26th NC at Gettysburg (1 Viewer)

[lancer]

I was reading Mark Adkin's The Gettysburg Companion and have noticed a curious absence (error?) regarding the 26th NC. While reading pg.478 regarding Pickett's charge, Adkin mentions that the 26th reached the wall during the charge but that "There would not have been that many of the 26th NC among them, as it suffered the highest number of losses, 687 or 82%, of any regiment in either army during the battle - VIRTUALLY ALL SUSTAINED DURING PICKETT'S CHARGE.". (My italics) Now, after reading this (and knowing it to be wrong) I went back to Adkin's account of the first day regarding Meredith's and Pettigrew's shootout and found nothing regarding the 26th's horrible casualties suffered around Willoughby Run. In fact, if I remember correctly, most of the 26th's losses were suffered on the first day (I don't have figures, but I believe up to 75% of their total losses were prior to Pickett's Charge). Any experts out there know whether I am right or wrong? Hard to believe that Adkin's could make a mistake like this on what I thought was a relatively famous and written about account. -- Al

 

[Warrior]

Al,
I have that book and think for the most part it is excellent, specifically the maps and the color pictures of the battlefield and also the uniform plates.

That said, it is loaded with errors, it has been picked apart on several other forums, so you are correct, he got this and quite a few other facts wrong................still, I love the book.

 

[lancer]

Al,
I have that book and think for the most part it is excellent, specifically the maps and the color pictures of the battlefield and also the uniform plates.

That said, it is loaded with errors, it has been picked apart on several other forums, so you are correct, he got this and quite a few other facts wrong................still, I love the book.

Thanks for the info, George. I was unaware that the book had taken such criticism. Have to agree about the maps and ills. It is a most (perhaps the most) useful reference I have seen or used about Gettysburg. Just really love the maps. I guess errors are inevitable in such a massive work. Will just have to read around them. -- Al

 

[UKReb]

Al

When I found the 40 or 50th niggling error in the book I gave up on it-agree with you and George that it's a fine looking tome but it gave me a migraine due to the basic fact that I found myself reading the book primarily to locate the mistakes-there are literally pages of them.

Eventually I sold mine on Amazon and purchased a recommendation from a pal of mine the dual set of books by Bradley M Gottfried

The Maps of Gettysburg (Superb illustrations on every other page with a full explanation of troop movements)
The Brigades of Gettysburg (Loaded with interesting facts on every Confederate and Union regiment that I had never read anywhere before)

Much much more accurate and alongside either Sears or Trudeau's version of the battle one would have a pretty good account of the Pennsylvania campaign.

I suppose one could say they never should have let a Brit (Adkin) publish a book on Gettysburg

Bob

 

[marco55]

This is really disappointing as I just got this book.
Mark

 

[jazzeum]

Further to Bob's point about the Maps of Gettysburg, published by Savas Beatie, please see this which I had posted last week but didn't draw much interest.

 

[lancer]

Thanks Brad and Reb. Looks like those map books will be going on my procurement list. I have just purchased the Sears book and look forward to reading it. The Adkin's book obviously has problems, narratively, but I think it is still very useful for all the technical, human, Order of Battle, and maps that it brings together in one place. Gettysburg is like any other great battle that one would study, meaning that it is best to read multiple works. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

Al,

I happened to see one of those map books (might have been the Chickamagua one) last week (can't remember where I was) and took a quick look and they look really nice.

 

[Spitfrnd]

Al
......
I suppose one could say they never should have let a Brit (Adkin) publish a book on Gettysburg

Bob

Could be, he did a fine job on Waterloo as far as I am concerned. I have found some errors but not more than the usual confusion from conflicting sources. Of course, that one was rather closer to home.