Exciting new research lifts much of the fog surrounding the Battle of Gettysburg and offers a glimpse into what happened on that fateful day—July 2, 1863.
James Longstreet’s countermarch and Samuel Johnston’s morning reconnaissance are two of the most enigmatic events of the Battle of Gettysburg. Both have been viewed as major factors in the Confederacy’s loss of the battle and, in turn, the war. Yet much of it lies shrouded in mystery.
Though the battle is one of the most well-documented events in history, the vast majority of our knowledge comes from the words of the veterans and civilians who experienced it. Without action photography, video, or audio recordings, our primary window into what happened is the memory of those who were there. The story of the Battle of Gettysburg is simply the compilation of the memories of those who fought it. But memory is anything but objective.
Recognizing the multitude of factors that affect human memory, In the Shadow of the Round Tops explores how the individual soldiers experienced, remembered, and wrote about the battle, and how those memories have created a cloud over James Longstreet’s bewildering countermarch and Samuel Johnston’s infamous reconnaissance. Each soldier had a particular view of these historic events. Because many people saw part of the story, but no one saw all of it, each memory is a critical piece to the puzzle. By comparing the veterans’ memories and sifting through the factors that affected each memory, the picture of the countermarch, reconnaissance, and the entire battle, comes into sharper focus.
Industry Reviews
“Few episodes of American history have generated more controversies than the Battle of Gettysburg, many of which still rages today. One of the most intriguing controversies is precisely where Capt. Samuel Johnston, the engineer officer assigned to headquarters of the Army of Northern Virginia, went on his late-night reconnaissance of the Union left during the night of July 1-2, 1863. Johnston claimed to have reached Little Round Top, which would have required him to pass through Union cavalry videttes, none of whom reported any contact that night. Johnston’s report, in turn, influenced Gen. Robert E. Lee’s battle plan for July 2, and also led directly to the lengthy and time-consuming march and countermarch of Lt. Gen. James Longstreet’s Corps to the battlefield. Allen R. Thompson’s excellent micro-history, In the Shadow of the Round Tops: Longstreet’s Countermarch, Johnston’s Reconnaissance, and the Enduring Battles for the Memory of July 2, 1863 addresses these events in more detail than ever before. This deeply researched and well-written volume deserves a place on the bookshelf of any serious student on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg.”
