Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg-Fast Shipping

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James M. McPherson,the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom, and arguably the finestCivil War historian in the world, walks us through the site of the bloodiest andperhaps most consequential battle ever fought by Americans: the Battle of Gettysburg.

The events that occurredat Gettysburg are etched into our collective memory, as they served to change thecourse of the Civil War and with it the course of history. More than any other placein the United States, Gettysburg is indeed hallowed ground. It’s no surprise thatit is one of the nation’s most visited sites (nearly two million annual visitors),attracting tourists, military buffs, and students of American history.

McPherson,who has led countless tours of Gettysburg over the years, makes stops at SeminaryRidge, the Peach Orchard, Cemetery Hill, and Little Round Top, among other key reflects on the meaning of the battle, describes the events of those terriblethree days in July 1863, and places the struggle in the greater context of Americanand world history. Along the way, he intersperses stories of his own encounters withthe place over several decades, as well as debunking several popular myths aboutthe battle itself.

What brought those 165,000 soldiers—75,000 Confederate, 90,000Union—to Gettysburg? Why did they lock themselves in such a death grip across theseonce bucolic fields until 11,000 of them were killed or mortally wounded, another29,000 were wounded and survived, and about 10,000 were “missing”—mostly captured?What was accomplished by all of this carnage? Join James M. McPherson on a walk acrossthis hallowed ground as he be encompasses the depth of meaning and historical impactof a place that helped define the nation’s character.

“[I]n a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—thisground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it,far above our power to add or detract.”
—President Abraham Lincoln