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The Union Generals Speak: The Meade Hearings on the Battle of Gettysburg
Studio : Louisiana State University Press
by Louisiana State University Press
Publisher : Louisiana State University Press
Released : 2003-05
Availability : Usually ships in 3 to 5 weeks and eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780807125816
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 1 review)
List Price : $47.50
Our Price : $36.79
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Product Description |
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The Union Generals Speak is the first annotated edition of the 1864 congressional investigation into Major General George Gordon Meade's conduct during the Gettysburg campaign. The transcripts alone, which present eyewitness accounts from sixteen participant officers at Gettysburg, offer a wealth of information about the most pivotal battles in American history; but it is the addition of contextual comments and background material by Bill Hyde that unleashes this virtually untapped resource for readers. Hyde gives thorough examination to the origins and purpose of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, the political climate and military thinking in Washington at the time of the Meade hearings, and the hidden agendas of the eyewitnesses and seven committee members. He maintains that the JCCW's dissatisfaction with Meade went much deeper than disapproval of the general's hesitancy to pursue and cripple Lee's Army of Northern Virginia on July 4, 1863; the bipartisan body of mostly radical Republicans who favored a ruthless defeat of the South aimed to restore power to the committee's favorite, Major General Joseph Hooker, whom Meade had succeeded as commander of the Army of the Potomac only three days before Gettysburg. Hyde's balanced critique of this important primary source reminds us that though Meade is remembered now mainly for his role in defeating the Confederates at Gettysburg, the JCCW hearings confirmed that he was not the leader to win the war. |
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A unique look into the politics of the Army of the Potomac |
This book is truly a unique look into the politics of Army of the Potomac as well as the thoughts of the men who commanded it at Gettysburg. It is a work that most Gettysburg enthusiasts will greatly enjoy and will also serve as a valuable reference tool.
The book in essence is the congressional testimony of some of the most important men involved in the battle of Gettysburg on the Federal side. The highlight of the book are the testimonies of Generals such as George Meade, Gouverneur Warren, Winfield Hancock, Henry Hunt and John Gibbon. Men whose testimony give us much insight into what their thoughts were during the battle and why it was fought the way it was.
Also included in the book are some not so honorable testimonies by men whose goal at the hearings were to settle political and personal scores with Meade. The testimony of Dan Sickles will make even the most novice Gettysburg enthusiast's blood boil. To say it is full of lies and falsehoods would be an understatement. The testimony of Dan Butterfield isn't much better. The two men set out to destroy the reputation of Meade but in the end only managed to tarnished their own names in history.
As important and interesting as these testimonies are, what really takes this book to the next level is the commentary by Bill Hyde. His comments put these testimonies in context and really help enhance the reader's understanding of what the men both testifying and on the committee were trying to accomplish.
If you hold a strong interest in the Battle of Gettysburg then you are really going to enjoy this book. It will be a valuable addition to your Civil War book collection. |
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