That aside, I think it was very interesting; the author includes fun little digressions about the area and the historical figures in the story. Perhaps a good map should have been included for those not familiar with the Columbia/Wrightsville area. I've been through there many times, but often had to stop to place certain physical features in my mind as I read the book.

All told, for folks interested in the greater Gettysburg Campaign, that is, what happened outside of Gettysburg, it is still a good read, assuming that you aren't bogged down in the gramatical errors.