What do you think?
Rate this book
A Field Guide to Gettysburg: Experiencing the Battlefield through Its History, Places, and People
In this lively guide to the Gettysburg battlefield, Carol Reardon and Tom Vossler invite readers to participate in a tour of this hallowed ground. Ideal for carrying on trips through the park as well as for the armchair historian, this book includes comprehensive maps and deft descriptions of the action that situate visitors in time and place. Crisp narratives introduce key figures and events, and eye-opening vignettes help readers more fully comprehend the import of what happened and why. A wide variety of contemporary and postwar source materials offer colorful stories and present interesting interpretations that have shaped--or reshaped--our understanding of Gettysburg today.
Each stop addresses the
What happened here?
Who fought here?
Who commanded here?
Who fell here?
Who lived here?
How did participants remember this event?
Each stop addresses the
What happened here?
Who fought here?
Who commanded here?
Who fell here?
Who lived here?
How did participants remember this event?
464 pages, Paperback
First published June 11, 2013
35 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 3, 2025
Commemorating Gettysburg On Independence Day
I celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 -- 3, 1863, by reading Carol Reardon's and Tom Vossler's new book, "A Field Guide to Gettysburg: Experiencing the Battlefield through its History, Places, and People". It is "altogether fitting and proper" to think further about Gettysburg and to review the book on Independence Day, 2013. Carol Reardon teaches at Pennsylvania State University and is best-known for her book on Pickett's Charge and for a book on Civil War military thinking,"With a Sword in One Hand and Jomini in the Other". Vossler, a retired Army colonel, is former director of the U.S. Army Military Institute and a licensed battlefield guide at Gettysburg.
Reardon's and Vossler's book is arranged as a "field guide" to the battlefield for use for visitors to the park. In many ways, it serves this purpose well. The book is a compact paperback, lightweight and easy to carry, and printed on glossy, sturdy paper. It is organized into 34 "stops" each covering a separate point of interest on the battlefield. The authors provide detailed driving instructions between one stop and the next. They also provide the reader with a precise orientation on the ground, indicating where to stand and where to look to gain an understanding of the military action. Each of the stops is also accompanied by a precise, highly useful map illustrating the flow of the action -- many battle studies tend to be short on mapping -- with the location of the reader indicated as a point of reference.
Each chapter presents its material uniformly, following a fixed set of six questions. Thus the reader learns for each of the sites: 1. what happened here? 2. who fought here? 3.who commanded here? 4.who fell here? 5. who lived here? and 6. what was said later about the action at the site. The authors explore these questions succinctly but with a great deal of detail. Thus, they describe the military action, the commanders on both sides at the particular site, the casualties, with detailed accounting by regiments and brigade of those killed, wounded or missing, the owners of the property on which the action took place, and historians and others discussion of the action in the years following the battle. The discussion also includes many photographs, many of which are rare and contemporaneous with the battle. In the discussion of "who fell here" the authors give short stories of soldiers on both sides of the line who were killed in the combat.
After a short introduction to the Gettysburg campaign and to the organization of the armies, the book begins with the first "stop", Cemetery Hill, the pivotal point of the battle. They proceed to present the battle chronologically, with 12 stops for July 1, 14 for July 2, and 7 stops for July 3. The final stop covers the Soldiers' National Cemetery while a short concluding chapter describes the retreat and aftermath of the battle.
Reardon and Vossler have written a good, detailed account of Gettysburg. The book reminded me of the heroism of the soldiers on both sides, of the tragedy of the battle, and of the complexity of the military action. For a visit to Gettysburg, the book needs to be used carefully. For most readers, it will be of most use in pointing out the sites to visit together with driving directions, orienting the reader at the site, and briefly summarizing the action. The 400 page text is far too extensive and difficult for the reader to absorb on a single visit to the park. It took me the better part of three days -- the commemoration days of the battle -- to read the book. It would be virtually impossible to do the book justice and absorb the details in the course of an on the ground visit.
The book would be valuable to have at the park as an overview and a guide but it is no substitute for a close visit to Gettysburg. On balance, I think the book will have most value to readers who have spent time at Gettysburg and who have at least a basic working knowledge of the battle.
I was unable to visit Gettysburg for the 150th anniversary, but Reardon and Vossler helped me commemorate the battle's many iconic moments for the United States. I was pleased to share my thoughts about the book and to think about American freedom and democracy on this Independence Day.
Robin Friedman
I celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 -- 3, 1863, by reading Carol Reardon's and Tom Vossler's new book, "A Field Guide to Gettysburg: Experiencing the Battlefield through its History, Places, and People". It is "altogether fitting and proper" to think further about Gettysburg and to review the book on Independence Day, 2013. Carol Reardon teaches at Pennsylvania State University and is best-known for her book on Pickett's Charge and for a book on Civil War military thinking,"With a Sword in One Hand and Jomini in the Other". Vossler, a retired Army colonel, is former director of the U.S. Army Military Institute and a licensed battlefield guide at Gettysburg.
Reardon's and Vossler's book is arranged as a "field guide" to the battlefield for use for visitors to the park. In many ways, it serves this purpose well. The book is a compact paperback, lightweight and easy to carry, and printed on glossy, sturdy paper. It is organized into 34 "stops" each covering a separate point of interest on the battlefield. The authors provide detailed driving instructions between one stop and the next. They also provide the reader with a precise orientation on the ground, indicating where to stand and where to look to gain an understanding of the military action. Each of the stops is also accompanied by a precise, highly useful map illustrating the flow of the action -- many battle studies tend to be short on mapping -- with the location of the reader indicated as a point of reference.
Each chapter presents its material uniformly, following a fixed set of six questions. Thus the reader learns for each of the sites: 1. what happened here? 2. who fought here? 3.who commanded here? 4.who fell here? 5. who lived here? and 6. what was said later about the action at the site. The authors explore these questions succinctly but with a great deal of detail. Thus, they describe the military action, the commanders on both sides at the particular site, the casualties, with detailed accounting by regiments and brigade of those killed, wounded or missing, the owners of the property on which the action took place, and historians and others discussion of the action in the years following the battle. The discussion also includes many photographs, many of which are rare and contemporaneous with the battle. In the discussion of "who fell here" the authors give short stories of soldiers on both sides of the line who were killed in the combat.
After a short introduction to the Gettysburg campaign and to the organization of the armies, the book begins with the first "stop", Cemetery Hill, the pivotal point of the battle. They proceed to present the battle chronologically, with 12 stops for July 1, 14 for July 2, and 7 stops for July 3. The final stop covers the Soldiers' National Cemetery while a short concluding chapter describes the retreat and aftermath of the battle.
Reardon and Vossler have written a good, detailed account of Gettysburg. The book reminded me of the heroism of the soldiers on both sides, of the tragedy of the battle, and of the complexity of the military action. For a visit to Gettysburg, the book needs to be used carefully. For most readers, it will be of most use in pointing out the sites to visit together with driving directions, orienting the reader at the site, and briefly summarizing the action. The 400 page text is far too extensive and difficult for the reader to absorb on a single visit to the park. It took me the better part of three days -- the commemoration days of the battle -- to read the book. It would be virtually impossible to do the book justice and absorb the details in the course of an on the ground visit.
The book would be valuable to have at the park as an overview and a guide but it is no substitute for a close visit to Gettysburg. On balance, I think the book will have most value to readers who have spent time at Gettysburg and who have at least a basic working knowledge of the battle.
I was unable to visit Gettysburg for the 150th anniversary, but Reardon and Vossler helped me commemorate the battle's many iconic moments for the United States. I was pleased to share my thoughts about the book and to think about American freedom and democracy on this Independence Day.
Robin Friedman
December 13, 2017
Excellent guide for visitors.
July 6, 2019
For the true scholar of Gettysburg, there is no better field guide to have with you than this. Detailed maps and breakdowns of 35 stops on and around the battlefield. An invaluable resource.
July 12, 2017
Excellent resource for anyone interested in the Civil War or the battle of Gettysburg. I'm looking forward to working through some of the chronological stops in the book the next time I visit Gettysburg. I'm also looking forward to getting a copy of the 2nd edition of this field guide that came out in 2017.
July 31, 2014
Released for the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, A Field Guide to Gettysburg written by Carol Reardon and pictures taken by Tom Vossler, offers a unique view into the battle. While other Gettysburg Guides have offered in depth looks into the areas outside of Gettysburg, including the retreat from the field and the cemeteries in the borough, A Field Guide to Gettysburg gives an in depth look into the battle itself including many details on the days of combat not going outside the realm of the battle. What Reardon has done is written a narrative split into three parts for the different days of combat including an analysis of the land and the regiments of the field.
Carol Reardon is an accomplished historian and teaches at Pennsylvania State University. In the past, she has taught at West Point and the United States Army War College. She also offers many staff tours all over Gettysburg for both groups of civilians and military personnel. Her other works include Pickett’s Charge in History and Memory and With a Sword in one hand and Jomini in the Other. Tom Vossler is a combat veteran and is retired from the army as a U.S. Colonel. He is the former director of the United State Army Military Institute and is a licensed battlefield guide.
As stated before, there are many guide books to the battlefield of Gettysburg. For the most part, they are needed since most people are lost on the field when they are not well versed in Civil War knowledge. Each guide is different and offers something new to the realm of field guides. One thing which separates this guide from others is the in depth narrative which Reardon has provided and has greatly organized so the guide could be used on the battlefield. As each stop is mentioned, there are seven sections to the area. It begins with the orientation of the area surrounding you, and then a description about what happened there. Though all stops may not have all seven sections of the narrative, these two parts are always present in the guide. The other sections which may be part of the stop description are “who commanded here,” “What did they say about it later,” “who fought here,” “who fell here,” and “who lived here,” just to name a few. Throughout these narratives, the reader gets a feeling that the general knowledge of Gettysburg is superseded than what they knew before. What this guide does for the seasoned Gettysburg historian is add more depth into areas they may not understand as well as other sections of the battlefield. My first use of this guide was to help me understand what happened at East Cavalry Battlefield. When I arrived on that field, without the guide, I would have been completely hopeless. But with the guide in hand, the amount of knowledge I gained is unmatched from any other guide I would have brought with me on the field.
A Field Guide to Gettysburg is highly recommended to anyone visiting Gettysburg for the first time, or the seasoned Gettysburg historian. The narrative by Reardon is unmatched in the realm of academia and the photographs taken by Tom Vossler are excellent. When I met both Reardon and Vossler at Gettysburg, they told me that they were able to be one of the first people in the cupola of the Lutheran Theological Seminary to take last minute pictures for this guide. This is the kind of devotion they poured into the writing of this book. A Field Guide to Gettysburg was the winner of the 2013 Bachelder-Coddinton Literary Award and it is well deserved.
Matthew Bartlett - Gettysburg Chronicle
Carol Reardon is an accomplished historian and teaches at Pennsylvania State University. In the past, she has taught at West Point and the United States Army War College. She also offers many staff tours all over Gettysburg for both groups of civilians and military personnel. Her other works include Pickett’s Charge in History and Memory and With a Sword in one hand and Jomini in the Other. Tom Vossler is a combat veteran and is retired from the army as a U.S. Colonel. He is the former director of the United State Army Military Institute and is a licensed battlefield guide.
As stated before, there are many guide books to the battlefield of Gettysburg. For the most part, they are needed since most people are lost on the field when they are not well versed in Civil War knowledge. Each guide is different and offers something new to the realm of field guides. One thing which separates this guide from others is the in depth narrative which Reardon has provided and has greatly organized so the guide could be used on the battlefield. As each stop is mentioned, there are seven sections to the area. It begins with the orientation of the area surrounding you, and then a description about what happened there. Though all stops may not have all seven sections of the narrative, these two parts are always present in the guide. The other sections which may be part of the stop description are “who commanded here,” “What did they say about it later,” “who fought here,” “who fell here,” and “who lived here,” just to name a few. Throughout these narratives, the reader gets a feeling that the general knowledge of Gettysburg is superseded than what they knew before. What this guide does for the seasoned Gettysburg historian is add more depth into areas they may not understand as well as other sections of the battlefield. My first use of this guide was to help me understand what happened at East Cavalry Battlefield. When I arrived on that field, without the guide, I would have been completely hopeless. But with the guide in hand, the amount of knowledge I gained is unmatched from any other guide I would have brought with me on the field.
A Field Guide to Gettysburg is highly recommended to anyone visiting Gettysburg for the first time, or the seasoned Gettysburg historian. The narrative by Reardon is unmatched in the realm of academia and the photographs taken by Tom Vossler are excellent. When I met both Reardon and Vossler at Gettysburg, they told me that they were able to be one of the first people in the cupola of the Lutheran Theological Seminary to take last minute pictures for this guide. This is the kind of devotion they poured into the writing of this book. A Field Guide to Gettysburg was the winner of the 2013 Bachelder-Coddinton Literary Award and it is well deserved.
Matthew Bartlett - Gettysburg Chronicle
September 5, 2013
Carol Reardon and Tom Vossler's "A Field Guide to Gettysburg" is a tour guide of the Gettysburg Battlefield. It directs the reader to 35 critical battle locations and describes in detail what happened at each stop.
Each Section provides an extremely well thought-out description of that part of the battle. The text includes the underlying reason for it, what happened, why it was important, who led the troops, and vignettes of some of the participants.
Additionally, each section contains excellent pictures and graphics. In each section there is an excellent tactical map (sometimes more) that shows the terrain, the location, and the movement of the units involved. Further, there are excellent photos of the terrain (thoughtfully taken in the fall or winter when the trees are bare and less obscuring of critical features). And there are pictures of important monuments, features, and participants.
And the book itself is well written and easily readable. It is also excellently and thoughtfully laid out and printed. The authors, editors, graphics and layout folks, and everybody else that I can think of associated with the book provided the highest quality of work!
Like any other effort, there are pluses and minuses. The book is an excellent resource to go to the 35 most important locations and view what happened in those places. However, supplementing the 'Field Guide' with a good general text on the Battle of Gettysburg would help tie the 35 locations into a more complete understanding of the battle as a whole.
I would recommend this book to anyone touring the Battlefield or interested in the details of the 30 or so most critical occurrences during the battle. Supplemented with a good history of the battle, the reader will be armed with the tools needed to understand what happened here during 3 days in July 1863.
Each Section provides an extremely well thought-out description of that part of the battle. The text includes the underlying reason for it, what happened, why it was important, who led the troops, and vignettes of some of the participants.
Additionally, each section contains excellent pictures and graphics. In each section there is an excellent tactical map (sometimes more) that shows the terrain, the location, and the movement of the units involved. Further, there are excellent photos of the terrain (thoughtfully taken in the fall or winter when the trees are bare and less obscuring of critical features). And there are pictures of important monuments, features, and participants.
And the book itself is well written and easily readable. It is also excellently and thoughtfully laid out and printed. The authors, editors, graphics and layout folks, and everybody else that I can think of associated with the book provided the highest quality of work!
Like any other effort, there are pluses and minuses. The book is an excellent resource to go to the 35 most important locations and view what happened in those places. However, supplementing the 'Field Guide' with a good general text on the Battle of Gettysburg would help tie the 35 locations into a more complete understanding of the battle as a whole.
I would recommend this book to anyone touring the Battlefield or interested in the details of the 30 or so most critical occurrences during the battle. Supplemented with a good history of the battle, the reader will be armed with the tools needed to understand what happened here during 3 days in July 1863.
September 4, 2022
Here's a book that's a little outside of my normal reading to share with you all today. For those that don't know, I adore learning about history, and one era that I'm particularly interested in is the American Civil War. Gettysburg is near and dear to my heart, and I've been a frequent visitor since childhood. All of this is to say that Gettysburg is a topic I'm very fond of reading about.
This field guide was an eager purchase for me when it first came out, and I'm very glad to have finally gotten around to reading it. For newbies to the battlefield and veterans alike, this field guide is an invaluable resource to bring with you on your visit. Each stop is presented in a clear, concise way with pictures, maps, and helpful driving directions.
While you might wish to pair this with a more in depth history of the battle to get the full understanding of each day's events, this field guide will still give you a comprehensive overview of the battle's events at the various locales. I'd say this would be an excellent tool to take with you on the field--whether as a jumping point for an intro into the battle's history or as a more in-depth, in-person look at the battle.
I, for one, am now itching to get back to Gettysburg to take this guide with me on a tour of the battlefield. I like that my copy is lightweight but sturdy, too, so I can carry it with me. If you do decide to take this with you on your visit (and you should), I will say that it will probably take you a good couple of days to "work" through the guide, so just make sure to give yourself enough time.
All in all, this is an indispensable guide to Gettysburg, and I'm more than happy to add this to my collection on the topic. A must-read for fans of Gettysburg history!
This field guide was an eager purchase for me when it first came out, and I'm very glad to have finally gotten around to reading it. For newbies to the battlefield and veterans alike, this field guide is an invaluable resource to bring with you on your visit. Each stop is presented in a clear, concise way with pictures, maps, and helpful driving directions.
While you might wish to pair this with a more in depth history of the battle to get the full understanding of each day's events, this field guide will still give you a comprehensive overview of the battle's events at the various locales. I'd say this would be an excellent tool to take with you on the field--whether as a jumping point for an intro into the battle's history or as a more in-depth, in-person look at the battle.
I, for one, am now itching to get back to Gettysburg to take this guide with me on a tour of the battlefield. I like that my copy is lightweight but sturdy, too, so I can carry it with me. If you do decide to take this with you on your visit (and you should), I will say that it will probably take you a good couple of days to "work" through the guide, so just make sure to give yourself enough time.
All in all, this is an indispensable guide to Gettysburg, and I'm more than happy to add this to my collection on the topic. A must-read for fans of Gettysburg history!
April 23, 2020
I bought the book as prep for a trip to the battlefield and it was a valuable and insightful guide. For carrying along a little heavy and bulky but of course, excellent pictures and quality paper. A good book.
Read
September 26, 2019Very good overview of each day's battle. Uses good maps to illustrate location and movement.
January 28, 2021
Excellent book. A must have companion for touring the battlefield on your own. Short of hiring a LBG, this is the best!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2023
Outstanding field guide to the Gettysburg National Battlefield. I read this before, during, and after my recent visit to Gettysburg and my visit immeasurably more meaningful.
September 29, 2024
What an amazing feat of work this is. I really ended a large year of reading on a positive note. The amount of detail and thought that went into this guide is amazing.
January 6, 2022
The work of the National Park Service as well as the ever growing body of research and literature about the Civil War has brought increased interest and understanding about what happened in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in July 1863.
Touring the Gettysburg battlefield has never been easier. The NPS auto tour is tried and true, and a licensed battlefield guide brings a special level of insight. However, for the tourist who desires a broader experience than the NPS option and perhaps more independence than the LBG allows (and for less cash), this field guide from Carol Reardon and Tom Vossler is the best there is.
With 36 stops, this guide is not for the tourist looking to cover the field in a day (for sure) or two (unlikely). Each chapter is structured around what happened and who was there. Personal vignettes offer a special connection to each location. Special effort is given to orient the reader, and the maps are detailed enough to give a clear mental picture.
There have been dozens of field guides and driving tours published for a Gettysburg. This guide is as good as it gets.
Touring the Gettysburg battlefield has never been easier. The NPS auto tour is tried and true, and a licensed battlefield guide brings a special level of insight. However, for the tourist who desires a broader experience than the NPS option and perhaps more independence than the LBG allows (and for less cash), this field guide from Carol Reardon and Tom Vossler is the best there is.
With 36 stops, this guide is not for the tourist looking to cover the field in a day (for sure) or two (unlikely). Each chapter is structured around what happened and who was there. Personal vignettes offer a special connection to each location. Special effort is given to orient the reader, and the maps are detailed enough to give a clear mental picture.
There have been dozens of field guides and driving tours published for a Gettysburg. This guide is as good as it gets.
October 8, 2013
I was on my way to Gettysburg (where a friend and I planned to bike around the battlefield), when I suffered a broken ankle which cancelled the trip. A friend found this book at the library and gave it to me. It provides extremely interesting insights to the battle with a wealth of information at 35 key battlefield stops. I will use it religiously when I tour the battlefield.
March 20, 2014
Excellent tour/reference/guide book. Gives details and stories about most parts of the battlefield. It might be a little overkill for a casual visitor but anybody with more than a passing interest, this book is a must have.
September 17, 2016
Fantastic walkthrough of the battle. Indispensable for anyone with an interest in understanding the events of July 1st through 3rd, 1863.
January 5, 2017
A most have companion book to any study of the battle. Excellent writing, beautiful printing and paper.
January 5, 2017
Beautiful book. Great paper and printing. A must have for anyone reading or studying or traveling to the battlefield park. Keeper for your Civil War library
August 8, 2014
Great guide! Can't wait to go back and read this at the battlefield!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews