Addressing Gettysburg Book Club

Strong Men of the Regiment Sobbed Like Children: John Reynolds’ First Corps at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863.

by John Michael Priest. Savas Beattie, 2025. ISBN: 978-1-61121-750-6

In his latest work, historian and battlefield guide John Michael Priest brings his trademark “history from the trenches” approach to the Union Army of the Potomac’s I Corps on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg. As he does in his earlier book, Stand to It and Give Them Hell (2014), Priest examines the fighting through the eyes of the common soldiers—what they saw, what they heard, and how they felt in the midst of unimaginable chaos.

This book offers an up-close view of the battlefield; not from the perspective of generals and grand tactics, but from the men and officers in the thick of the fight. Readers are not given a distant overview of strategy; instead, they are placed directly in the action. Priest delivers a visceral portrayal of trying to maneuver around wounded and dead men and horses, abandoned equipment, scattered supplies, and surrendering soldiers. The personal view of carnage, confusion, and courage brings the battlefield to life in a way few books attempt.

Heavily footnoted and filled with meticulous detail, the narrative captures the clutter of battle…the smoke, the noise, the supply wagons, the dead and dying, the prisoners and the overwhelmed field hospitals. Priest introduces readers to the personalities of the men who fought, reminding us that while many students of Gettysburg know the monuments and the outcome, it is the experiences of individual soldiers that truly illuminate the meaning of the struggle. These human-interest stories draw the reader in and deepen the understanding of what the First Corps endured under General John Reynolds.

Readers will come away with a deeper appreciation of the ground-level experience—one that vividly illustrates the chaos that enveloped the I Corps and supporting units on July 1, 1863. They will also gain a renewed respect for the resilience of both Union and Confederate soldiers, and the humanity of all those in Gettysburg who were swept into the vortex of war.

This book is not for the neophyte. A solid foundation of Civil War knowledge is essential to fully appreciate the depth of detail Priest provides. One minor critique is the limited attention paid to the XI Corps; additional context, especially regarding their retreat on the first day, would have helped frame the broader collapse of the Union line and complemented the story of the I Corps.

Still, Strong Men of the Regiment Sobbed Like Children delivers exactly what serious students of Gettysburg seek—not just the battle, but the men who fought it. You may already know how the day ended—now read the stories of those who lived it.

~The Addressing Gettysburg Bookclub

The Invincible Twelfth: The 12th South Carolina Infantry of the Gregg McGowan Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia

By Benjamin L. Cwayna. Savas Beatie, 2025. ISBN: 978-1-61121-736-0

With new regimental histories appearing every year, it can be difficult to identify those that truly elevate the field. Benjamin L. Cwayna’s The Invincible Twelfth is unmistakably one of them. Clearly written, thoroughly documented, and grounded in meticulous research, this study offers an impressive model of modern military history that blends accuracy, narrative drive, and analytical purpose.

The 12th South Carolina Infantry has long deserved a full, serious examination. Despite its remarkable combat record within the Gregg McGowan Brigade, the regiment has often received little more than brief mention compared to more widely known units such as the Texas Brigade. The scarcity of surviving letters and memoirs has contributed to that neglect. A significant number of the regiment’s officers and many enlisted men were killed during the war, leaving researchers with limited firsthand testimony. Cwayna confronts this challenge with determination, utilizing every available diary, letter, memoir, speech, and official report. His careful citations and systematic reconstruction of events give the book both authority and depth.

Rather than allowing the story to become a simple march through battles, Cwayna shapes the regiment’s service into a cohesive narrative that explains why the 12th earned a reputation for discipline, aggressiveness, and relentless fighting spirit. From its unremarkable early months in coastal defense to its emergence as one of the Army of Northern Virginia’s most dependable regiments, the book presents a clear account of how the unit developed its identity. Its performance in major battles such as Gaines Mill, Second Manassas, Antietam, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania is woven smoothly into the broader analysis. The staggering human cost of that service is never far from view. Of the nearly 1,400 men who passed through the regiment’s ranks, only about 150 remained to surrender at Appomattox.

Cwayna’s writing is crisp and accessible, which allows the complexity of the evidence to serve the narrative rather than overwhelm it. The volume’s presentation further strengthens the work. Hal Jespersen’s well-designed maps guide the reader effectively, and the selected photographs introduce faces to the names that define the regiment’s story allowing the reader to become personally invested in their story.

The Invincible Twelfth succeeds as both a deeply researched study and a highly readable account of one of the Confederacy’s hardest fighting units. It fills a longstanding gap in the historiography and demonstrates how a regimental history can balance scholarship and narrative clarity. This book deserves a place on the shelf of anyone interested in the Army of Northern Virginia or the military history of the Civil War.

-The Addressing Gettysburg Bookclub