Gettysburg's Most Hellish Battleground: The Devil’s Den, July 2, 1863

This book is an awesome book for Civil War fans or war fans in general, even if you know little about the Civil War. Before reading the book I did not know much about the battle of Devil's Den, but now I have a whole wealth of knowledge. With all the information the book includes I am really surprised I hadn't heard of the battle before. The book is great because it provides the information in a simple manner that is easy to understand. Also, it organizes it in a manner that makes it easy to remember. One of the best parts though is, on top of the information, the book has a decent amount of pictures. The first 20 or so pages have a picture with a description. This really helps pull you in and makes you understand who you are reading about. The book is written in a very historical way, which I like as a social studies teacher, but if you are wanting something less fact driven, then this book might not be the one for you.The book is also pretty long at 256 pages (not all of those are content though), but this means if you are wanting specific information about the battle, then this might not be the best book for that. To help you find information though the back has an index and a bibliography if you want to do more research. Even though the book is written in a fact driven way, it does not have a history book feel to it. To me the author does a great job of keeping things interesting. This isn't a history book that you read to help you go to sleep. I would recommend this book to all civil war fans and also anyone who wants to know more about the civil war. It is an interesting read about an important part of the civil war that not every book talks about. The author did a great job researching and clearly put a lot of effort into this book. It is definitely worth your time.

Dr. Tucker's Gettysburg's Most Hellish Battleground, Devil's Den, is an in-depth account of the overlooked events of Devil's Den and Houck's Ridge during the ill fated Battle of Gettysburg. Tucker adeptly writes of the immense impact of the commoners of the various Texas regiments and brigades and their innate leadership abilities at all levels of enlistment. He details the history of these Texas men and the explicit relationship between their fight for freedom during the Battle for Texas Independence, the various wars against Native Americans and Mexicans, and succession from the Union and their role during the Civil War. Texas position as a member of the Confederate states is thoroughly explained and Dr. Tucker writes of the often minimized role Texas played.His book shares quotes from writings of men, both enlisted and officers, who express elation and frustration of the events surrounding training, and ultimately the various battles in which they played a significant role. Tucker's research is extensive and sheds light on such things as the reputation of the Texas "war whoop", the role of the Lone Star flag in maintaining morale as her troops marched northward to death, and the list of exceptional and poor commanders that forced the troops into situations where teenage boys took on leadership roles for survival. Tucker also discusses the attitude of no-quarter warfare that Texas troops held to, thus their reputation preceded them as they battled northward, winning time and again and practically ensuring General Lee a victory in Gettysburg except for poor intelligence and military strategy in the end.For anybody interested in US History, Tucker's book is insightful and provides a level of detail that isn't taught in high school or college. Although it is riddled with typos and grammatical errors, the information is well researched and extremely interesting.

"Gettysburg's Most Hellish Battleground, Devil's Den" is a history about the famous battle at Devil’s Den. The opening pages of the book showcase classic photos of soldiers and other historical information relating to Devil’s Den. These images set the stage perfectly for the book.The book is an Ode to the Texas brigade soldiers. In a way, the title is misleading. The first three chapters, in essence are dedicated to the background of the Texas fighters and thus their important role in the battle. A more appropriate title would showcase the main topic: the Texas Brigade involved at Devil’s Den. While the title can be considered unfortunate, it does not detract from the quality and integrity of the book’s research.The vocabulary and descriptions were often repetitive. I did not find it dull, rather the repetition was to emphasize the importance of his message. For instance, living on the Western frontier, in Texas was difficult. As the author continually emphasizes, it’s a “survival of the fittest” and Darwinian approach. Those who cannot challenge, fight and conquer natures, wild animals or the local Native Americans will die. While it’s not the most academic approach to writing history, it’s an easy and informative read.The names and personal histories of the mentioned soldiers are striking and intriguing. I enjoyed the open conversational tone the author shared with the reader. The information shared is detailed and precise. Any person with an appreciation for the American civil war should give this book a try.

‘Gettysburg's Most Hellish Battleground: The Devil's Den, July 2, 1863’ by Phillip Thomas Tucker is dense, historically-rich account of this pivotal and bloody battle of the American Civil War. Many historians have tackled the battle at Gettysburg (and often focused on more “famous” battles), but none of the books I have read are as detailed, and none cover the battle at Devil’s Den, located at the southern edge of Houck’s Ridge, as Tucker does. This book presents a much more holistic view of the important commanders, leaders, and what actually occurred during that fateful three-day period. Tucker outlines the mistakes made by both the Union and Confederate armies in a non-biased manner and offers enough background information to paint a stark picture of the choices and events that led up to this devastating battle.Initially, Tucker offers the reader insight into how the Confederate army used the Army of Northern Virginia and the Texans, commanded by Major General John Bell Hood. The strategic and tactical maneuvers and complexities of planning by the leaders, as well as the manipulations and politics of the times are fascinating and contribute to the backstory of what led to this devastating three-day battle. This behind-the-scenes account leaves one wondering – was it worth the thousands of deaths that resulted from the battle at Gettysburg?The treacherous landscape, strewn with boulders and alcoves, Confederate sharpshooters attempted to replicate their success. The Union Army made a valiant effort, resulting in numerous casualties for both sides. Seeing the visual images of the body-strewn battleground was disturbing.Today this location is a tourist attraction, but during the Civil War it was the site of a brutal massacre that led to many casualties for both the Union and Confederates armies. Tucker offers insight, photographs, and a level of research and depth that many historical books lack – yet, this book was easy to understand and was “light” enough to read in just one sitting. I literally could not put this book down, as I truly enjoy historical books, particularly about the Civil War. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the Civil War, who would like to learn more about an often-overlooked yet significant battle at Gettysburg. Tucker is an incredibly knowledgeable historian and writes with depth and detail.

In Gettysburg’s Most Hellish Battleground: The Devil’s Den, July 2, 1863, Phillip Thomas Tucker has penned an impressive and thorough study of the battle at Devil’s Den and Houck’s Ridge. Tucker sets the stage for the intensity of the battle as he notes, early in the book, “General Robert Edward Lee sensed almost instinctively that the opportunity to vanquish the Army of the Potomac would never come again.” As is the case in all of Tucker’s books, astute scholarship and flowing narrative are benchmarks of this work.Throughout the six chapters in the book Tucker unpacks the events of July 2nd. He begins noting the elite troops in the battle; those of the Army of Northern Virginia and the tough Texans of Major General John Bell Hood. Tucker unpacks a lot of the history surrounding the Texas troops, noting how they were characterized by “energy, bravery, a practical view of all matters, self-reliance, moderation and a disposition to act in concert with their fellow citizens.”The battle itself is described in vivid detail. It is a brutal, smashing skirmish and Tucker doesn’t hold back describing it. It is a “bloody struggle for possession of Little Round Top” and Tucker contends that the fight for Houck’s Ridge was closely interrelated. Tucker concludes, “These fortunate survivors of some of the bloodiest combat in America’s bloodiest war might well have suddenly ceased their thoughts and changed their minds, knowing that they would never be able to truly describe the horrors of Devil’s Den.” Tucker calls it “an eerie place” and “a strange 10 acres of death.”The book is well-researched and documented. It begins with some original and fascinating photographs of Devil’s Den and scenes from the battle there. If you are interested in the Civil War and, especially the events surrounding Gettysburg, this book is a must read. Add it to the list of interesting reads by Phillip Thomas Tucker.