Civil War Artillery at Gettysburg
                                             by Philip M. Cole

   An analysis of the  artillery at Gettysburg:  Using accessible descriptions, this book   details  the technology of artillery,  it compares organizations, and describes how the guns were used and their impact on the battle.

   “This book is an artillery ‘buff’s’ delight…The work meticulously examines the forming of the respective artillery arms of the two armies; the organization; artillery technology; guns; equipment and animals constituting that arm; ammunition; artillery operations; the artillerymen and, finally, actions of the guns on July 2 and 3.…The work is perfect for someone seeking more data than found in most general histories of the battle...  Nicely illustrated to supplement the text, the succinctly written technical details of ballistics, projectile composition, and impact of technology for battlefield lethality will prove similarly useful and exciting for anyone captivated by the guns of Gettysburg.” Book reviewer: B. F. Cooling, The Civil War Courier

   “Rather than being a dull treatise, Artillery at Gettysburg...proves to be an engaging book...Cole explains the benefits and liabilities of each piece of artillery.... Cole includes chapters on logistics, training, various types of ammunition, and the support structure.  His use of photographs, diagrams, and maps are excellent and integrate seamlessly into the text...Not only does it explain why events unfolded the way they did, it helps explain how they unfolded.”  Book reviewer: Maj. James Gates, USAF, Military Review

   “I found Civil War Artillery at Gettysburg to be an informative and well written account of the ‘long-arm’ at Gettysburg. The book is very well-illustrated with maps and photos throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to our readers.” Book Reviewer: James N. Vogler, Jr., Editor-in-Chief, The Confederate Veteran

324 pages, Softcover, ISBN 0-977-71250-8

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Command and Communication Frictions
in the Gettysburg Campaign by Philip M. Cole
                                

   Frictions are the mechanisms which complicated warfare. They  are the constant streams of obstacles thrown in the way of planning and the governor of progress. Armies encountered unpredictable obstacles in any number of situations.  Each friction requires a different solution. Each challenge is a diversion from the planned objective.  Each unplanned task saps an army’s resources needed elsewhere. 

  Frictions steered the armies into making major decisions and altering or reversing plans. They drew commanders’ attention to less important details in operations at the expense of maintaining balance over the big picture.

 This work focuses on the frictions of two important functions – command and communication. Command and Communication Frictions in the Gettysburg Campaign illustrates the effect these two functions had in determining the outcome of the campaign. Some incidents presented may be familiar, but perhaps viewed in a different way to illustrate their serious impact on the battle – at least as much as troops in combat affected the result. 

 104 pages, Softcover, ISBN 0-977-71251-6

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Human Interest Stories
 of the Gettysburg Campaign
                     by Scott L. Mingus, Sr.

   The influences which create emotional bonds between us, today, and those in the past are human interest stories. Such stories allow us to understand the hardships and deprivations endured from this event. They connect and endear us in ways we can relate to the participants. They instill in us respect by their commitment to duty and they amaze us with tales of lighter, sometimes humorous, moments amidst tragic circumstances.

  This unique blend of stories, arranged in chronological order to enhance the reader's experience, was gathered from primary sources, including diaries, pension records, historical collections, official records, and also newspapers, journals, and books.

  An extraordinary collection of human interest stories as witnessed by the soldiers and civilians, here are just two examples:

   “An unusual group of volunteers responded in Harrisburg to Governor Curtin’s plea. Capt. Charles C. Carson and a company of 17 men, the youngest being 68 years old, came forward and presented themselves for military service. Each senior citizen was a veteran of the War of 1812, and they wanted to again serve their state and country in a time of need. A color bearer proudly carried an historic relic, a highly tattered battle flag that had once been borne at the Battle of Trenton by Pennsylvanians serving under George Washington.”

   “In one case, some members of the 3rd Michigan found that the most threatening enemy was not the Confederates they were pursuing. The Wolverines, hungry for some honey, raided some beehives in a nearby garden, initially driving off the bees. However, as the men reached the hives, the bees counterattacked en masse, repeatedly stinging the men as they struggled to get away from the prolonged assault. An amused onlooker, Color Sgt. Daniel Crotty, later wrote that the slashing and darting bees made some men ‘turn such somersaulting on the ground as to put to shame a lot of Japanese acrobat performers in a circus ring.’ The soldiers made an inglorious retreat, their swollen heads and faces now resembling huge mortar shells.”

 104 pages, Softcover, ISBN 0-977-71252-4

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New Release
Human Interest Stories
of the Gettysburg Campaign
Volume II
                                                                                       by Scott L. Mingus, Sr.
                              

   This volume provides another series of fascinating behind-the-scenes stories to enrich readers’ understanding of this historic event - beyond the tactics familiar to many students of the battle.  The descriptive incidents in this work detail the terror and suffering encountered by civilians and soldiers alike, as well as provide tales of lighter moments amidst the swirling action of battle.  Here are a few examples:

   “As one Union brigade was marching through town, the drum corps struck up lively music. The colonel noticed that one drummer boy was not beating his drum.  He asked his adjutant to find out why the boy was not playing.  Riding up to the musicians, the adjutant, with a deep frown on his face, shouted at the boy, ‘The colonel wants to know why you are not beating your drum?’ In a whisper loud enough to be enjoyed some distance down the line, the culprit replied, ‘Tell the colonel that I can’t beat my drum now.  I have two live turkeys in my drum - and one of them is for the colonel!’ ”

   “A patrol from Company B of the 3rd Virginia Cavalry rode up to a Cumberland County farmhouse and dismounted. Knocks on the door were answered by a mother holding a baby, and the Rebels asked if they could purchase some food, as they had not eaten much for days. She snapped, ‘I have nothing and if I did, I’d not give it to you.’  As one soldier stepped closer, she proclaimed, ‘You dirty Rebels will get nothing from me. I’d like to see the whole lot of you die!’ One suddenly snatched the baby from her arms and insinuated he would eat the baby for food. The shaken woman complied, entering her house and dishing out bacon, ham, fowl, and bread and butter to the famished soldiers.  One later wrote, ‘We had a glorious feast and took the remainder back to camp after paying her for all we had taken.’ The Confederate money was worthless, but the woman believed she had saved her baby’s life.”

104 pages, Softcover, ISBN 0-977-71254-0

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Human Interest Stories from Antietam

by Scott L. Mingus, Sr.

   Scott Mingus presents another insightful, rich collection of human interest stories, this one surrounding the Maryland campaign of  September 1862.  Although each mini-story stands by itself as a fascinating anecdote, the author places them in context, chronologically, to give the reader a deeper understanding of what went on during this historic event - a new perspective as related directly from the experiences of soldiers and civilians alike.

   This work, in four chapters, covers the actions leading up to    the battle of Antietam and follows through to the aftermath of    America’s bloodiest day. Here are just a few samples:

   “As one regiment was preparing for a second assault on an enemy position, the men had to pass through a piece of ground littered with the dead and dying from the unsuccessful prior attack. Although they were not yet under hostile fire, one soldier suddenly staggered amid the dead and dying, for he, to his sudden shock, had noted the body of his father, who belonged to a different regiment. Nearby lay a wounded man who knew both the father and son. He pointed to the still corpse and then upwards to the sky, and solemnly intoned, ‘It is well with him.’ Perhaps comforted by the thought that his father was now in Paradise, the young soldier regained his composure, fixed his bayonet, and rejoined the advance. After the battle, he returned and helped bury his father.”

       “The Nineteenth Maine Infantry was camped nearby on Bolivar Heights. This regiment ‘had the largest men in it that I ever saw,’ according to artilleryman Tom Aldrich. However, apparently their brains did not match their brawn. The Maine boys marched to the top of the heights and stacked arms near mealtime. During the fall of Harper’s Ferry two weeks before, a battery of 20 lb. Parrott Rifles had occupied that position, and several discarded shells were still lying about. Without checking to see if the rounds were still live, several Maine lumberjacks soon used the shells to construct a fireplace to set their frying pans on. Soon they had a nice fire started and began preparing their food. The heat soon set off some of the shells, with fierce explosions ringing the air…”

104 pages, Softcover, ISBN 0-977-71252-4

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New Release

A Concise Guide to the Artillery
at Gettysburg

by Gregory A. Coco

   This guide is a great source of useful information regarding the actions, weapons, and ammunition of artillery units in the Battle of Gettysburg.

   The author discusses artillery organization for both armies,  providing a concise  narrative on the role of each corps’ artillery force in this famous event.

   This work also includes detailed maps for  each day’s action,  a chart with the numbers of each type of gun in each army, and an order of battle listing the types of guns,  units strengths,  and casualties in each battery.

“...also a handy reference tool for your battlefield visit.”

104 pages, Softcover, Second Edition, ISBN 0-977-71255-9

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New Release

Remarkable Stories
of the
Lincoln Assassination

by Michael Kanazawich

  
     Everyone knows that John Wilkes Booth shot  AbrahamLincoln at Ford's Theatre and was caught twelve days later in a tobacco barn in Virginia.

But did you know that:
        A Gypsy foretold a terrible end to John Wilkes Booth’s  life?

       An individual claiming to be John Wilkes Booth was  mummified and put on display at carnivals?

       A young boy watched as the Lincoln conspirators          were executed?
 

       Michael Kanazwich has compiled an engaging collection of accounts surrounding     the events and characters involved in one of America’s most unsettling events.

       This  book  describes the  planning and implementation of the conspiracy,  as well as the capture, trial, and punishment of the conspirators, and follows with a series of interesting anecdotes covering the aftermath.

       This enjoyable assortment of stories makes an easy read on a fascinating and timeless subject.

102 pages, Softcover, First Edition, ISBN 0-977-71256-7

$9.95 [PA res. add 6% sales tax] + $3.75 s&h
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