Eyewitness accounts of the last moments of 100 Union soldiers who died at Gettysburg.
Author: Gregory A. Coco
Publisher: Thompson Publications, Gettysburg, PA; Copyright: 1992.
ISBN 0-939631-47-4.
The description of this book that appears on the back cover enticed me to buy it from one of the chain bookstores located in most malls across the United States. The lasit sentence of the introduction encapsulates the theme of this book: "... journey into one hundred rare and untold stories of grim and terrible war, with an insight into the human spirit such as you have never experienced before." I highly recommend this book to individuals who are interested in the thoughts of soldiers who served in this war and how they were cared for when wounded.
The book chronicles the last days of 100 Union soldiers who fought during the Gettysburg campaign. Each entry starts with the name, rank and unit of the soldier. Typically, a brief description of the soldier's duties and whereabouts during the battle are provided. How the soldier was fatally wounded and cared for prior to his death is revealed through a mixture of narrative and excerpts from letters, diaries, etc. Although these details may seem morbid, they provide insights into the philosophy of soldie~r concerning their honor for country, devotion to family and religious beliefs. Another revelation that is repeatedly expressed in this work is how fragile life was for wounded soldiers. In the end, this reader has a better appreciation of the type of person that served in the Union army in 1863 from reading this book.
The book is printed on good paper and has quite a satisfactory binding. The print is easy to read and there are numerous photographs dispersed over the 128 pages. The material seems to be thoroughly researched and referenced. There is one disappointing inaccuracy concerning the colorized depiction of one of Alexander Gardner's famous photographs of wounded soldiers at Gettysburg. The caption describing these dead as Union soldiers seems to contradict William Frassanito's fine analysis of this photograph as Confederate dead on Rose's farm. Overall, I recommend this book whole heartedly because of the richness imparted from the excerpts of contemporary writings.
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© Copyright 1993 The American Civil War Society
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