Gettysburg: An Alternate History

Gettysburg: An Alternate History is an epic saga by Peter G. Tsouras that explores what might have happened if a few twists of fate had significantly altered the course of the battle at Gettysburg, and therefore the American Civil War. Written with close heed to the actual events, Gettysburg: An Alternate History is a fascinating "what-if" journey of speculative fancy, often told through the eyes of soldiers struggling to survive the bloody battlefield. Gettysburg: An Alternate History is especially recommended reading for Civil War buffs, and will have great appeal for "Alternate Universe" science fiction fans as well.

Peter G. Tsouras' Gettysburg: An Alternate History is an interesting investigation of intriguing "what if" issues surrounding the greatest battle of the American Civil War. Military readers and historians will wade through the somewhat dry "blow-by-blow" and arrive at a better understanding of key issues of the battle which are not always obvious in accounts of the actual battle. On the other hand, the general public will not find this book appealing at all but rather, tedious and confusing. Unlike other works of alternate history, which tend to effect only one change in a historical situation, Tsouras' narrative on Gettysburg poses five major changes. These changes are: (1) what if Stuart had turned up sooner, on the evening of 1 July 1863? (2) what if Ewell had conducted a more vigorous pursuit onto Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill on the night of 1 July? (3) what if Longstreet had persuaded Lee in allowing a wider Confederate envelopment of the Union left flank on 2 July? (4) what if the Confederates had mounted a larger, better coordinated assault against the Union center on 3 July? and (4) what if the Union had mounted a major counterattack after the failure of Longstreet's assault? Tsouras has encompassed the most intriguing possibilities about the battle in this account, but it probably would have been better to "de-link" the alternate events by means of an anthology. By putting all five alternatives into play in the same sequential account, plus other alternate events like Meade and Lee becoming casualties, the alternative nature of this account threatens to snowball out of control. Tsouras' alternate history does help to highlight certain aspects of the two armies that will be interesting to military readers. First, the early return of Stuart demonstrates the reliance that Lee placed on that trusted commander, rather than just his five brigades of cavalry. Actually, Lee retained several other brigades of cavalry under his control but failed to make use of them in Stuart's (historical) absence. For Lee, Stuart was his Reconnaissance and Security (R & S) asset, not the actual cavalry units. Instead of just moaning, "where is Stuart, where is Stuart?" the historical Lee should have been re-constituting his R & S capability from other cavalry available. This failure to adapt was a major command failure on Lee's part - which has been obscured in actual histories of the campaign - which tend to affix great blame on Stuart. A second military issue that is revealed in this alternative history is the superior Union artillery organization (as opposed to technical and numerical superiority, which is frequently mentioned). The Union artillery at Gettysburg was under the firm central control of Major General Hunt, who coordinated both the artillery reserve and corps artillery. On the other hand, the Army of Northern Virginia maintained much weaker control over its artillery, lacking a central artillery reserve or a senior officer wil

I am not a fan of alternate history. This book, however, has definitely changed my mind. The only thing a reader has to watch out for, though, is that the further you get in this excellent book, the more realistic it becomes, and you have to make sure you keep in touch with reality.I thoroughly emjoyed this book. It is highly readable, the scenarios as they play out are highly believable, and the author skillfully weaves a tale that immediately grabs the readers interest. I found myself thinking 'too bad it didn't happen this was' as that most tragic of wars would have been shortened by almost two years and so many lives saved in the bargain. So much for wishful thinking.I especially liked the way in which the author brought in characters that weren't players in the actual battle, such as 'Uncle John' Sedgwick and Captain Ulric Dahlgren, both of whom would be killed in action in 1864. Finally, the ambush and capture of the ambulance and escort for the wounded Robert E. Lee was superbly done.Peter Tsouras has woven an intricate, highly believable tale blending fact and fiction to deliver a smash hit piece of alternate history that should be on the bookshelf of every Civil War enthusiast.This book is highly recommended.

For those interested in the Civil War, in the military past overall, or in thought-provoking propositions, author Tsouras's lively pursuit of the what-ifs of Gettysburg makes stimulating and worthwhile reading. I have read a number of the author's wide-ranging books on military affairs, and believe this is the best one with which to begin. It is knowledgeable--and fun. The book never feels forced--there is always a sense that Tsouras is in absolute command of the material. The result is a dead-accurate recreation, followed by a fascinating variation on the different course history might have taken, and all smoothly presented. Well done! I recommend this work strongly.