Rating: 
Summary: Battlefield of Freedom
Review: For the last two years, I've been planning various trips to the United States, trips that will focus (in addition to the more regular tourist attractions) on historical events and places which interest me, chiefly ones connected with the American War of Independence, the Ante-Bellum South, the US Civil War, and the Civil Rights Movement. The trip keeps getting postponed and altered, but I hope to go around April-May, and one place I will certainly visit is the best known of America's Civil War battlefields, the greatest defeat of Robert E. Lee, and the place where the Union was (arguably) saved: Gettysburg.James McPherson, distinguished scholar of the Civil War and Pulitzer Price winning author of 'Battle Cry of Freedom' is an ideal tour guide for Gettysburg, and "Hallowed Ground: A Walk in Gettysburg" describes his tour. As usual, McPherson's prose is effortless and delightful. McPherson explains well the battle events, from the points of view of generals and privates, both Federal and Confederate. He discusses various historical controversies, and the post CW commemorations, which sometimes served purposes which were not entirely historical. McPherson also draws on his own scholarship, notably on his book 'For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War' to explain various aspects of the fighting, and especially the courage of soldiers, such as those in Pickett's charge, who fought uphill against a screen of fire and died in the thousands. When McPherson reaches the end of the tour in the Confederacy's high water mark - the furthest places where Pickett's men reached - you get a clear understanding of the structure of the battle in Gettysburg, and in the role of key divisions and men, from Custer and Chamberlain to Lee, Longstreet and Meade. Although both entertaining and insightful, McPherson's book has several weaknesses. Firstly, from a value for money point of view, it is short and expensive. It contains only four maps and no photographs. The maps are not very clear, and I (an admitted novice in Gettysburg geography) often struggled to understand where several places were. The map of downtown Gettysburg is almost entirely useless, and there is no map of the tour itself! Although McPherson is as insightful and interesting as I've come to expect of him, he recycles himself a bit, repeating anecdotes and quotations that appear in his other works. Also, relatively little attention was paid to the history of Gettysburg in the 140 years since the battle. Stories of later events are anecdotal, with no attempt to structure or put things into context. The book contains neither endnotes nor a bibliography, so the reader cannot use this book as a jump point for further studies (Unlike McPherson's 'Battle Cry of Freedom', which contains one of the best bibliographical essays I've ever encountered). Finally, from a practical point of view, 'Hallowed Ground' contains absolutely zero "getting there and around" information. We are not even given an estimate for how long the tour of Gettysburg should last. Is it doable in a full day? Two? I genuinely enjoyed 'Hallowed Ground', and I understand Gettysburg much better after having read it, and if you're interested in the American Civil War, this is a worthy addition to your book collection.
Rating: 
Summary: "on great fields something stays"
Review: I've been lucky enough to live within thirty-five miles of Gettysburg almost my entire life and luckier still to have been a frequent visitor to the battlefield. While my knowledge of the field and the battle itself likely do not rival McPherson's, I know exactly what he means when he says the place is like a second home. I love Gettysburg. So, too, does McPherson, and his passion permeates this slim little book. Easily read in a couple of hours, Hallowed Ground is part travel journal, part guidebook, part history, deftly woven together by this gifted historian and storyteller. For those familiar with Gettysburg the battle and the place, reading Hallowed Ground is like visiting with an old friend. For those who have never been, it is an invitation. All the sites are there: the Round Tops, Seminary and Cemetery Ridges, Culp's and Cemetery Hills, the Wheatfield, Devil's Den, the Peach Orchard, the McPherson Farm (no relation to the author). But McPherson goes deeper, to the monuments and their stories, even to the observation towers that old hands will recognize. The emotions are here, too. The strange elation you feel driving beneath the trees on Seminary Ridge or climbing the boulders at Devil's Den (at least in your younger days), knowing that men, great and small, walked these same paths, stood on the same ground, fought here for cause and comrade. And yet, knowing that many of these men died here--maybe in the Wheatfield--you feel the solemnity of the place, the horror of tens of thousands of casualties. You sense your own smallness and are awed by the actions that took place here; you are both proud and grateful. None other than Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, who acted heroically at Gettysburg, captured these sentiments and emotions. "In great deeds, something abides. On great fields something stays. Forms change and pass; bodies disappear, but spirits linger, to consecrate the ground for the vision-place of souls. And reverent men and women from afar, and generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them..." The spirit of Chamberlain's words pervades McPherson's book, a work that should appeal to buffs as well as neophytes. Before reading, though, beware. If you can put this book down without wanting to visit Gettysburg (again or for the first time), you have greater will power than I.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Battle Field Guide
Review: If you are planning a trip to Gettysburg (by far the best Civil War Park), you should pick this book up first. Read the book before you leave, then bring it along and follow the directions to make the most of your visit. McPherson is one of the best Civil War historians and has spent quite a bit of time studying the battle and visiting the park. The book walks you through the park, pointing out what was happening at each point along the way. I wish I had had the book with me when I toured the park.
Rating:
Summary: McPherson gives still another Gettysburg perspective...
Review: In the abstract, the notion of a book replacing an actual tour of the Gettysburg battlefield would seem a little far fetched...until one considers that this assignment is performed by the estimable Civil War author James McPherson. Under his pen, we get an amazingly new and unique perspective on this seminal battle that all Civil War readers should treasure as I certainly did.
Taking a walking tour of the battlefield and having the many anecdotes and stories that McPherson has developed over time and developing it into a small book (about 175 pages), the reader is treated to an intimate session with the master Civil War historian and undoubtedly learns many new and unique things previously lost to time and history. A study devoted to the battlefield as opposed to the battle, McPherson lets us in on things that never made the campaign studies of Coddington, Trudeau, Phanz or Sears...like the fact that many acres of the battlefield are being judiciously reformed back into the state it took in 1863...from clearing land that has since grown over, to re-growing woodland that has been cleared since the battle, or even, amazingly, culling wooded areas to make them resemble the partially wooded areas in 1863, thus giving the touring historian a feal for what that particular area was like back then. An explanation of the many monuments that dot the fields and the many stories associated with their placement will surely entice Civil War buffs with many new stories that add to the Gettysburg legend. All this is interspersed with a summary level discussion of the battle and the main players...all told in McPherson's unique way that combines both the military and the political climates of the times.
A marvelous gem of a book and one that features many new views associated with a battle and time in history that has been covered in many different ways, James McPherson has performed a marvelous service, again, to history and to the general reader. If you're like me, this work will be a vital part of my Gettysburg visit and, frankly, should be a focal point that the National Park Service stresses as a literary companion. A great book!!
Rating:
Summary: Essential Even For the Gettysburg Expert
Review: It is rare to find an informative, entertaining, and concise travelogue on any destination, much less one as important as Gettysburg. But, Hallowed Ground is a welcome exception to that situation. McPherson uses his experiences and research to provide the reader with a comprehensive look at both the battlefield and the battle. The anecdotes he offers add a depth to the text that is surprising given its brevity. That he provides this depth with a dash of humor only enhances satisfaction with the book. In fact, my only regret is that I didn't have this book when I toured Gettysburg. Consequently, it is easy for me to say that Hallowed Ground is a worthy addition to any Civil War buff's library, and a necessary companion for any Gettysburg visitor.
Rating:
Summary: Essential Even For the Gettysburg Expert
Review: It is rare to find an informative, entertaining, and concise travelogue on any destination, much less one as important as Gettysburg. But, Hallowed Ground is a welcome exception to that situation. McPherson uses his experiences and research to provide the reader with a comprehensive look at both the battlefield and the battle. The anecdotes he offers add a depth to the text that is surprising given its brevity. That he provides this depth with a dash of humor only enhances satisfaction with the book. In fact, my only regret is that I didn't have this book when I toured Gettysburg. Consequently, it is easy for me to say that Hallowed Ground is a worthy addition to any Civil War buff's library, and a necessary companion for any Gettysburg visitor.
Rating:
Summary: Great travel writing, great history
Review: James McPherson is certainly one of the best, if not the best, contemporary Civil War historians. This book is far from a scholarly work, however, and is rather a mixture of travel writing and history lesson. This Princeton professor writes this book as if he were giving a tour of the battlefield, and reading this short work is something like sitting in on one of his lectures. It is personable, intimate, and emotionally charged, and through McPherson's commentary on the battlefield, along with reminiscences of his visits to Gettysburg, it is possible to see what drives this man to do the work that he does. As travel writing, this is a great book, full of vivid descriptions of the site and packed with historical observations, anecdotes, and information on how the site has changed through the years. More valuable than that, however, is the history lesson McPherson gives. I have studied the Civil War to some extent, and am fairly familiar with the battle of Gettysburg, yet I found many things in this book of which I had never heard. McPherson dispels several popular myths of the place, and tells a number of stories, both of great generals and lowly privates, which enrich the overall experience. I have always wanted to visit Gettysburg. The remarkable event that took place there is worth my time to visit. But this book has significantly heightened my appreciation of the area, and of the tremendous sacrifice made there by men on both sides, and now I will make a walk at Gettysburg one of my top travel priorities.
Rating: 
Summary: Review of Hallowed Ground
Review: James McPherson is no stranger to the American Civil War in general and the battle of Gettysburg specifically; his book on the war, Battle Cry of Freedom, won the Pulitzer Prize, and he has led many guided tours and walks of Gettysburg in the past. Hallowed Ground, in essence, is a short but compelling combination of both: a history of the battle and a walk/guided tour, worked into a small hardback book a little over 140 pages in length. Mr. McPherson's narrative takes the reader through a walking tour of the battlefield from the beginning of the battle on July 1, 1863 and sequentially leads the reader from one section of the battle to the next, nearly sequentially as they happened on the battlefield. Occasionally there is a slight detour to other geographic or historic areas of note. At the same time, Mr. McPherson describes how that part of the battle took place, pointing out specific locations where there is a statue or interpretive marker and why it's there. Other odds and bits, like frequent Gettysburg myths, mentioned include the one about statue's hooves and the fate of the rider, or the ever-persistent "fought because of shoes" idea. Strangely enough, Mr. McPherson seems to take offense to various monuments and other events that, while providing stirring examples of Union and Confederate veteran unified nationalism, seemingly forgot what the war was all about in the first place. Such criticisms seem out of place given the context of the book. Book-ending the description of the battle and the guided battlefield tour is an account of the creation of the park itself, and some of the geographic changes that have occurred since 1863. At the end is Lincoln's poignant Gettysburg Address. Three maps detail the major locations and movements of forces during each day of the battle, but there is no map depicting the tour itself or even the location of park buildings, or how the battlefield stands today. There is no index or bibliography, though Hallowed Ground really doesn't need them. Finally, Mr. McPherson's tone is readable and very down-to-earth, and even inserts a joke or two, even a bad pun, which may seem a bit strange but doesn't really feel out of place. A few small criticisms aside, Mr. McPherson's newest work on Gettysburg accomplishes what it set out to do: provide a short history and tour of the battlefield, cover all the high points, and entertain the reader, all of which he more than adequately accomplishes.
Rating:
Summary: The Physical and Spiritual Geography of Gettysburg
Review: James McPherson's "Hallowed Ground" provides an admirably concise history of the most famous battle of the Civil War, and offers an excellent tour of that well-known, highly revered field. He takes the reader on a step-by-step journey across space and time, explaining why the battle was fought on this spot, what happened, what the ground looked like then, and what it looks like today. If you've ever been to Gettsyburg, this book will surely help to reinforce and unlock your memories; and it's certainly the next best thing to an actual visit if you've never been there. McPherson's gifts as a historian and a storyteller also help the reader to understand why this battle has claimed such a prominent place in the hearts and memories of generations of Americans. It's a lot to offer in 140 pages, but McPherson delivers on all he promises--and more.
Rating:
Summary: A Walk Through Gettysburg
Review: James McPherson, America's leading Civil War historian, is an ideal guide to the Gettysburg Battlefield. In his short, eloquent book, "Hallowed Ground," it is almost as if Professor McPherson is at the reader's side accompanying the reader as a guide to the great battle that took place from July 1 -- July 3, 1863. McPherson is an ideal guide for many reasons. Most importantly, he is reflective. His focus is on the meaning and significance of the Battle rather than on bare fact or on a strict discussion of detailed military maneuvers. McPherson sees the Battle, and the Civil War in general, as a conflict driven by the institution of slavery. He reminds the reader of the "New Birth of Freedom" that President Lincoln saw as the meaning of the conflict in his Gettysburg Address. McPherson is alive to other meanings of the struggle, including the role it played in forging an American nationalism, and including as well the valor shown and the sacrifices endured by the many who fought at Gettysburg, from the Union and from the Confederacy. The reader comes away from the book encouraged to think through the meaning of the Battle. This would be the best result that could be achieved from a book about Gettysburg or from a visit to the Battlefield. Professor McPherson is also an ideal guide because he resists the temptation to say too much. Several recent books such as those by Stephen Sears and Noah Trudeau offer outstanding accounts of the fighting at Gettysburg, its prelude, and its aftermath. Professor McPherson's book, in contrast, is not a detailed military study of the campaign. Rather, he gives the reader short summaries of the fighting on each of the three days of the battle. What he says is lucid and cuts to the heart of the battle. It is what a person seeing the Battlefield would need to know, and what the visitor could reasonably hope to absorb in a single visit without becoming bogged down in a welter of detail. (The detail of course is necessary for those wishing to study the battle in depth.) McPherson is also an ideal guide because of his sense of place at the Battlefield. McPherson tells the reader that he has seen the Battlefield by walking, biking, car and bus. He has brought his classes from Princeton, as well as other groups, to see the Battlefield and to think about the role of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War in American History. McPherson's account emphasizes the physical features of the battlefield --where the trees and orchards were in 1863 and where the land now differs from its topography at the time of the battle. He is full of anecdotes about people of the Battle, of great rank and of low rank, and of civilians. He has wonderfully specific information about the many monuments and statutes that await the visitor at Gettysburg and that memorialze the events of the Battle. He is also full of challenging questions and of answers that may surprise. For example, "is there any significance to whether a horse is standing on two legs in determining whether its rider survived the battle"? (see p. 40) "Who is the only enlisted soldier with his own monument on the battlefield and why? (see p.53) Also, "Did the Battle of Gettysburg result from an advance Confederate brigade entering Gettysburg in search of shoes"? (see p.35-36) McPherson's avoids pat answers to these and many other questions. This book is a meditation on the Battle of Gettysburg by a writer who has thought long and deeply about his subject. It will move the reader and increase the reader's ability to reflect upon our history.
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