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4.5
Definitive study of Pickett's ChargeEarl Hess's well researched Pickett's Charge--The Last Attack at Gettysburg is the definitive study of Gettysburg's final bloody battle on July 3, 1863. Hess spares no investigative resource in his exhaustive examination of all aspects of this crucial doomed attack. He breaks the attack down along chronological stages while examining all personal and logistical aspects. Mr. Hess further examines all tactical and strategic components of the doomed attack while comparing pros and cons of the event's reality in conjunction with other various possible outcomes. Could Pickett's Charge have worked? What if Pickett's Charge had broken the Union's center, what then? These and a myriad of other cogent questions were both asked and answered by Mr. Hess. Yes, the book is mind-numbing in its exhaustive detail but that is the beauty of this definitive history. Reading it I found myself totally immersed in the events of that hot July day when Marse Robert sent his wonderful boys to assault the unassailable, knowing that the possibility of victory was slight but still doing their duty in light of the most difficult of odds. Could success have been achieved? Yes, but everything had to go perfectly--IT DIDN'T. Mr. Hess's up close and personal examination of this horrific event was both illuminating and instructive. 5+ stars for a very well done historical monograph of the first order.Excellent in-depth analysis of not only the attack but also of the individuals involved. I liked how Mr. Hess informed the reader what happened to the various players after Gettysburg. I also liked how Mr. Hess discussed the insider bickering that follows every major historical event. Nothing ends with the last shot, there are always loose ends, blame, intrigue, what-ifs, dissembling, parsing, misinformation and yes even disinformation. History is written by the victors. Further, history is not what happened per se but rather what was /is written down. Mr. Hess cuts through the fog of Pickett's Charge to present an accurate portrayal of those most difficult hours on a very hot July 3rd afternoon. Good use of maps to keep the reader orientated and wonderful presentation of photographs to give the reader a personal connection to the men involved. Abundant facts and statistics that gives depth to the author's assertions and What If scenarios. I liked that Mr. Hess did NOT write from the typical POST analysis "the-attack-was-doomed" view. Rather, he presented the facts with clarity and critical analysis, and viewed the event from the perspective of the historical times involved. Mr. Hess is not a revisionist, but rather a critical chronicler of the event-A historical objectivist if you will. Most refreshing compared to the plethora of nuanced, subjective, historical relativism that dominates so many "sophisticated" histories today.Still, as I read Hess's account of Pickett's, Pettigrew's, and Trimble's men stepping off into glory I couldn't help but think of the immortal words of William Faulkner from his novel Intruder in the Dust, "....This Time. Maybe This Time..."Must read for Civil War history buffs. This is the definitive study of Pickett's Charge and will only gain in historical stature. Well done Earl Hess.
