The six essays in this volume testify to the enduring impact of the Civil War on our national consciousness. Covering subjects as diverse as tactics, the uses of autobiography, and the power of myth-making in the southern tradition, they illustrate the rewards of imaginative scholarship — even for the most intensely studied battle in America’s history. The Third Day at Gettysburg and Beyond brings current research and interpretation to bear on a range of pivotal issues surrounding the final day of the battle, July 3, 1863. This revisionist approach begins by expanding our knowledge of the engagement itself: individual essays address Confederate general James Longstreet’s role in Pickett’s Charge and Union general George Meade’s failure to pursue Lee after the fighting. Other essays widen the scope of investigation to look at contemporary reactions to the Confederate defeat across the South, the construction of narratives by the participants themselves — from Confederate survivors of Pickett’s assault to Union sergeant Ben Hirst — and the reverberations of Pickett’s final momentous charge. Combining fresh evidence with the reinterpretation of standard sources, these essays refocus our view of the third day at Gettysburg to take in its diverse stories of combat and memory. The contributors are Gary W. Gallagher, William Garrett Piston, Carol Reardon, Robert K. Krick, Robert L. Bee, and A. Wilson Greene. The third and final day at Gettysburg, climaxed by the valiant, futile charge of Pickett's division, is perhaps the most controversial and analyzed battle in U.S. military history. In this collection of revisionist essays, Gallagher and five other Civil War specialists provide fresh, intriguing perspectives on some of those controversies. Gallagher suggests that the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg was not the turning point in the war; rather, it was a discouraging but manageable setback. The loss of Vicksburg one day later is seen as a far more devastating loss. A. Wilson Greene convincingly exonerates Union general Meade of the charge of meekness for his failure to pursue the defeated Lee aggressively; given Meade's own organizational problems, his caution may have been quite prudent. Gallagher, editor of Civil War America , has provided a minitreasure for Civil War specialists in this compilation of well-written and challenging theses. Jay Freeman “These essays help to uncover the true story of Gettysburg beyond the constructed reality of wartime memory makers and later historians. . . . This collection proves that new scholarship surrounding the battle is not only possible but exciting.” — Civil War History “Both serious students of Gettysburg and general Civil War enthusiasts will find these essays thought-provoking, informative, and challenging. . . . Students of Civil War military campaigns should look forward eagerly to subsequent volumes of Gallagher’s 'Military Campaigns of the Civil War Series.” — Civil War Regiments “ The Third Day at Gettysburg and Beyond is a real gem. . . . These well-written and well-documented essays are an important contribution to Gettysburg historiography.” — Louisiana History “Gallagher . . . has provided a mini-treasure for Civil War specialists in this compilation of well-written and challenging theses.” — Booklist “ The Third Day at Gettysburg and Beyond is a rare collection. Remarkably consistent in focus and high quality, its articles offer fresh research and a coherent, innovative perspective on the history of the most studied Civil War engagement.” — West Virginia History “This is a fine collection of essays relating to the Gettysburg campaign. Readers will find them entertaining and enlightening, to be sure, and some might find one or two of them provoking. They are good reading.” — Harry W. Pfanz, author of Gettysburg — The Second Day and Gettysburg — Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill “Together, the six articles contain a surprising amount of fresh material. Separately, they show intriguingly that many 130-year-old questions surrounding Gettysburg remain unanswered and challenging.” — James Robertson, Richmond Times-Dispatch “Some of the most important and innovative scholarship on Civil War battles and their political and social impact has appeared in the volumes of the Military Campaigns of the Civil War series. I strongly recommend these essays to everyone who is interested in the latest findings and interpretations.” — James M. McPherson, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Battle Cry of Freedom: The Era of the Civil War “Some of the most important and innovative scholarship on Civil War battles and their political and social impact has appeared in the volumes of the Military Campaigns of the Civil War series. I strongly recommend these essays to everyone who is interested in the latest findings and interpretations.” — James M. McPherson, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Battle Cry of Freedom: The Era of the Civil War