New book on the 17th CVI breathes new life into a long-neglected history

Quite literally years in the making, We Fought at Gettysburg by Carolyn Ivanoff not only fills a void in the published annals of the 17th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry but also helps to complete (at least in part) a journey begun in the 19th century by veteran William Warren to tell the story of the regiment. This well-written volume gives the reader an eyewitness history of the 17th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry at Gettysburg.

I first made my acquaintance with Warren’s history in the mid-1990s at what is now the Bridgeport History Center at the Bridgeport (CT) Library. A chance visit there looking for information on the 17th Connecticut led me to the indomitable Mary Witkowski, long-time Bridgeport City Historian, head archivist of the Historical Collections of the Bridgeport Public Library and all around champion of all things Bridgeport (who sadly passed away this spring). Mary showed me the many volumes of both typed and handwritten history compiled and written by veteran William Warren. Art House, in one of the earliest sections of this site,  aptly described them as a “treasure trove of information” on the history of the regiment.

It was also large, unwieldy and nearly unmanageable. It is clearly the life’s work of someone who never stopped amassing information and stories from his fellow veterans. There was a book in there for someone to write. That is, someone who would do the judicious editing Warren was never able to do.

Fast forward to 2018, when I first heard that someone was going to finally tackle it. That someone was Carolyn Ivanoff. Carolyn has been a friend and contributor to this website for years, and now her book is available. Today, everyone can read the firsthand Gettysburg stories so meticulously collected through the decades by Warren. Many, many photos accompany the text – some of which are familiar to visitors here and some not seen for the better part of a century, as well as excellent maps.

House noted that some “of the many accounts…were written decades later and must be considered in the context of the passage of time, and in the warming of memories by old men recalling their youthful participation in the greatest adventure of their lives.” That may be, but the book provides an eyewitness history of Gettysburg that has withstood the test of time.

What should be noteworthy is that the book is well over 400 pages – and that covers primarily the Gettysburg campaign. It should give the reader some idea of just how vast the original manuscript is. Carolyn has done admirable work distilling it down to a manageable, informative and educational read. I highly recommend that anyone with an interest in the 17th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry get themselves as copy – today! I would like to think that William Warren would be proud.

The book is available from a number of sources, but consider supporting local businesses. You can also purchase the book directly from Gettysburg Publishing, LLC at www.https://gettysburgpublishing.com/.

From the publisher:

We Fought At Gettysburg follows the 17th Connecticut Regiment through the Gettysburg Campaign and beyond in June and July of 1863. William H. Warren dedicated his life to compiling the accounts of his comrades in the 17th Connecticut. Many are published here for the first time. These are the words of those who lived through the trauma of combat and survived to write about it. Many of these men were wounded, taken prisoner, lost friends, and suffered themselves on this great battlefield of the war. These men tell what they experienced at Gettysburg in their own words. They describe what they saw, thought, and felt on the battlefield. Their story is told here through fascinating firsthand accounts, numerous photographs, including a photographic index of the regiment, and maps by Phil Laino.