The Most Glorious Fourth: Vicksburg and Gettysburg, July 4, 1863

By Duane P. Schultz

Book Overview

The story of the Independence Day that turned the tide of the Civil War. July 4, 1863, was a glorious day for the Union cause. It saw the surrender of Vicksburg and the retreat of General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia after a crushing defeat at Gettysburg. In interweaving the narratives of these two storied battles, Duane Schultz has presented a compelling blow-by-blow account of what is arguably the most pivotal point of the entire conflict. All the players are brought to life here, whether it is Lincoln agonizing in the telegraph office while he waits for news from Generals Grant and Meade, General Pete Longstreet trying to cajole Lee into revising his plan of attack, or the women of the towns of Vicksburg and Gettysburg coming under fire and tending to the legions of wounded. We see a nation in the midst of its greatest convulsion, and we see that, while the "Glorious Fourth" dashed the greatest hopes of the Confederacy, the war was far from over.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393048705
• ISBN13: 9780393048704
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 447 Pages
• Weight: 1.87 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Errors Subtract From This Rousing History

I agree with(another reviewer)about the error concerning the number of Union corps at Gettysburg. Early in the book, the author has General Meade meeting with his 12 corps commanders. Then later he mentions a total of 16 corps. Actually, there were 7. The first, second, third, fifth, eleventh and twelfth. Otherwise, a rousing story. He also was too critical of General James Longstreet, who, along with Hancock, were the two best corps commanders on the field.