Brandy Station 1863: First step towards Gettysburg

Description

The road to Gettysburg began at Brandy Station on 9 June 1863. Early on that morning, General Pleasanton launched his men across the Rappahannock at Beverley's Ford to the north of Brandy Station and Kelly's Ford to the south. General JEB Stuart was caught unaware by these maneuvers and his lines and headquarters were nearly overrun until reinforcements helped to stabilize the situation. Following 12 hours of bitter fighting the Union forces withdrew back across the river in what was the largest and most hotly contested clash of sabres in the war. This book describes the battle with a step-by-step analysis, illustrated with detailed maps, birds-eye-views and full colour battlescene artwork.

Dan Beattie is a former librarian, New York City welfare investigator, infantryman, Public Information Officer for the USDA Forest Service, professor of History and Political Science, and businessman. He earned a BA from the City University of New York, and a MA and PhD in History from Duke University. He was a member of the Shenandoah Battlefields National Historic District Commission, which set up the present Foundation of the same name. For many years he served on the Boards of Trustees of the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites (as Secretary) and the Civil War Preservation Trust (as Chairman of the Battlefields Preservation Committee). He has received the highest Preservationist Award of both groups. He sat on the Board of the Brandy Station Foundation for about 10 years. He has been instrumental in saving each of the parcels of land preserved of Brandy Station battlefield. He lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, with his wife of 31 years, Peggy, and two children. Adam Hook studied graphic design, and began his work as an illustrator in 1983. He specializes in detailed historical reconstructions, and has illustrated Osprey titles on the Aztecs, the Greeks, several 19th-century American subjects and a number of books in the Fortress series. His work features in exhibitions and publications throughout the world.

"In short, this book is an excellent overview of the initial battle of the Gettysburg Campaign." --Jeff Grim, Collected Miscellany, www.collectedmiscellany.com (February 2009)