From the inimitable pen of Eric Wittenberg and friends, author of numerous highly regarded works of history, comes a new book entitled “One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4-14,1863.”
Even though the title is probably one of the longest in history, the book itself is 510 pages long, illustrated, and zeroes in on the massive planning and implementation of Lee’s retreat. Logistically an ongoing nightmare to move a large army in what was termed relatively unfamiliar and unfriendly territory, in an effort to get to somewhere safe, all the time being still pursued by the enemy.
SEE RELATED:
Mr. Wittenberg, along with co-authors J. David Petruzzi whose specialty is cavalry actions, and Michael F. Nugent, a relative newcomer to the publishing arena, outlines the problems of cavalry placement and materiel moving, as well as the numerous engagements which the retreating army was forced to stop and fight. The off and on fighting resulted in additional casualties, which added the necessity of burying the dead in the midst of the retreat.
It looks like a promising book of details in a little known aspect of the war.
ALSO ON THE AMERICA AT WAR PAGE:
While we often hear of the brother against brother conflicts in the war, this story tells of two relatives with the same name, this time on the same side. It tells of the well known Maj. Robert Anderson who surrendered Fort Sumter to General Beauregard, but whose cousin, another Maj. Robert Anderson, was in charge of a military installation in the South. He headed the federal arsenal of Fayetteville, NC and voluntarily surrendered it on April 22, 1861. The benefit was to the South, who picked up a well supplied arsenal, resulting in the receiving of 37,000 “stands of arms” along with 6,000 pistols, 3,000 kegs of gunpowder, and a number of cannon, along with balls and shells.
After surrendering the arsenal, this Anderson offered his services to the Confederacy (wise man), after which he was no longer heard from.
Read them both in depth on the America at War Page, “Plugged In” section. If you aren’t plugged in, you miss a lot!
