Nine Months to Gettysburg: Stannard's Vermonters and the Repulse of Pickett's Charge
Coffin (Full Duty: Vermonters in the Civil War, CountryMan, 1994) has written a stirring account of the Vermont 2nd Brigade and its important role at the battle of Gettysburg. Through an exciting narrative of short chapters, the reader experiences a you-are-there sensation as the author offers letters and diaries of the participants. Coffin, a former reporter and board member of the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites, reveals the full range of military life, from the monotony of camp to the overwhelming sensation of battle. He may slightly exaggerate the brigade's accomplishments, but clearly its actions were significant. Though dozens of books of this genre have been published in recent years, the public's appetite seems insatiable. As such, this lavishly illustrated volume is a well-recommended addition to the group.?Stephen G. Weisner, Springfield Technical Community Coll., Mass.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.