Roads to Gettysburg: Lee's Invasion of the North, 1863 [Hardcover]

Bradley M. Gottfried (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2002

The men of the Union and Confederate armies experienced a mix of emotions during Robert E. Lee’s first phase of the Gettysburg campaign. Lee’s veterans experienced a sense of wonder and excitement as they journeyed north from Fredericksburg, Virginia, while the Federal troops showed resolve and some depression. All were footsore by the long marches and often had little food or water. Roads to Gettysburg: Lee’s Invasion of the North, 1863 provides a day-by-day account of the preliminary phases of the campaign and follows the two armies from their positions in central Virginia after the Battle of Chancellorsville to their final arrival on the battlefield. Numerous quotes and maps richly illustrate the armies’ activities during this seminal period.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Taking a day-by-day approach that weaves numerous contemporary accounts into the narrative, Roads to Gettysburg is a highly readable source of information about this critical event in United States history.

About the Author

Bradley M. Gottfried holds a Ph.D. in zoology and has been a college faculty member and administrator since 1976. He is currently president of Sussex County Community College, New Jersey. His lifelong interest in the Civil War has resulted in numerous articles, two books, and two forthcoming books. Most of his research has centered on the Gettysburg campaign. He is also the author of Stopping Picket: The History of the Philadelphia Brigade.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: White Mane Publishing Company (March 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572492848
• ISBN-13: 978-1572492844
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,349,130 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

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ho! for Pennsylvania and Gettysburg, February 28, 2006

By 

Bomojaz (South Central PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Roads to Gettysburg: Lee's Invasion of the North, 1863 (Hardcover)

Beginning with June 3, 1863, the day after Robert E. Lee gave the order to begin the invasion of Pennsylvania, this book traces all troop movements by corps, both North and South, for each day leading up to July 1, the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Gottfried is not content with movements only, but adds a strong human touch by citing soldiers' journals and letters; thus, for example, we see the effects of weather (it rained a lot that June), the joy felt by the Confederates when crossing the Mason-Dixon Line, and even the disastrous results suffered by Hood's Division when they confiscated Union whiskey barrels and doled it out to the men near Williamsport: many became drunk and fights broke out - "It kept the sober boys busy to keep the drunk ones from killing each other," wrote John Stevens of Robinson's brigade. Although the book can obviously be read straight through, one may just as easily approach it by following first the North and then the South or a particular corps through the month, or by picking and choosing items from the detailed index and following them through the text. Thus the research possibilities are numerous. Gottfried has also written an excellent book on the brigades at Gettysburg, and taken together, the two books are thorough accounts of the lead-up to the battle and the battle itself. Included are excellent maps illustrating all the movements described in the text. Highly recommended.