Gettysburg in Color

Volume 2: The Wheatfield to Falling Waters

by Patrick Brennan and Dylan Brennan

Imprint: Savas Beatie

224 Pages, 7 x 10 in, 200 color images, 24 color maps

Hardcover
9781611216585
June 2023
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$37.50

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9781611216592
May 2023

$21.00

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Description
Authors
Praise

Artificial Intelligence meets Gettysburg. And it is a marvelous pairing.

Patrick Brennan, a long-time student of the Civil War, published author, and an editorial advisor for The Civil War Monitor magazine, has teamed up with his technology-astute daughter Dylan Brennan to bring the largest Civil War battle to life in the remarkable 2-volume study: Gettysburg in Color. Volume 1 covers Brandy Station to the Peach Orchard, and Volume 2 covers The Wheatfield to Falling Waters.

Rather than guess or dabble with the colors, the Brennans used an artificial intelligence-based computerized color identifier to determine the precise color of uniforms, flesh, hair, equipment, terrain, houses, and much more. The result is a monumental full-color study of the important three-day battle that brings the men, the landscape, and the action into the 21st Century.

The deep colorization of battle-related woodcuts, for example, reveals a plethora of details that have passed generations of eyes unseen. The photos of the soldiers and their officers look as if they were taken yesterday.

The use of this modern technology shines a light on one Gettysburg photographic mystery in particular. Colorizing some of the battle’s “death” images revealed the presence of Union and Confederate dead that may help determine the previously unknown location of the photographs. That may also be a “first” when it comes to Civil War photography, as Pat Brennan explains: “It was long believed this was an image of seven dead Union soldiers. In fact, only five are Union men. The other two are Confederates. I am still researching the issue, but I believe this may be the only photo we have from the entire Civil War that portrays dead from both sides.”

In the early 1960s, the unique presentation in Bruce Catton’s The American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War spurred the interest of a generation of readers. With its sweeping prose and stunning visuals, Gettysburg in Color will have a similar impact on future generations as it takes its place as one of the most influential titles on the American Civil War.

“Such a seemingly simple act of adding color to well-known photographs of the war unleashes a powerful effect. Patrick and Dylan Brennan’s Gettysburg in Color offers a new and revealing look at one of America’s best-known campaigns. The green of the fields, the brown of the dirt roads, and the blue of men’s eyes bring the war into closer proximity, adding another layer of humanity to those who fought and survived the battle.” ~Dr. Caroline E. Janney, Director, John L. Nau Center for Civil War History, John L. Nau III Professor in History of the American Civil War and award-winning author of Ends of War

“Patrick and Dylan Brennan’s astonishing success with Volume 1 of Gettysburg in Color is only slightly less astonishing than the vividness of their skillful computerized colorizations of 19th-century images. We are used to seeing the Civil War in black, white, and gray only, as though through a glass darkly. But to see the portraits and landscapes of battle made by Brady and Gardner, or the line-drawings of Battles and Leaders, flare suddenly into life through colorization is a welcome shock not far removed from my first view of the great paintings of X. R. Smith, Thure de Thulstrup, and Paul Dominique Philippoteaux. This is a book to read and to look at to see a new Civil War.” ~Dr. Allen C. Guelzo, Senior Research Scholar, The Council of the Humanities Director, Initiative on Politics and Statesmanship, James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, Princeton University

“Amazon subsidiary Goodreads estimates that approximately 30,000 books have been published about the Battle of Gettysburg. Relating the history of that battle in clear and compelling prose, Patrick and Dylan Brennan’s Gettysburg in Color stands proudly in the front rank of those volumes. The book’s striking feature is its effective use of hundreds of period photographs and drawings to help narrate the story. Drawing on modern technology, the Brennans used artificial intelligence identifiers to reproduce many of those images in color, revealing significant details heretofore largely overlooked. Gettysburg in Color occupies a prominent niche on my bookshelf.” ~Gordon C. Rhea, author of the 5-volume series on the Overland Campaign

“Offering a new way to learn about the battle of Gettysburg, their two books will likely be useful for visitors to the battlefield, or anyone seeking to learn more about the events. This reviewer was thrilled and amazed by the inventiveness, audacity, and dedication that went into this work, and recommends it highly.” ~The NYMAS Review