Covered with Glory - by Rod Gragg (Paperback)

About the Book

Covered with Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at the Battle of Gettysburg

Book Synopsis

The battle of Gettysburg was the largest engagement of the Civil War, and -- with more than 51,000 casualties -- also the deadliest. The highest regimental casualty rate at Gettysburg, an estimated 85 percent, was incurred by the 26th North Carolina Infantry. Who were these North Carolinians? Why were they at Gettysburg? How did they come to suffer such a grievous distinction? In Covered with Glory, award-winning historian Rod Gragg reveals the extraordinary story of the 26th North Carolina in fascinating detail.

Praised for its "exhaustive scholarship" and its "highly readable style," Covered with Glory chronicles the 26th's remarkable odyssey from muster near Raleigh to surrender at Appomattox. The central focus of the book, however, is the regiment's critical, tragic role at Gettysburg, where its standoff with the heralded 24th Michigan Infantry on the first day of fighting became one of the battle's most unforgettable stories. Two days later, the 26th's bloodied remnant assaulted the Federal line at Cemetery Ridge and gained additional fame for advancing "farthest to the front" in the Pickett-Pettigrew Charge.

Review Quotes

"An interesting story that never lags. . . . The writing is excellent [at] capturing the heartbreak and dissolution of an army." -- TOCWOC-A Civil War Blog

"Gragg presents an exceptional look at the rise and fall of the 26th North Carolina Infantry and their actions at the battle of Gettysburg." -- ###The Journal of the North Carolina Association of Historians

"Gragg's engaging style and in-depth research present a highly readable account of the regiment, its leaders, and the men in the ranks." -- The Civil War News

"One of the most dramatic combat narratives ever written." -- Military.com

"This exemplary book puts a human face on the 26th North Carolina's tragic loss at Gettysburg and is one of the [battle's] most original titles." -- ##Publishers Weekly#