I don’t often write reviews, so that ought to tell you how much I think of “I Dread The Thought Of The Place”. I have visited the Antietam battlefield on multiple occasions. I even walked it once. Which is legal. And recommended, as you get a feel for how much terrain affected the battle, which Hartwig brings out so well. And in such minute detail.
Things I didn’t realize were how Antietam was more a series of brigade actions, than a grand sweep of armies. Another was how frequent “lying down” was. Or that Burnside actually fought well. (At least on that occasion …)
The maps are excellent, and very helpful, even to someone familiar with the battle. If you have your own / other maps, it might be helpful to have them to the side while you read, so you aren’t having to constantly page back & forth to refer to them. (The old West Point Atlas of American Wars had maps & narratives on facing pages.)
It is also a book which gets down to individual soldiers, even privates, and their thoughts, and what happend to them, and those around them. Hartwig does not glorify it, but neither does he spare the gorey detail. The violence is honest, and horrifying. Even THIS veteran said “whoa!” on many occasions.
In conclusion, “I Dread The Thought Of The Place” is a must on every Civil War, American history, and military history bookshelf. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hiking Video
Including a version of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” that will give you shivers and put a lump in your throat …
Antietam National Battlefield from Preston McMurry on Vimeo.
