Covered with Glory: the 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg / by Rod Gragg

[Kim Allen Scott]

One of the more fruitless quests over the centuries has been the writer’s goal of capturing the horror of war and conveying that to a reader.  Sometimes a veteran comes close, such as Erich Maria Remarque, or a talented civilian like Stephen Crane, but overall there is no way for someone sitting at their ease and devouring text to literally smell the gunpowder.  This book, Covered in Glory, can take its place with the best of attempts.  It tells the story of the 26th North Carolina Infantry that earned the sad distinction of enduring the highest casualty rates of any southern unit at the battle of Gettysburg.  Over 85 percent of these boys were either killed, captured or taken prisoner (which in many cases was a death sentence too) in just two days of fighting in July 1863.  The author takes the time to introduce us to many of these men, really little more than boys whose heartbreakingly young age added all the more poignancy to their sacrifice. No doubt Australian readers could find echos of Gallipoli in this horrific tale, for it certainly reminded me of the mysterious force that allows young men the wherewithal to simply march forward into sure death.  I have read many battle narratives that describe many different conflicts over the years, but this is among the very best.  I heartily recommend it.