Without Warning: The Saga of Gettysburg, A Reluctant Union Hero, and the Men He Inspired

Between plans and their execution rage the winds of war. The winds of chance. The winds of choice. The winds of political ambition and human error--and human schemes. The winds of war grow dark around General George Meade, appointed to command the Army of the Potomac just three days before a brewing battle against Robert E. Lee, charismatic leader of the Confederate forces. No one--not even the outgoing commander--seems to know where Lee's army is, except that they are somewhere on Northern soil, possibly pushing toward a decisive battle deep in the heart of the Union. Bound by duty to take a position he did not seek and does not want, Meade reluctantly accepts Lincoln's appointment, and overnight, the fate of nearly 100,000 Union soldiers is in his hands. Meade is a planner--a quiet, capable engineer whose commitment to modesty and restraint is second only to his commitment to honor, duty, and country. While the winds of war swirl around him, he struggles to concoct a battle plan without even the most basic information, in order to defeat an enemy he cannot find, on ground he has not yet seen. Thwarted by insufficient military intelligence, and betrayed by the machinations of an unscrupulous general with dreams of glory, Meade knows it will take all his skill and the heroism of his troops to best the formidable and hitherto undefeated Lee. The fate of the Republic itself hangs in the balance. Without Warning is the gripping saga of the Battle of Gettysburg, the Union patriots who fought it, and the man who led them. It scrutinizes the role character plays in leadership and the challenge of the unexpected. Built firmly upon the annals of history, this epic historical novel brings to vivid life seven unforgettable days in the lives and trials of a Union general and his men as they brave the winds of war to save the United States of America.

About the Author :
Terry C. Pierce is a Captain, USN, retired. He commanded the USS Whidbey Island LSD-41 and was Chief of Staff, Amphibious Force 7th Fleet. He was the speechwriter for Admiral Mike Boorda, Chief of Naval Operations. He retired as the Director of the Center of Innovation at the United States Air Force Academy. He holds doctorate and master's degrees from Harvard. He is the author of Warfighting and Disruptive Technologies: Disguising Innovation (Frank Cass, 2004).

Review :
"Without Warning is one of the most compelling war novels I've ever read. It captures the Fog of War in such a raw and visceral way that it catapults the reader back in time, placing them squarely on the battlefield of whizzing bullets and blasting cannon fire. But perhaps even more powerful is the way in which the book places you inside the minds of the different decision makers, sharing in the turmoil and gnawing responsibilities that plagued each decision made. The reader shares the weight of command -- the unenviable position of comprehending the fear of failure -- and, fittingly, walks away sharing in the exhaustion of the men who led and struggled, lived and died." -- Lieutenant Colonel James Ryan Cutchin, United States Army, whose heroic actions in Iraq were portrayed by Matt Damon's character in the movie The Green Zone "I absolutely loved Without Warning. My knowledge of the Gettysburg Battle came from reading The Killer Angels many years ago and from two walking tours of the battlefield over 20 years ago. Until I read Without Warning, I knew very little about Meade and his subordinates and what they did to win the battle. This novel should be mandatory reading at all our Command and Staff and War Colleges." -- Lieutenant General Charles Coolidge, USAF, retired, son of Technical Sergeant Charles Henry Coolidge, battlefield recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions in France in 1944 "Brace yourself! Without Warning is the historical novel we've been waiting for since Michael Shaara's 1974 The Killer Angels. Comprehensively researched and faithful to history, Terry Pierce's novel weaves the human drama of General George Meade assuming command three days before the battle and how he led his soldiers to victory into a compelling narrative. Without Warning reveals the hidden tapestry that bound the Gettysburg victors together and how they overcame the challenges and burdens of leadership at the point of decision. This is Civil War writing and Character Leadership at its most exhilarating." -- Dr. Buddhika "Jay" Jayamaha, primary author of Nightcap at Dawn: American Soldiers' Counterinsurgency in Iraq, former airborne infantryman, a veteran of the Iraq war, and Assistant Professor, Military and Strategic Studies Department at the United States Air Force Academy "Jeffrey Shaara's Gods and Generals was dedicated to the great generals of the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg and was one of the finest novels of the Civil War, until now. The Union story of this history-changing battle has been hiding in plain sight for over 150 years, and it was not until Terry Pierce brought it to life in his revelatory novel Without Warning: The Saga of Gettysburg, a Reluctant Union Hero, and the Men He Inspired that we would gain insight into the generals and soldiers who won the battle. The consequences of decisions made in the heat of battle and the fog of war, the intrusion of politics, and the resultant slaughter keep the reader riveted." -- Rear Admiral Ronald Christenson USN, retired, former Commander of USS Theodore Roosevelt CVN-71 "Without Warning is a well-researched and written 'you are there'-style historical novel of the Battle of Gettysburg whose central character is General Meade. Terry Pierce's characters seem to 'come alive' as they were at the time to inform and inspire about their fears, intentions, and actions in combat. The novel depicts how Meade dealt with his life-changing moment and became America's reluctant hero." -- Dr. Andy Waskie, President of the Philadelphia General Meade Society