Gettysburg--The Second Day

Harry W. Pfanz attention to detail is what I love the most about this incredible research. Harry spent 10 year assign as a park historian at Gettysburg and he spent it well. Harry learn and walked over every inch of the terrain. Harry's knowledge of the battle is unsurpassed. Harry knows more about this battle then Lee or Meade ever learned. Harry I salute you and thank you for the detail and amazing research you have preformed for our country's history. AWESOME AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. *** WARNING this book is not for someone who is looking for the "Cliff Notes" for their history class.

Pfanz is the champion of Day 2 at Gettysburg. Although his First Day treatment was very good, he excels with the focus on the Day 2 action. The action is very detailed and certainly not for a newbie. Definitely read a good one volume account of the entire battle first (maybe even read it twice). Many will claim that the meat and the potatoes of the battle of GB is on the second day, particularly in the area of The Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, and Little Round Top. Longstreet called it "the best three hours of fighting" and I tend to agree. Pfanz does an excellent job of setting up the different regimental, brigade, divison, and corps leaders who were in charge of these certain subsections of the fight, along with providing some grunt reports to present a complete picture. Of course the book is meticulously footnoted and you will not doubt his knowledge on the subject. Movements and phases of battle tend to overlap. The Wheatfield is probably one of the most complex actiions to understand because of the involvement of 2 different Confederate divisions and at least 3 different Union corps, not to mention the ebb and flow of battle. Pfanz handles this action superbly. Little Round Top, although not as complex a movement, has potential to become magnified in importance and to actual events. However, Pfanz relies of meticulous research and tempers any far flung notions, but simply presents the events as they happen. Well done. Pfanz is not a big Sickle's fan. Most would agree with him. I'd like to have seen a more neutral stance or at least present the counter argument, but that's okay. When it comes to Sickles, you can write a book alone about his decision to move his corps forward. There are several maps. The complex action might require a more thorough set if you really want to break down the details. I'd suggest getting a copy of Imhoff's Day Two A Study in Maps. It's an excellent source of about 50 beautiful maps covering all the Day 2 action. Reading Pfanz and comparing against Imhoff's maps is the perfect one two punch you'll ever come across. Simiply put, if you are student of the battle of gettysburb, your bookshelf is extremely incomplete without a copy of The Second Day, and his other book on the Culp's Hill and Cemetary Hill part of the field. Skip his First Day book and go with Martin there who has written the definitive account.

To understand the importance of the second day's battle at Gettysburg, one only has to look at the names of the men and places involved. The men were names like Chamberlain, Hood, Vincent, Zook, O'Rorke and Hancock. The places were The Wheatfield, Peach Orchard, Devil's Den and Little Round Top. Even 140 years later the average person on the street knows what Little Round Top is, even if they don't know much else about Gettysburg.Harry Pfanz's Gettysburg the Second Day is a must have for anyone seriously interested in understand what happen in Gettysburg on July 2nd. It covers Longstreet's assault against the southern flank of the Union army using two of his divisions commanded by Hood and McLaws (Pickett was as yet not on the field with his division). Pfanz does a really nice job with the Xs and Os of the battle. He especially does nice work with the Wheatfield which is perhaps the most confusing section of the entire battle of Gettysburg. No other book I think explains what happened there better than this one.Pfanz without question knows Gettysburg better than anyone around. He spent 20 years as the head NPS historian at the park so he knows from what he speaks.As a side note, this book does not cover the fighting on the Union right flank on the second day but concentrates on Longstreet's assault on the Union left. To learn about the events on the other end you should read Harry Pfanz's book on Culp's Hill and East Cemetery Hill which covers the actions on those hills during the entire 3 day battle.

To understand this work, you must realize that Pfanz was the chief historian at Gettysburg NMP and the Park Service for many years. So he REALLY knows his history regarding Gettysburg! The book primarily covers Longstreet's attack on Day 2. This was intentional, as Pfanz wrote a separate book covering Cemetry Hill and Culp's Hill. The details in the book are amazing, especially if you go on-site to find the places he describes in such vivid detail. Pfanz also challenges some near-sacred beliefs about certain individuals (e.g., he presents evidence that Chamberlain did not order his charge and, in fact, at first tried to stop it). Pfanz presents the evidence, pro and con - then leaves it up to the reader to decide. So, to those with preconceived ideas, this book may "ruffle some feathers". One shortcoming was the lack of more maps. As one who likes to use a book while actually on-site, I found his maps excellent, but too few in number. If you have not read this book, you have much to learn about Gettysburg. Buy it...it's superb!

Harry Pfanz, former historian at the Gettysburg National Military Park and former Chief Historian of the National Park Service has written what will be the classic account of the pivotal day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Relying heavily on primary sources, many never before used, Pfanz takes the reader through the planning of the day's combat, the climax of the Confederate assault on July 2,1863, and the day's aftermath. While Pfanz's history is flawless, what makes this book so good is his attention to detail and the inclusion of human interest stories which are both relevant and fascinating. While this book will be most appreciated by Civil War buffs, it is sure to interest all looking for a great historical yarn!