Firestorm at Gettysburg: Civilian Voices June-November 1863
Given the countless books, articles, and even feature films detailing the valor and carnage at the Battle of Gettysburg, it is surprising that little attention has been paid to the civilians who lived in that small hamlet in southern Pennsylvania. Slade and Alexander are both journalists; they have brought together their finely honed skills at exacting the human dimension from epic events to produce a wonderful, original perspective on the battle and its aftermath. They rely on letters, diaries, local newspaper articles, and a wealth of rarely seen photographs. The result is a riveting portrait of people whose "ordinary" lives have been disrupted and forever changed by an unexpected cataclysm. There are fascinating accounts of the battle, the horrors of coping with the dead and wounded, and the reaction as swarms of reporters and bureaucrats engulf the town as it awaits the dedication of the national cemetery. This work is a treasure for Civil War enthusiasts and a vital addition to any library's Civil War collection.Jay Freeman