Flames Beyond Gettysburg: The Confederate Expedition to the Susquehanna River, June 1863

Scott L. Mingus

mars 2009 · Savas Beatie

À propos de cet e-book

An in-depth look at a Confederate general and the first blood spilled at Gettysburg, with maps, photos, and a guide to historic sites.
 
This book examines the key role played by Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell’s Second Corps during the final days in June. It is the first in-depth study of these crucial summer days that not only shaped the course of the Gettysburg Campaign but altered the course of our nation’s history.
 
In two powerful columns, Ewell’s Corps swept toward the strategically important Susquehanna River and the Pennsylvania capital looming beyond. Fear coursed through the local populace while Washington and Harrisburg scrambled to meet the threat. One of Ewell’s columns included a veteran division under Jubal Early, whose objectives included the capture and ransom of towns and the destruction of railroad bridges and the Hanover Junction rail yard.
 
Early’s most vital mission was the seizure of the Columbia Bridge, which spanned the Susquehanna River between Wrightsville and Columbia. To capture the longest covered bridge in the world would allow the division to cross into prosperous Lancaster County and move against the capital in Harrisburg.
 
Flames Beyond Gettysburg vividly narrates both sides of Ewell’s drama-filled expedition, including key Southern decisions, the response of the Pennsylvania militiamen and civilians who opposed the Confederates, and the burning of the Columbia Bridge. It also features detailed driving tours of the various sites discussed in the book. Based upon extensive primary source material and featuring original maps by cartographer Steven Stanley, this fast-paced and gracefully written history is a welcome and important addition to the Gettysburg literature.

À propos de l'auteur

Scott Mingus is a scientist and executive in the paper industry, andholds patents in self-adhesive postage stamps and bar code labels. Hegraduated from the paper science & engineering program at MiamiUniversity and was part of the research team that developed the firstcommercially successful self-adhesive U.S. postage stamps. He haswritten eighteen Civil War books. His biography of Confederate GeneralWilliam "Extra Billy" Smith was nominated for or won multiple awards,including the Dr. James I Robertson, Jr. Literary Prize. He also wroteseveral articles for Gettysburg Magazine. Scott maintains a blog on theCivil War history of York County (yorkblog.com/cannonball) andreceived the 2013 Heritage Profile Award from the York County HeritageTrust for his contributions to local Civil War history. He also haswritten six scenario books on miniature wargaming and was elected to the hobby's prestigious Legion of Honor. His great-great-grandfather was a15-year-old drummer boy in the 51st Ohio Infantry, and other familymembers fought in the Army of the Potomac at Antietam and Gettysburg. He is a direct descendant of Pvt. Moses Mingus, 1st New York Infantry,American Revolutionary War.