Gettysburg: A Novel of the Civil War
The story takes place in 1863 when Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia are victorious at the Battle of Gettysburg instead of the United States. (Instead of attacking the Union line on July 2, 1863, Lee conducts a broad turning movement and forces the Army of the Potomac to attack him in a favorable position.) Gettysburg becomes something of a footnote in the main battle, which takes place at Union Mills in Maryland. The defeat at Union Mills is a grave setback to the United States, but it by no means spells the end of the war or determines its outcome, and the United States still has a lot of fight in it.
142nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment
At the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, the unit fought first on McPherson's Ridge and then on Seminary Ridge before being driven back to Cemetery Hill only after being outflanked by Confederate North Carolina divisions on its left and right flanks. Only 140 men had made it back to Union lines, and Colonel Cummins was mortally wounded. During the next two days, the 142nd was only lightly engaged. After the battle, the regiment became part of the 3rd Brigade, Fourth Division, V Corps.