Gettysburg's Forgotten Cavalry Actions: Farnsworth's Charge, South Cavalry Field, and the Battle of Fairfield, July 3, 1863 Paperback – November 5, 2011

This review addresses the three books by Eric J. Wittenberg on the Union cavalry at Gettysburg: “The Devil’s to Pay” John Buford at Gettysburg; Protecting the Flank at Gettysburg: The Battles for Brinkerhoff’s Ridge and East Cavalry Field, July 2-3, 1863; and Gettysburg’s Forgotten Cavalry Actions: Farnsworth’s Charge, South Cavalry Field, and the Battle of Fairfield, July 3, 1863 Many, many years ago I learned that reading for pleasure was an excellent way to relax, clear my mind, and learn at the same time. Recently, while working in the U.S. Cavalry Association’s Cavalry Memorial Research Library and drafting issues of The Cavalry Journal, these books came to my attention. I basically read them for pleasure, but sure learned a lot! When my family visited Gettysburg in 1959, I was “hooked” on cavalry and Gettysburg. Union cavalry Brigadier General John Buford impressed me with his actions before, during, and after the 1-3 July 1863 fighting between the Union and Confederate armies at Gettysburg. These books expanded my knowledge about the cavalry, North and South, at Gettysburg. Wittenberg’s Gettysburg cavalry books are historic. They collectively cover the geographic area surrounding Gettysburg and the fighting that occurred there. They go into great detail with the “who” (Union and Confederate cavalry leaders and soldiers, cavalry companies and regiments, supporting artillery units and artillerymen, and the civilians who lived in that area); the “what” (the deadly fighting that affected soldiers, civilians and their livelihoods, and countless animals); the “where” (the individual battlefields, the importance of each battlefield, and how they related to each other); the “when” (primarily the events happening 30 June-3 July with links back to Brandy Station and leading up to Gettysburg); the “why” (Buford identified the defensible terrain and knew his cavalrymen must keep the advancing Confederates at bay until Union infantry reinforcements could arrive and help his cavalrymen keep the Confederates from beating Meade’s army to that terrain); and the “how”(the Union cavalry’s work to accomplish its missions and the missed opportunities to defeat Lee’s army). As a further bonus, in each book Wittenberg includes a walking and driving tour, with GPS benchmarks, to easier find the battlefields, battlefield markers, and historic sites associated with the separate cavalry battles. But what really makes these books important is the “first person” words of many of the participants: Union and Confederate cavalrymen and artillerymen, and the civilians. Major Van de Graff, whose 5th Alabama Battalion provided skirmishers on 1 July, wrote his wife a few days after the fight, “[D]uring the battle a shell exploded at my feet covering me with dirt and filling my eyes.” And a local farmer called out to the 5th Alabama. “Tell Lee to hold on just a little while until I get my cow out [of] the pasture!” On 3 July, the Wolverines’ heavy fire of their Spencer carbines dislodged and drove the Southerners back and that night Sgt. Edwin B. Bigelow recorded in his diary, “Our regiment did noble executions.” These descriptive accounts enable the reader to experience what was happening to the participants. Wittenberg has years of very in-depth research in the cavalry at Gettysburg. It is his passion. The books are extensively footnoted with a lengthy bibliography. Overall, I rate these books as an A+ since they do much to add to the understanding of the battle at Gettysburg and the war. They are a “must read” for students of the battle. Reviewed by the editor, the Cavalry Journal, the U.S. Cavalry Association.

This is a great read for Civil War enthusiasts, especially those that lean towards the Gettysburg Campaign and/or the Cavalry aspects of the campaign. As the title indicates, the focus is on important actions of the great battle that have often been omitted from the main discussions. The author provides a great account of these actions using a blend of first hand accounts from primary sources as well as overall perspectives on challenges of terrain, critical decisions, and opportunities lost. Theses areas have been largely left behind as it relates to the National Park experience; however, the author provides detailed touring information for each area. It a great read on a subject that has largely been left behind.

This book examines and explains the details of the cavalry actions on the flanks of the fighting at Gettysburg in July 1863. The author's passion for the gallant action of the horsemen brings these actions to life. While the cavalry actions did not totally change the outcome of the fighting on either July 2 or 3, they had an impact. I was impressed to find out that three Medal of Honor awards were given to Union troopers for their actions on July 3. The book does a good job of raising the awareness of the part the Union and Confederate cavalry played on two days of this greatest battle of the Civil War 150 years ago. We visited Gettysburg for the first time this past fall, and agree with the author there is no attention given to the cavalry actions except for one photo and short paragraph in the museum of the visitor's center. I hope to go back to the battlefield again and use the driving tour included in the book to find and explore this mostly ignored piece of history.

This is an excellent supporting book for the battle of Gettysburg. Generally when one reads about this battle, the focus, indeed the whole narrative, is about the infantry and artillery battle. Those certainly were important. But just as Buford's cavalry actions in the beginning of Day 1 were essential to understanding the way the battle unfolded, so this book adds a dimension to the overall understanding of what all went on in those 3 fateful days.In addition to fine reporting of facts concerning the cavalry actions, and of Farnsworth's gallant but useless charge, it brings out the question of what might have happened had Meade had serious control of his forces and used them as perhaps Grant might have. One can only suspect that the Civil War would have ended there and then.Every bit worth the read.

Outstanding details on three relatively forgotten cavalry battles in wonderful detail with maps. I have been fascinated by Farnsworth's suicide charge and could never figure how they attacked. Wittenberg describes not only the attack but its origin with Kilpatrick calling Farnsworth virtually a coward and he Farnsworth makes the charge from the south between the rocks of devil s den and the Emmittsburg road where he's crushed by Longstreet's infantry. Same great detail on the other two oft forgotten charges.

As a modern day veteran of the 6th U.S. Cavalry I am always searching for more information regarding the 6th Cavalry's fight at Fairfield during the Gettysburg Campaign. This book which covered all the significant cavalry actions during the 1-3 July 1863 period was a welcome addition to my library. Well written with JPS position data for each of the actions and events will allow those who want to walk the ground where the cavalry trod and get a view of an overlooked perspective of the Gettysburg fight. It is apparent that much research went into the making of this book and the authors are to be commended for their dilligence. Now if I could just get the book in hardback, I'll be a very happy 6th Cavalry trooper.