We'll begin our tour three miles northwest of the Gettysburg town square, at the intersection of Knoxlyn Road and U.S. Route 30, the historic Chambersburg Pike. Here, on the morning of July 1, were posted the outlying pickets of the Eighth Illinois Calvary. As the sun burned away the mist, they spotted a column of Confederate infantry marching toward them.

A very nice, quite short, outline of the battle of Gettysburg. It's written as a walking tour; I don't think it would be useful as one, but it would be a good introduction if you are going to visit the battle site. There are no pictures, but there are some simple maps. Although short, the author seems to have a special interest in debunking myths and false stories (he's a professor at Princeton and the author of the "Battle Cry of Freedom"), and you can read and enjoy the whole thing in a day or two. ( )

needs more maps. ( )

A nice quick review of Gettysburg National Park. McPherson does a great job pointing out the highlights and important (and sometimes little remembered) monuments throughout the park. I have yet to go there, but feel like my minds eye sure has been. This is a book that all Civil War fans should pick up. It is readable, it is descriptive and as previously mention it is a quick read. ( )

Excellent work by a noted professor of American History. This short, 2 hour listen is descriptive of the Civil War battle field at Gettysburg. Not only does McPherson provide the basics of the battle but also some unknown factoids and vignettes not previously known. For example, Daniel Sickles lost a leg and it's still in Philadelphia; he was also largely responsible for the battle field as we see it today. The book should be accompanied by a visit to Gettysburg because it references information on the ground today versus what one would have seen in 1863. It is constructed like an Army "staff ride," designed to teach others about past military history in preparation for the future. ( )

Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg (The Illustrated Edition) by James McPherson is a nice work about both the battle and the park as it now is. The addition of photographs, drawings and maps makes this a far more valuable work than it was previously.

For those of us who have visited multiple times we will be reminded of many things we may have forgotten. For those who haven't yet visited this can serve as a guide (though I would caution that it is not an exhaustive guide) or simply as a substitute. Separate chapters cover each day of the battle so this is both a popular history book as well as a guide to the park.

While historians and Civil War buffs won't find much new here it still brings together many of the things a casual Civil War fan needs. It would make a nice display book on a coffee table of other such location.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss. ( )

I thought I knew a pretty good amount of stuff about Gettysburg (And I do!) but this book made me realize I don't know as much as I thought. I loved the pictures and the maps, it made so much more sense to me with those there, and the author wrote in a way that kept me engaged. I would recommend this book. 5 out of 5 stars. ( )

James McPherson has done it again, just when I think that there is nothing more to be said about the battle of Gettysburg, he goes ahead and proves me wrong. "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg", is not intended to provide a thorough examination of this penultimate Civil War battle, instead it serves as historical guidebook.

While taking readers on a tour of the Gettysburg National Park (as well as areas of the town itself), McPherson provides the history of those sites, detailing the events that transpired on this ground, the leaders, the ordinary participants, the fighting and the outcome. It is helped in this by being presented in chronological order, from the first shot fired by a Union infantryman at a Confederate, through the near disaster due to General Sickles' mistake and the fierce battle for Little Round Top, down to Meade's decision not to attack the Confederates on 4 July 1863.

In addition, McPherson's way with words and his ability to make fascinating events all the more fascinating and compelling, leads to the success of this "historical Guidebook", bringing even me to tears at several points.

"Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg" is an excellent read. I would recommend it enthusiastically for readers who are only familiar with the basics of the battle of Gettysburg and wish to learn more, as a good place to start their exploration. I would also recommend it for even the most knowledgeable researcher, for the new light being shed on very old events, ones which should not be forgotten. And thanks to James McPherson, they never will be. ( )

James McPherson has done it again, just when I think that there is nothing more to be said about the battle of Gettysburg, he goes ahead and proves me wrong. "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg", is not intended to provide a thorough examination of this penultimate Civil War battle, instead it serves as historical guidebook.

While taking readers on a tour of the Gettysburg National Park (as well as areas of the town itself), McPherson provides the history of those sites, detailing the events that transpired on this ground, the leaders, the ordinary participants, the fighting and the outcome. It is helped in this by being presented in chronological order, from the first shot fired by a Union infantryman at a Confederate, through the near disaster due to General Sickles' mistake and the fierce battle for Little Round Top, down to Meade's decision not to attack the Confederates on 4 July 1863.

In addition, McPherson's way with words and his ability to make fascinating events all the more fascinating and compelling, leads to the success of this "historical Guidebook", bringing even me to tears at several points.

"Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg" is an excellent read. I would recommend it enthusiastically for readers who are only familiar with the basics of the battle of Gettysburg and wish to learn more, as a good place to start their exploration. I would also recommend it for even the most knowledgeable researcher, for the new light being shed on very old events, ones which should not be forgotten. And thanks to James McPherson, they never will be. ( )

James McPherson has done it again, just when I think that there is nothing more to be said about the battle of Gettysburg, he goes ahead and proves me wrong. "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg", is not intended to provide a thorough examination of this penultimate Civil War battle, instead it serves as historical guidebook.

While taking readers on a tour of the Gettysburg National Park (as well as areas of the town itself), McPherson provides the history of those sites, detailing the events that transpired on this ground, the leaders, the ordinary participants, the fighting and the outcome. It is helped in this by being presented in chronological order, from the first shot fired by a Union infantryman at a Confederate, through the near disaster due to General Sickles' mistake and the fierce battle for Little Round Top, down to Meade's decision not to attack the Confederates on 4 July 1863.

In addition, McPherson's way with words and his ability to make fascinating events all the more fascinating and compelling, leads to the success of this "historical Guidebook", bringing even me to tears at several points.

"Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg" is an excellent read. I would recommend it enthusiastically for readers who are only familiar with the basics of the battle of Gettysburg and wish to learn more, as a good place to start their exploration. I would also recommend it for even the most knowledgeable researcher, for the new light being shed on very old events, ones which should not be forgotten. And thanks to James McPherson, they never will be. ( )

This book is basically a transcript of a knowledgeable guide to the battleground. You absolutely must have a map with you to follow what he says. But if you're looking for insight into the battle from a geographical perspective, forget it. Disappointing, since Mcpherson is a significant historian of the Civil War.

This book packs much Gettysburg information into its 144 pages, so it is likely a good supplement to other works on the battle. McPherson takes a chronological approach (Day 1 thru 3) as he walks the reader through the battlefield and there are the usual maps illustrating the various union and confederate positions throughout the 3 days. There is the question about who this book is written for, something that, having read it, is not clear to me. Since there are no maps of the path that he is taking through the National Military Park, his reference points ("we next head north...") are mostly confusing or meaningless to the reader who has never been to Gettysburg. On the other hand the book is too long to be read as an onsite visitor guide and besides, what kind of visitor guide would have no map corresponding to the author's narrative path? It probably would be interesting to read after visiting the site, but then you might find that you had missed things that he mentions and that could be aggravating. So probably it would be best to read it prior to a visit to Gettysburg, and just live with the fact that although you cannot visualize much of what he is pointing out in the book nor where he is leading you, your visit will be all the more rewarding and informative for having read it. ( )

McPherson is an outstanding writer on the Civil War and this slim book is the fruit of many visits and tours of the battlefield. It is a short version of a staff ride, based on the tours he takes with the classes he teaches. Since Gettysburg looms large in popular memory (more on that later), it is good to be led around the battlefield by a real expert. Too many books simply repeat the same myths, but this one distills what is known and what can be known. ( )