The Long Road to Gettysburg

New York, NY: Scholastic Book Services, 1995. Paperback. Near Fine. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. Age Range: 9 to 11. Describes the events of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 as seen through the eyes of two actual participants, nineteen-year-old Confederate lieutenant John Dooley and seventeen-year-old Union soldier Thomas Galway. Also discusses Lincoln's famous speech delivered at the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg. As in The Boys' War, Murphy returns to the Civil War, this time focusing on the Battle of Gettysburg. He introduces two participants--19-year-old Lieutenant John Dooley, CSA, and 17-year-old Union army Corporal Thomas Galway--through whose eyes the action unfolds. Each is a fairly ``typical'' soldier: for Galway, who has experienced anti-Irish prejudice, the war is personal; Dooley is there to defend the honor and integrity of the South. Through alternating narratives, readers see the march northward through Virginia and Pennsylvania, and are present for Pickett's Charge. Murphy does not spare the grim details of battle, and the well-chosen, sepia-toned illustrations and their accompanying captions do much to illuminate the text. The maps are comprehensive and thorough in recording the troop movements. The book closes with Lincoln delivering his Gettysburg Address, and with an epilogue about the young men's postwar lives. The excellent use of quotes and descriptions from Dooley and Galway's journals brings authenticity and immediacy to the narrative. By focusing on these two ordinary soldiers, readers gets a new perspective on this decisive and bloody battle. A first-rate addition to Civil War collections, especially where Murphy's previous book is popular. - School Library Journal. 116 pages. The top of spine front corner is bumped and rubbed. The bottom of spine is slightly rubbed..