Gettysburg Faces

"In Gettysburg Faces, Ronald S. Coddington presents us with one hundred images of soldiers who fought in the battle, together with their stories. The tintype, ambrotype, and carte de visite photographs are reproduced in full color, each on its own full page. As these soldiers stare at us across the span of more than a century and a half, their stories are likewise resurrected, informing us of the vast range of fates that awaited the combatants in the American Civil War’s most famous battle. With the added bonus of a preface that discusses the era’s portrait photography and the development of a community of collectors, this handsome volume will appeal to anyone interested in the Battle of Gettysburg, Civil War photography, or tales of individual soldiers caught up in the maelstrom of the first three days of July 1863." ~Mark H. Dunkelman, author of "Gettysburg’s Unknown Soldier: The Life, Death, and Celebrity of Amos Humiston"

"This book deserves to be on the bookshelf of all truly interested in the preservation of this chapter of American history. Hopefully it will be a catalyst for more such publications to follow." ~Ross J. Kelbaugh, author of "Introduction to Civil War Photography"

"If you have walked through the Gettysburg battlefield with its cold stone monuments, it is easy to forget the human side of the war. Ron Coddington puts a face to those marble edifices and brass plaques. This book will entice both lifelong Civil War buffs and novices alike." ~Paul Hoza, host of the "Untold Civil War" podcast

"Ron Coddington continues to work his magic, providing the reader with a scholarly work not fixated on battle statistics or big blue arrow troop movements, but focuses on telling the soldier’s story. The reader is transported onto the battlefield to hear first-hand accounts of the struggle from the perspective of soldiers who fought at Gettysburg.  This stunning book, with superb images of Union and Confederate soldiers, shows what courageous men are capable of accomplishing in the face of tremendous odds." ~Jim Quinlan, founder of the Arlington National Cemetery Project and editor of "Armed Only with Faith: The Civil War Correspondence of Chaplain William Lyman Hyde, 112th New York Infantry"

"Coddington's telling of the Gettysburg saga through the portraits of the men who fought--and many died--there is an imaginative means to put a personal face on the Yankees and Rebels who strove there.  The stories of personal tragedies told in these images are eloquent of war's cost--empty sleeves, blinded eyes, and so many boys hardly yet men.  They also make it clearer than ever that this was a homespun war, the most uniform thing about the men being the utter lack of uniformity in their dress and weaponry.  The text and accompanying maps by the inimitable John B. Bachelder provide fine background, but a reader can profit from merely looking at the photographs, many never before published.  This is the face of war at ground level, and Civil War photographic history at its best." ~William C. "Jack" Davis, editor of the landmark series "The Image of War: 1861-1865"

"Beautifully presented, Gettysburg Faces is essential reading for those with a general interest in the Civil War and belongs in the reference library of any serious student of the battle of Gettysburg." ~Ron Field, author of "Silent Witness: The Civil War through Photography and its Photographers"

"As maps illustrate the words of a Gettysburg book, the haunting images of the people that are part of the Gettysburg story add a dimension to our appreciation of what happened so many years ago. This book is a keeper. The faces of those men and women will find a place in your memory. Well worth your time." ~Phil Laino, author of "Gettysburg Campaign Atlas"

"Ronald S. Coddington has brought to life the Gettysburg Campaign by connecting readers with the faces and names of people participating in it. A compelling layout and easy readability make this a 'must read' book for everyone passionate about Gettysburg." ~Maine at War