Overview

"Thousands of books and articles examine nearly every aspect of the Civil War, but the important retreat of the armies from the Gettysburg battlefield to the Potomac River has been but little covered. Until now, no one had produced a critical analysis of the command decisions made during that fateful time based upon available intelligence. ""Lee is Trapped and Must be Taken"": Eleven Fateful Days after Gettysburg, July 4 to July 14, 1863, by Thomas J. Ryan and Richard R. Schaus, now available in paperback, rectifies this oversight. This comprehensive day-by-day account, which begins after the end of the Gettysburg battle, examines how Maj. Gen. George G. Meade organized and motivated his Army of the Potomac in response to President Abraham Lincoln's mandate to bring about the ""literal or substantial destruction"" of Gen. Robert E. Lee's defeated and retreating Army of Northern Virginia. As far as Lincoln was concerned, if Meade aggressively pursued and confronted Lee before he could escape across the flooded Potomac River, ""the rebellion would be over."" The long and bloody three-day battle exhausted both armies. Both commanders faced the difficult tasks of rallying their troops for more marching and fighting. Lee had to keep his army organised and motivated enough to conduct an orderly withdrawal into Virginia. Meade faced the same organisational and motivational challenges with the added expectation of catching and defeating a still-dangerous enemy. Central to their decision-making was the information they received from their intelligence gathering resources about the movements, intentions, and capability of the enemy. The eleven-day period after Gettysburg was a battle of wits to determine which commander better understood the information he received and directed his army accordingly. Prepare for some surprising revelations. AUTHORS: Thomas J. ""Tom"" Ryan earned a B.A. from the University of Maryland and an M.A. from American University. He retired after 38 years in intelligence-related capacities for the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense. His book Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign won the Bachelder-Coddington Literary Award and the Gettysburg Civil War Round Table Distinguished Book Award. Richard R. Schaus, Sergeant Major, U.S. Army (Ret.), served on active duty for more than 30 years in a variety of army and joint military intelligence assignments both at home and abroad. Rick is a lifelong student of the Civil War and American military history in general, and the Gettysburg Campaign in particular. 33 images, 15 maps"

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9781611215427

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...a remarkable accomplishment of scholarship. Using scores of enlisted men's letters and reflections, commissioned officers' reports, newspaper articles, and civilian recollections Ryan and Schaus offer a fast-paced, day-by-day account of the decisions and the happenstances of the Army of Northern Virginia's flight from Gettysburg as the Army of the Potomac attempted to catch the fast-moving Rebels. -- The NYMAS Review ...I found it valuable to read and learn from the three recent book length studies of the Gettysburg retreat, each of which has its own perspective and its own virtues. -- Midwest Book Review A scholarly, in-depth study...Expertly researched, featuring black-and-white maps, a thorough bibliography, and an index, 'Lee is Trapped and Must be Taken' is a welcome addition to public and college library Civil War shelves. -- Midwest Book Review Ryan and Schaus's book also has a unique emphasis, in this case the role of military intelligence. -- Civil War Books and Authors One of the lingering mysteries not examined [in Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign] was the role intelligence played during the 11 days of opportunity after the battle. Lee is Trapped and Must be Taken fills that gap. -- Intelligence in Public Literature

...I found it valuable to read and learn from the three recent book length studies of the Gettysburg retreat, each of which has its own perspective and its own virtues. --Midwest Book Review A scholarly, in-depth study...Expertly researched, featuring black-and-white maps, a thorough bibliography, and an index, 'Lee is Trapped and Must be Taken' is a welcome addition to public and college library Civil War shelves. --Midwest Book Review Ryan and Schaus's book also has a unique emphasis, in this case the role of military intelligence. --Civil War Books and Authors

...I found it valuable to read and learn from the three recent book length studies of the Gettysburg retreat, each of which has its own perspective and its own virtues. -- Midwest Book Review A scholarly, in-depth study...Expertly researched, featuring black-and-white maps, a thorough bibliography, and an index, 'Lee is Trapped and Must be Taken' is a welcome addition to public and college library Civil War shelves. -- Midwest Book Review Ryan and Schaus's book also has a unique emphasis, in this case the role of military intelligence. -- Civil War Books and Authors

Author Information

Thomas J. “Tom” Ryan earned a B.A. from the University of Maryland and an M.A. from American University. He retired after 38 years in intelligence related capacities for the US Army and the Department of Defense. His book Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign won the Bachelder-Coddington Literary Award and the Gettysburg Civil War Round Table Distinguished Book Award. Richard R. Schaus, Sergeant Major, US Army (Ret.), served on active duty for more than 30 years in a variety of army and joint military intelligence assignments both at home and abroad. Rick is a lifelong student of the Civil War and American military history in general, and the Gettysburg Campaign in particular.

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