Pickett's Charge--The Last Attack at Gettysburg

“Hess provides a stirring battle narrative accompanied by new interpretations tracing the hows and whys of what has been called Pickett’s Charge. . . . A successful combination of familiar and not so well known accounts. . . . Very readable with a liberal use of maps and illustrations to accompany the text. . . . A necessary read for anyone interested in the Gettysburg Campaign or military history. . . . The best account of that historic encounter on Cemetery Ridge.” — Civil War News

“Well illustrated with scenes from the battlefield and portraits of the principal figures. . . . The writing is crisp and clear. Pickett’s Charge is a valuable addition to the Civil War shelf.” — Washington Times

“This book is probably the best book on Pickett’s Charge that has been written to date. . . . Hess’s writing is clear and lucid, and very descriptive of the horrible battlefield conditions during this storied attack and repulse. . . . His book will stand on its own merit for a long time to come. It’s a must-have title for any Gettysburg collection.” — Journal of Military History

“Hess brings an impressive outpouring of new and old sources to bear in a strong narrative of the attack and its repulse that is rich in detail, quotes and personal accounts, with excellent accompanying maps and photographs. . . . This is a good book.” — Washington Post Book World

“Here we are told again and better of the best-known day of the war, in a beautifully written account. . . . No prior account captures with such integrity and historical accuracy the horror and valor of the best-known infantry assault of the war. This book imparts a palpable understanding and appreciation of the roles played by men of all ranks, both sides, the brave, the foolish, the cowardly, the opportunistic.” — Virginia Quarterly Review

“[Hess] utilizes a wide range of primary sources penned by the participants themselves from before the attack began through postwar remembrances. . . . From this perspective we have not only a fuller appreciation of what the participants experienced, but also a more accurate picture of the charge’s significance in the larger context of war.” — Civil War Times

“Hess sweeps away the accumulated myths about Pickett’s Charge to provide the definitive history of the engagement. . . . Drawing on exhaustive research, especially in unpublished personal accounts, he creates a moving narrative of the attack from both Union and Confederate perspectives, analyzing its planning, execution, aftermath, and legacy.” — McCormick Messenger

“Easily stands above all comparable accounts of the last fatal act of the Gettysburg drama. . . . [It is] thoroughly researched.” — Allen C. Guelzo, The Barnes & Noble Review

“Given the volume of publications on Gettysburg, it is difficult to write something that is fresh and original on the battle. Earl Hess has succeeded in doing this. I have no doubt that this work will take its place as the new standard on Pickett’s Charge.” — D. Scott Hartwig, Historian, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania