Kent Masterson Brown's Study of Command at the Battle of Gettysburg

Jeff Biggs: In Philadelphia’s Laurel Hill Cemetery, on the banks of the Schuylkill River, rests the nondescript headstone of General George Gordon Meade. “He did his work bravely and is at rest,” reads the inscription. While the headstone’s sentiment is consistent with Meade’s reluctance at self-promotion, the reality is that Meade may have done more to save the nation in a time of crisis than any other competitor to that title. At the end of June 1863, when Meade was placed in command of the Army of the Potomac, the army was on a long losing streak of twenty-one months. The high rate of casualties in the loyal states left many unwilling to enlist for duty. The Lincoln administration and Congress instituted the drastic measure of a draft in March 1863. After the last defeat in early May at Chancellorsville, the threat of northern civil unrest was real. But after less than a week in command of the Army of the Potomac, George Meade delivered the army’s first unambiguous victory after three bloody days of conflict at Gettysburg.
In Kent Masterson Brown’s 2021 book entitled Meade at Gettysburg: A Study in Command, readers are given a fresh new look at Meade’s generalship in...

United States on Oct 24, 2023

Peter Clark: Absolutely wonderful account of the battle from the US point of view. The author's conclusions are supported by amazing details such as the need for each of the 40,000 Union horses or mules for about 28 pounds of hay and oats per day; because the US trains were mostly left behind because of the urgency to get the scattered forces together on the battlefield, there wasn't any hope of an immediate full-throated offensive operation against Lee's fleeing rebels. He makes a compelling case that Meade provided competent and professional direction of his army, and better results could not have been expected. Bravo!

United States on Sep 28, 2023

Amazon Customer: quick delivery and as stgated

Canada on Mar 09, 2023

ibsy: An excellent ,well researched & fair account of Meade's real skills & worth at Gettysburg. I hope the author continues with a sequel following Meade's ongoing role esp under Grant

United Kingdom on Sep 08, 2021

PM: The author has done a magnificent job describing from the Union point of view the maneuvering of the Army of the Potomac throughout the campaign. Meade has finally been given the attention he deserves for conducting this crucial campaign.
Much is made of the Pipe Creek Line as Meade’s preferred location for the confrontation with Lee. Meade is described as following the prescriptive of Denis Mahan by throwing out an advanced guard in the form of the left wing under Reynolds who was expected to force the rebel army to deploy and slowly fall back to the PCL where it would face destruction. It is asserted that Reynolds by his impetuous action brought on the battle at Gettysburg prematurely and dashed Meades plans.
All of this is very enlightening but quite frankly the problem here it seems to me is with the overly theoretical Mahan who apparently believed that a major force composed of three corps can induce another major force, in this case two thirds of the Army of Northern Virginia , to deploy and engage and conduct a controlled fighting retreat of many miles. Lee was not anticipating a battle the first day and his commanders were under orders not to initiate a general...

United States on Jun 15, 2021