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Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage

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The battle of Gettysburg is probably better chronicled than any event in American military history, if not the world's. Writers have gotten tired of telling the history of the battle completely, and moved on to write "microhistories" of one part or another of the battle. The present book is billed as the first attempt at a complete detailed history of the battle since Coddington's The Gettysburg Campaign, a wonderful book published, if memory serves correctly, in 1968. Trudeau has a good reputation, and so I was looking forward to this, the first of his books I have read. I wasn't disappointed.

There is a considerable amount of information here, and it's quite well presented. The author writes clearly and concisely, and the action is explained well and is easy (at least for someone who's well-versed in Civil War history) to follow. Some of the other reviews criticize the maps, either for their format or the physical size. What they don't realize is that most publishers would be willing (even eager) to publish a book like this with perhaps three or four maps, thinking that sufficient. There are, instead, a plethora of them here (there's no list, but there must be three dozen) with details of unit positions and directions of movement. A key on the daily comprehensive maps showing which of the smaller ones covered what part of the battlefield might have helped a bit, though I had no problem. Then again, I'm pretty good with maps, and have read a lot on Gettysburg. One annoyance is that the maps are uncredited, which means we can't castigate or praise the cartographer.

The author has a writing style which apparently irritated some people. He writes in short passages, some only a paragraph long, some several pages, and they are arranged chronologically. This means that you read about the action on one flank, then move to the other, then to the middle of the battlefield, then back to where you started, a lot. I suppose if you aren't a Civil War buff, and well-read on the battle already, this could get a bit dizzying. I didn't have any problem, followed it easily, and enjoyed it. I spent the afternoon reading the last 130 pages without a break, enjoyed it, and will now go look up some of the author's other books.

A further thing to note is the author's care in debunking myths, and sorting facts out from the post-war posturing that pollutes so much of what was written about Gettysburg by the participants. The Confederate spy Harrison was apparently named Henry, not James as has been previously written (I just looked at a book where his name is Edward: perhaps we'll never really know). Ewell's decision not to attack Cemetery Hill or Culp's Hill is looked at from a different perspective, and Sickles' advance on the second day is dissected carefully. We learn that the Army of Northern Virginia encountered a considerable amount of sniping when it moved into Pennsylvania, as the Union army did when it campaigned in Virginia, and that they gathered up blacks and shipped them south when they could catch them.

All in all, I would consider this a wonderful book for anyone who's interested in the Civil War. Why a novice would pick up an almost 700 page book on anything is beyond me (referring to one of the other reviewers, complaining that this isn't for novices). If you're not a novice, buy it!

I have spent a large part of this summer reading a number of the histories of the battle of Gettysburg that have appeared over the past decade, and I have to say that I have read none that even approaches this wonderful book in quality, clarity, and comprehensiveness. Unlike many books that focus on a single battle or campaign, this one never bogs down in details, yet it provides a sufficient level of descriptive information to give the reader a true feeling of first-hand experience. Trudeau demonstrates a fine command of not just military details but also the English language. Unlike many military histories, this book also provides important insights into the civilian experience during the battle--for after all, through most of those three days in July 1863, Gettsburg was truly a town under enemy occupation. In addition, it presents the experience of all levels of soldier partipants--from the lowliest enlisted man to the high command. His obvious familiarity with and skillful use of contemporary material make the narrative seem all the more realistic, too.

The book offers a wealth of superior battlefield maps, charting all but the most minor incidents, and thus gives the reader a constant reminder of where the action is taking place and the "lay of the land." Trudeau also does a laudable job of relating what was happening at the same time on different parts of this extensive battlefield, by interspersing short contemporaneous passages on events from all over the area. He presents the battle in context, too--commencing the narrative just after Robert E. Lee's signal victory at Chancellorsville and carrying on to Lincoln's address at the commemoration of the national cemetery.

This is a book which should appeal to both the general reader, with minimal background on Civil War history or Gettysburg in particular, as well as the more informed reader, since it offers new perspectives on a number of the key controversies surrounding the battle. Trudeau seems to speculate that this was Lee's battle to lose--and his loose battlefield supervision and reluctant corps commanders lost it because Lee delegated leadership too extensively. He also gives a convincing explanation of why George Meade did not pursue Lee closely after the battle. The book offers a balanced portrayal of events from both Union and Confederate perspectives, too.

I have only one minor criticism of the book. It is rich in maps, but offers no photographs or other illustrations, despite the fact that there is a wealth of such material available. The dust jacket of the book has a formal grouping of random portraits of contemporary soldiers from the George Eastman House, but there is no indication that any of these men fought at Gettysburg. I almost hesitate to offer this criticism, but the general reader is going to miss this dimension of the battle in this otherwise excellent history.

With his new one-volume history of America's most famous battle, Mr. Trudeau has done a mighty service for Civil War buffs, and Gettysburg fans in particular. It is detailed - remarkably so - and may put off some newcomers to the battle's story, but it's depth and thoughtful approach make it the new standard for comprehensive histories of Gettysburg

I've read a great deal about Gettysburg, but Trudeau has managed to find first-person accounts that I've never heard before. They are woven together with incisive narrative and wonderful maps. Lots of maps. They give a real feel for the ebb and flow of the battle.

Trudeau nicely balances emotion and military detail. The first-person voices give the story heart, while the text and maps provide the historical anchor. This book needs to be on every Civil War collector's bookshelf.

This is a clearly written and comprehensive one-volume account of the major battle of the Civil War. In my view it is the best such account since Coddington"s Gettysburg: A Study in Command in the 1980s. The focus is on the commanders below the Army and Corps levels. This provides both fresh insights and new perspectives on old information. The extended lead in to the campaign itself is a very valuable review of that parallel set of stumblings. The reviewer who regrets that the emphasis was not on the commanders is accurate factually, but there are a dozen books that do that (and, worse, spend their time second guessing in some instances). This book is not one of those and that is its virtue.
One quibble others have noted. The mapos are annoying often. Sometimes they are quite small and often they do not cover the action you are reading about. A suggestion that worked for me is to take the rather comprehensive map on page 142 and copy it and fold that into the back of the book for quick reference. The publisher might do well to use this mao for endpapers in later editions. It will save a lot of complaints.

Trudeau's "Gettysburg" adds more mortar to the cement that binds all Civil War enthusiasts together. Having read many many other Gettysburg books over the past four decades, I found this attempt to be refreshingly interesting, well-researched and informative. Some of his statements fly in the face of convention and gave me pause, however the overall product is excellent and enjoyable. The maps are good and understandable, especially if one has read extensively about the battle. He picks no favorites and is objective for both antagonists. His background stories of major and minor players in this battle bring it to life and keep his narrative flowing and enjoyable. I recommend "Gettysburg" to all buffs as well as to those starting out on their hobby.

When looking for a one book study of the Gettysburg Campaign one in general has three choices, Trudeau, Sears and of course Coddington. If I had to put the three in order I would put Coddington first, Sears and then Trudeau.

There is no question that Trudeau is a fine scholor. His book is well researched and presented in a unique fashion. Instead of long chapters about different sections of the battle he writes shorter sections and jumps all over the battlefield so as to give the reader a feeling of what was going on at different parts of the field at the same time. It's an interesting way to approach writing about the battle and for the most part it works.

The main problem with this book is simply that Trudeau is not as good a writer as Coddington and Sears. To be truthful his writing is a bit on the dry side.

If you are new to Gettysburg and simply looking for one book to learn about the battle then I strongly suggest you pick up Coddington or Sears. Both are fine books and will do the job. Like I said, this book isn't a bad book but simply a bit dry and While I think the book belongs on the shelf of anyone seriously studying Gettysburg, I don't recommend it for those looking for their first book on the battle.

Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage is a "tour de force" of Civil War history...at once powerful in it's narrative comprehensiveness while maintaining an incredibly sublime human tone that should make this the apex of Noah Trudeau's Civil War accounts. Compulsively readable and extensively researched, Trudeau has conveyed an incredibly complex battle into a magnificent one-volume account that could eclipse most of the almost overwhelming inventory of contemporary Gettysburg histories.

This book begins with the disarrayed Union forces under "Fighting" Joe Hooker again encamped north of Fredericksburg following their critical loss at Chancellorsville. Conversely, Lee's Confederate forces are primed to invade the North again (fully recovering from the incredible standoff at Antietam) and Trudeau offers an extremely plausible explanation of Lee's rationale for the invasion and his almost desperate requests for additional troops (incredibly denied by Jefferson Davis as too costly to Richmond's defense). The bumbling Federal efforts at interpretation of Lee's movements ultimately leads to Hooker's dismissal as commander and implants George Meade (notwithstanding his reluctance to do so) as Lincoln's latest in the ever-growing list of Union commanding generals.

The Confederate invasion is allowed to proceed into Pennsylvania (almost to Harrisburg) before an amazing confluence of circumstances leads both armies to the small hamlet of Gettysburg. Trudeau describes the first day's battle correctly as a partial cavalry and partial infantry engagement, dispelling the age-old myth that Buford's Union cavalry alone interdicted the larger Confederate force. In fact, the strength of this penetrating narrative (in my opinion) is Trudeau's ability to use contemporary research to dispel many of the afore-mentioned Gettysburg myths (the Joshua Chamberlain "closing gate" maneuver at Little Round Top, Lee's reaction to J.E.B. Stuart as he complete's his "flanking" ride around the Union forces, Pickett's 3rd day charge...etc) and telling the un-embellished story.

The 2nd day's carnage is ever present as Trudeau eloquently describes it from both the soldier's viewpoint as well as the local civilian's. As Lee attacks the Union left-flank, the well known battles on the Round Tops, the Wheatfield, the Peach Orchard and Devil's Den are covered in comprehensive while at the same time amazingly readable detail. The action on the Union right is not given sort-shrift either as the engagements at Culp's Hill and Cemetary Hill are deftly covered. Trudeau also does not hesitate to indict Lee for his failures at planning and leadership on this day and, to me, this is a refreshing twist missing from many contemporary accounts.

The actions on both the Union and Confederate side leading into the decisive 3rd day's battle cover most of the last quarter of the book and the engagement itself is wonderfully re-counted with "Pickett's Charge" and the action at the Cemetary Ridge "Angle" and "Copse of Tree's" prudently taking "center-stage" as the focal point. Lastly, the final minor skirmishes from both Cavalry forces, the Confederate retreat to Virginia (again brilliantly told from both the civilian and soldier perspective) and an excellent "Judgements" chapter close out the book.

Trudeau's previous contributions to Civil War history pretty much cover the end of the war (from the Overland campaign through Appomattox), but with "Gettysburg", he's truly out-done himself. Passionate, compellingly engaging and expertly judicious (not to mention the many useful and appreciated maps), this account stands as the most definitive one-volume account since Coddington's "Gettysburg: A Study in Command" 35 years ago and is very highly recommended. A "must-read"!!

In the tradition of Coddington's splendid "Gettysburg: A Study In Command," comes Noah Andre Trudeau's "Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage."

Trudeau's effort to tell the entire story of the Gettysburg Campaign comes off well. The author weaves the history of all the events and unit movements into the fascinating story that Gettysburg can be when placed in skilled hands. This book has enough detail for civil war students. It also tells the larger story in a well written way that will satisfy those readers of history who are looking for the great epic in a retelling of the past.

Trudeau begins at the end of the Chancellorsville campaign, when Lee is pondering a move that takes advantage of the immediate situation he created in pounding Joe Hooker's Army of the Potomac. The book delves into the decision to invade the North and Lee's preparatory moves in implementing that thrust as well as the Union following and joint mission to both shield Washington and Baltimore as well as chase down the Confederates.

Both of these preludes to the meeting at Gettysburg get just due. The battle can not properly be understood without this prologue and the author handles it well.

The three days of July 1-3, 1863 are handled superbly. The majesty and drama of this, the greatest armed conflict to visit North America is well told. Unit movements at the regimental level as well as command objectives and decisions are both described. Trudeau meshes well the front line and headquarters stories of the battle.

The author's extensive research leads him to some minor conclusions and thoughts that run counter to established wisdom. These include some myth debunking and proper perspective that he buttresses with sources and first person recollections. For example, some evidence he brings forward suggests that Chamberlain's famous right wheel of the 20th Maine might have been an accident of missed commands during the heat of battle instead of a well-planned maneuver. Lee's greeting of his soldiers returning from Pickett's Charge is placed in the context of his accepting responsibility for an audacious (but not wrong) attack instead of the sorrowful apology that is frequently portrayed. He is not a revisionist, but his willingness to challenge some small parts of the story with contradictory evidence is refreshing and illuminating.

The author uses many first person accounts of combatants and Gettysburg citizens to illuminate the history. Although frequent, they are used in short snippets, which works well. Some histories, in an attempt to make the first person the focus will quote long paragraphs from journals or letters -- which can often break the narrative flow of a book. Turdeau favors the short sentence or two, or even phrase, from an observer or two to get the sense of immediacy that gives the story its drama. This tight editing allows him to bring the participants into the story without sacrificing the pace and flow of his writing.

This is a very good book that deserves to take its ranks among the standards of Civil War writing.

Among the many books that cover the Battle of Gettysburg in its entirety it is impossible to assume that every detail or element can be covered to a large degree. Such details can be found in books featuring a particular day of the battle or event. Trudeau's book is a great look at the entire battle from Confederate and Union early marches into Pennsylvania all the way through to the aftermath of the conflict. There is a great rhythmic flow to Trudeau's writing which makes for great reading. Trudeau gets into every battle from each day while quoting from soldiers, officers or civilians that may have had something to say in regards to the events that unfolded. Due to the immense amount of information that could be covered Trudeau does leave certain elements out of the book such as biography and some battle detail. He was brief in regards to the Wheatfield battle and also the struggle for Little Round Top. You won't see the details in this book as you would in a Harry Pfanz book though you will be guided by many maps which help back key positions and movements throughout the three day saga.

I highly recommend this book to anyone learning about Gettysburg or who doesn't really have a large understanding of the battle. For those with higher knowledge it may be a great book to use for thought as for example Trudeau doesn't shroud Chamberlain with many high honors while vaguely covering Lee's 2nd Day plan or Longstreet's countermarch. As much as he may not cover some key issues Trudeau does bring to light other interesting points. For example he does bring to light the political tensions in the Union army and how commanders seem to favor other certain commanders when such favoritism has dire consequences. The issue of Buford's intelligence being passed over after Reynold's death because Doubleday and others preferred their own strategy brought about an interesting thought to this book.

Overall this is a very great book, very well written and definately worth reading for further insight! 5 STARS!!!

With the history shelves of bookstores groaning under the weight of books on Gettysburg, one might ask, "Why write another book on the most studied battle of the Civil War?"
Author Noah Andre Trudeau asked himself this question, and answered it by writing his impressive new book, Gettysburg - A Testing of Courage (HarperCollins, 2002).
Trudeau looked at the vast list of publications on Gettysburg, and decided that the time was right for a new, comprehensive history of the July 1863 battle. Several new books on Gettysburg are published every year, but few study the battle in its entirety. There are books on the officers and soldiers who fought at Gettysburg, the "ghosts" of Gettysburg, the "what ifs?" of Gettysburg, even the horses of Gettysburg, but rare is the book that studies the battle as a whole.
Trudeau's book puts the battle within a context of events that transpired in the summer of 1863. The fight at Gettysburg did not happen in a vacuum, and Trudeau's account enables the reader to understand the impact of the battle on both the Union and Confederate war efforts.
Trudeau's most notable accomplishment in A Testing of Courage is his vivid, hour-by-hour account of the combat on the battlefield. Accompanied by several maps, the narrative of the battle weaves personal accounts from fighting men with historical evidence unearthed by generations of historians into a brisk story of men at war.
Trudeau's depictions of the key players in this grand drama are balanced and enlightening. Robert E. Lee, George G. Meade, James Longstreet, Daniel Sickles, George Pickett, Winfield Scott Hancock, and all the generals made famous by more than a century of scholarship on Gettysburg come to life once again in Trudeau's book. The author uses the recorded words of these men to give readers a sense of what they were thinking, and feeling, during the momentous struggle.
Trudeau incorporates aspects of the fighting that are often overlooked in accounts of the battle, even on guided tours of the battlefield. Especially informative is the author's treatment of the many cavalry actions at Gettysburg. Trudeau's hour-by-hour format enables the reader to understand what the horse soldiers were doing - and why they were doing it - as the infantry and artillery fought for the high ground.
A Testing of Courage is not entirely flawless. There are a few misspellings, mistakes in word usage, and at least one misidentification of an officer. These mistakes do not in any way distract the reader from the flow of the action, and do not seriously impede the understanding of events at Gettysburg.
Trudeau does make an interesting and perhaps even controversial argument about the legendary "Pickett's Charge," the great Confederate infantry assault that cost Lee thousands of men and effectively ended his invasion of Pennsylvania. Based on his examination of the evidence, Trudeau believes that Lee intended his frontal assault against the Union position on Cemetery Ridge to be followed by a "second wave" of Confederate infantry. The second wave never moved forward, however, because the tactical commander of the attack - Longstreet - believed the first attack was hopeless and did not order the second wave forward. Historians and students of the battle will no doubt discuss Trudeau's conclusions about Pickett's Charge at great length.
Gettysburg- A Testing of Courage is a welcome addition to the great pantheon of literature on the largest battle ever fought in North America. Author Trudeau deserves acclaim for taking up such a daunting challenge, and achieving such an impressive success.