Growing up, I used to live between Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Spotsylvania. Have always found it fascinating how few people visit Spotsylvania. Regarding the Bloody Angle…with that many people blown to atoms, the place is basically a cemetery. You could never recover everyone. Also, once had a nice Ranger showed me a depression from a shallow grave in the woods behind the Angle. Thanks for the great info.
The 15th NJ was raised in my town. I can't begin to imagine the hell on earth they experienced that day. The 15th has two monuments outside of NJ - both in Spotsylvania County (they fought at Salem Church in '63). I feel like everyone from my town should visit this sacred place.
I belonged to the 15th NJV company A reenactment that was out of Flemington. We are members of the N-SSA (North South Skirmish Association) and) which holds our national shooting events outside Winchester VA twice a year. Actually, they are down there this very weekend. Our group was mostly N-SSA members and pretty good collectors of CW relics. We also did some reenacting There was another 15th unit (Company E) up in Caldwell, Nj which were more geared to reenacting. We used to jump in on each other's events from time to time.
My family is all from Hunterdon and Morris Counties. I had 7 relatives in the 15th NJ in Companies A and G (my GG Grandfather was Corporal Ralph Bryant of Company G) that fought at Spotsylvania. For the 150th i placed 7 flags with their names on them at the monument. Its the only time i have ever been able to visit, but i could feel the weight of the history all around me
I’ve stood there and thought of my GG Grandfather and his 3 brothers entering the Angle with the 1st SC Orr’s rifles to plug the hole and somehow when they pulled out they all survived. It was a lasting memory
Thank you for posting this video. Spotsylvania Court House is my favorite Battlefield in large part because of the lack of monuments. Makes it easier to understand the lines and to walk over the trenches is very haunting. Makes me respect the soldiers from each side even more.
I’ve been a student of the Civil War for 30 years, and I’m fairly certain that the Bloody Angle of Spotsylvania was absolutely the worst fighting of the war. Hand to hand combat/point blank musket and artillery fire in the mud for 20 plus hours…it’s just insane to think about. I have yet to visit the place, and I’m very thankful for this video, almost as good as being there!
thank you for these!!!! I can and do watch you for hours upon hours. People are watching, keep these up! You are making a difference and keeping history alive!
Perrin lead my GG Grandfather's Alabama Brigade through the peach orchard but was shot in the head and died instantly. Co.B, 11th Ala. Inf., Green County Grays. Another great video. I have learned alot through these 160th videos. Thank you.
My 5th Great Grandfather was with the 48th Mississippi of Harris Brigade during this battle he survived and was later wounded and discharged August 64 in Petersburg.
As a visitor from Scotland, I only had a few hours on the battlefield. Even though the battlefield was deserted (a very wet day) I still had great difficulty in orientating myself to the phases of the battle and the general layout of the substantial area. Thanks to these superb episodes, I now have a much clearer understanding - perhaps, ironically, much better than those who actually gave their last full measure of devotion at this place. Spotsylvania has its own atmosphere and I was particularly struck by its quality of silence. I hope to return one day and would encourage anyone to visit, if they can. A big thank you to all the team at the American Battlefield Trust.
This one’s my fave vid in the series so far (and it’s a long road to Petersburg, so I’ll probably have multiple new faves as the weeks go by)! The topographical insights are the gem in this installment. Astounding that this fight featured so much 20th-century-style carnage and suffering, all decades before effective machine guns and indirect artillery fire
I had the privilege of having a tour of this area by Dan and Kris white last summer, if you ever get that opportunity you need to take advantage of it!
Re Lee in harm's way: the NPS advises that, at McLaws Ridge, Lee and McLaws were standing near a tree, when a 10-pound Federal shell hit and split the tree about 8 feet above them. Lee was advised to move to a safer place, so he rode away. Instead of going to a safer position, he rode to a point on the battle line to observe the action, where another shell exploded so close to his horse 'Traveler' that the horse reared up.
Hey Dan. Good point about the lack of monuments. It was a battle unlike any other up to that time. Maybe the machine like destruction of men was just too much to remember.
"Lee buying time with lives" - a perfect summary of his leadership throughout the Civil War. The man bled the ANV out; by the time Overland hit they were incapable of fighting another offensive campaign and were finally facing a Union general who wouldn't retreat. Great job by the ABT Team, glad to actually see these places at this level of detail!
@@legiox3719 Lee was not the better General, he had zero talent for strategy. He was too offensive-focused for a Confederacy with limited manpower and resources. His tactics caused intolerable casualties. His obsession with Virginia led him to refuse or delay reinforcements to vital areas under Union attack. He bled the ANV out in senseless battles like Antietam and Gettysburg. The Confederacy had already lost the war by the time Grant attacked in Overland; all Lee could offer was more dying. Grant had a national outlook and never lost his focus on winning the war. In Lost Cause mythology Grant is often derided as a butcher, but the real butcher was Lee who recklessly expended his army and lost the war. Had Lincoln lived, I'm certain Lee and Davis would have danced at the end of a rope for their part in this tragedy. "Buying time with lives" should have been engraved on his tombstone.
@@craigcolandro2781 Why bless your heart. Most of my family lives in the South, in South Carolina, Florida and Texas. I've no hatred for the region or it's people; I hope they find happiness and full lives just as I hope the same for everyone in all the states of our great country. As for Lee, seems every time someone assures us he's the Greatest General of the Civil War the rest of us are supposed to bow our heads and genuflect because it's an incontestable fact. I disagree. He's very much a mixed bag. He was brilliant at The Seven Days Battles and Chancellorsville. And he was utterly reckless and foolhardy during the Maryland/Antietam Campaign and the Gettysburg Campaign. He lost sight of his primary job, to maintain the integrity of Southern territory and the existence of the Confederacy. His decisions to engage Union forces at the time and in the manner he did is directly responsible for the military defeat of the South. You don't get to be the Greatest General of anything if you're the loser.
I left out Antietam(or Sharpsburg, whichever you prefer) as I guess that can be classified as a Union victory, but then again many people consider it a draw. It's true Lee was stopped from going further there, but ironically, it was McClellan's army that wreaked havoc and misery on the civilian population in that area of Maryland, not Lee's.
John B Gordon and his brigade (13th, 26th, 31st, 38th, 60th, and 61st Georgia) ((I had five ancestors serve in the 61st GA, including my direct ancestor Jesse Wilkes Jr.)) and then division had a VERY successful Overland Campaign. In May of 1864, brigade would see action at Saunders Field at the Wilderness, first repelling Warren's assault on the 5th, including smashing the Iron Brigade before taking part in Gordon's famous flank attack on the 6th, gaining Gordon the attention of Lee and leading to his command of a division. The brigade, now under Colonel Clement Evans of the 31st Georgia, moved to Spotsylvania Court House, where it helped repell Federal assaults on two occassions: first on the 10th, repelling Upton's Assault; and on the 12th, helping plug the gap at the Bloody Angle and suffering heavy casualties in the process. For their actions that day, Gordon would be promoted to Major General, and Evans to Brigadier, and permanent command of the brigade. The brigade, joined by the 12th Georgia Artillery Battalion (serving as Infantry), saw more combat defending from the Assault of the 18th, as well as a Harris' Farm, before being engaged heavily at the North Anna and Cold Harbor, repulsing and countercharging Burnside’s IXth Corps. Gordon’s Brigade is by-far one of the most elite battle hardened units of the Army of Northern Virginia. If you were interested in the Overland campaign and Gordon’s Brigade, I highly recommend you read the historical novel “Hell or Richmond”, by author Ralph Peters. While it is a novel, Peter’s attention to historical accuracy and detail, and his vivid writing, makes his characters and historical figures come alive in a way I have never before seen.
Such a MASSIVE opportunity missed by poor Union leadership. So many soldiers paid with their lives for bungled attacks which absolutely could and should have succeeded in shattering Lee’s army. Twice the lines of the Confederates were broken. Twice, the opportunity was lost. I’m not sure any of the Unions upper leadership is blameless. Surprisingly Burnside might be the only Major General who did what was asked of him.
I wanted to get your opinion on something. I was wondering how cannoneers communicated with each other during battle? I thought they used flags, but the smoke would be so thick, I thought a buhle , but bkasts would be too loud. Just something I've always wondered about. Thank you.
I was wondering, everyone always says Jeb Stuart was mortally wounded but never how, I know it was in Calvary action at yellow tavern but that’s all I know
Its a shame Lee didn't take advice that the mule shoe was a bad position too hold ! On top of pulling his guns back from that defensive position leaving it naked ! You would have to believe the stress unfolding was getting too Lee! No Longstreet, and Stuart going down . Having to bleed his army for his mistakes while new line was being built.
![อยู่คนเดียวกับเขา - ส้ม มารี (Zom Marie) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/gq1cWAIQDLg/mqdefault.jpg)
Growing up, I used to live between Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Spotsylvania. Have always found it fascinating how few people visit Spotsylvania. Regarding the Bloody Angle…with that many people blown to atoms, the place is basically a cemetery. You could never recover everyone. Also, once had a nice Ranger showed me a depression from a shallow grave in the woods behind the Angle. Thanks for the great info.
The 15th NJ was raised in my town. I can't begin to imagine the hell on earth they experienced that day. The 15th has two monuments outside of NJ - both in Spotsylvania County (they fought at Salem Church in '63). I feel like everyone from my town should visit this sacred place.
My GG Grandfather was probably against your ancestor at both Salem Church and the Bloody Angle. 11th Ala Inf.
I belonged to the 15th NJV company A reenactment that was out of Flemington. We are members of the N-SSA (North South Skirmish Association) and) which holds our national shooting events outside Winchester VA twice a year. Actually, they are down there this very weekend. Our group was mostly N-SSA members and pretty good collectors of CW relics. We also did some reenacting There was another 15th unit (Company E) up in Caldwell, Nj which were more geared to reenacting. We used to jump in on each other's events from time to time.
My family is all from Hunterdon and Morris Counties. I had 7 relatives in the 15th NJ in Companies A and G (my GG Grandfather was Corporal Ralph Bryant of Company G) that fought at Spotsylvania. For the 150th i placed 7 flags with their names on them at the monument. Its the only time i have ever been able to visit, but i could feel the weight of the history all around me
@@NJcruiser I reenact with Company E
You guys never fail to impress us with your knowledge and enthusiasm. Again GREAT JOB Thank you very much.
I’ve stood there and thought of my GG Grandfather and his 3 brothers entering the Angle with the 1st SC Orr’s rifles to plug the hole and somehow when they pulled out they all survived.
It was a lasting memory
Thank you for posting this video. Spotsylvania Court House is my favorite Battlefield in large part because of the lack of monuments. Makes it easier to understand the lines and to walk over the trenches is very haunting.
Makes me respect the soldiers from each side even more.
I’ve been a student of the Civil War for 30 years, and I’m fairly certain that the Bloody Angle of Spotsylvania was absolutely the worst fighting of the war. Hand to hand combat/point blank musket and artillery fire in the mud for 20 plus hours…it’s just insane to think about. I have yet to visit the place, and I’m very thankful for this video, almost as good as being there!
My 2d great grandfather was in this fight, at this place. 2d Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. I need to visit.
thank you for these!!!! I can and do watch you for hours upon hours. People are watching, keep these up! You are making a difference and keeping history alive!
Perrin lead my GG Grandfather's Alabama Brigade through the peach orchard but was shot in the head and died instantly. Co.B, 11th Ala. Inf., Green County Grays.
Another great video. I have learned alot through these 160th videos. Thank you.
These guys are so damned good at this. So descriptive makes you feel as if you were/are there!
Great job reflecting the horror of that place. Very disturbing.
My 5th Great Grandfather was with the 48th Mississippi of Harris Brigade during this battle he survived and was later wounded and discharged August 64 in Petersburg.
Mr. Werts recent book about this is amazing!
Thank you for these videos. Your video has gotten me to pick up my old copy of “A Stillness at Appomattox” by Bruce Catton and start to reread it.
So we can thank FDR and the Civilian Conservation Corps for creating the park. The legacy of that organization is pretty impressive.
As a visitor from Scotland, I only had a few hours on the battlefield. Even though the battlefield was deserted (a very wet day) I still had great difficulty in orientating myself to the phases of the battle and the general layout of the substantial area. Thanks to these superb episodes, I now have a much clearer understanding - perhaps, ironically, much better than those who actually gave their last full measure of devotion at this place. Spotsylvania has its own atmosphere and I was particularly struck by its quality of silence. I hope to return one day and would encourage anyone to visit, if they can. A big thank you to all the team at the American Battlefield Trust.
Thanks for the kind words.
17,000 casualties in total at the Bloody Angle. Carnage. Great video. Mick - London
This one’s my fave vid in the series so far (and it’s a long road to Petersburg, so I’ll probably have multiple new faves as the weeks go by)! The topographical insights are the gem in this installment. Astounding that this fight featured so much 20th-century-style carnage and suffering, all decades before effective machine guns and indirect artillery fire
Love the dog and his daddy in the CCC pic
I had the privilege of having a tour of this area by Dan and Kris white last summer, if you ever get that opportunity you need to take advantage of it!
Re Lee in harm's way: the NPS advises that, at McLaws Ridge, Lee and McLaws were standing near a tree, when a 10-pound Federal shell hit and split the tree about 8 feet above them. Lee was advised to move to a safer place, so he rode away. Instead of going to a safer position, he rode to a point on the battle line to observe the action, where another shell exploded so close to his horse 'Traveler' that the horse reared up.
Is there anymore blood stained soil in the US than the bloody angle?
Yes. The Union breastworks at Franklin.
The crater probably had more men dead in a given area. Franklin was bad. But these three were the most hellacious areas of the civil war.
Hey Dan. Good point about the lack of monuments. It was a battle unlike any other up to that time. Maybe the machine like destruction of men was just too much to remember.
Great job guys, awesome video!
"Lee buying time with lives" - a perfect summary of his leadership throughout the Civil War. The man bled the ANV out; by the time Overland hit they were incapable of fighting another offensive campaign and were finally facing a Union general who wouldn't retreat. Great job by the ABT Team, glad to actually see these places at this level of detail!
@@legiox3719 Lee was not the better General, he had zero talent for strategy. He was too offensive-focused for a Confederacy with limited manpower and resources. His tactics caused intolerable casualties. His obsession with Virginia led him to refuse or delay reinforcements to vital areas under Union attack. He bled the ANV out in senseless battles like Antietam and Gettysburg. The Confederacy had already lost the war by the time Grant attacked in Overland; all Lee could offer was more dying. Grant had a national outlook and never lost his focus on winning the war. In Lost Cause mythology Grant is often derided as a butcher, but the real butcher was Lee who recklessly expended his army and lost the war. Had Lincoln lived, I'm certain Lee and Davis would have danced at the end of a rope for their part in this tragedy. "Buying time with lives" should have been engraved on his tombstone.
@@Zzyzx-- Blah Blah Blah. We get it, you're a Lee and South hater.
@@craigcolandro2781 Why bless your heart. Most of my family lives in the South, in South Carolina, Florida and Texas. I've no hatred for the region or it's people; I hope they find happiness and full lives just as I hope the same for everyone in all the states of our great country. As for Lee, seems every time someone assures us he's the Greatest General of the Civil War the rest of us are supposed to bow our heads and genuflect because it's an incontestable fact. I disagree. He's very much a mixed bag. He was brilliant at The Seven Days Battles and Chancellorsville. And he was utterly reckless and foolhardy during the Maryland/Antietam Campaign and the Gettysburg Campaign. He lost sight of his primary job, to maintain the integrity of Southern territory and the existence of the Confederacy. His decisions to engage Union forces at the time and in the manner he did is directly responsible for the military defeat of the South. You don't get to be the Greatest General of anything if you're the loser.
I left out Antietam(or Sharpsburg, whichever you prefer) as I guess that can be classified as a Union victory, but then again many people consider it a draw. It's true Lee was stopped from going further there, but ironically, it was McClellan's army that wreaked havoc and misery on the civilian population in that area of Maryland, not Lee's.
Thanks for the great videos and
John B Gordon and his brigade (13th, 26th, 31st, 38th, 60th, and 61st Georgia) ((I had five ancestors serve in the 61st GA, including my direct ancestor Jesse Wilkes Jr.)) and then division had a VERY successful Overland Campaign. In May of 1864, brigade would see action at Saunders Field at the Wilderness, first repelling Warren's assault on the 5th, including smashing the Iron Brigade before taking part in Gordon's famous flank attack on the 6th, gaining Gordon the attention of Lee and leading to his command of a division. The brigade, now under Colonel Clement Evans of the 31st Georgia, moved to Spotsylvania Court House, where it helped repell Federal assaults on two occassions: first on the 10th, repelling Upton's Assault; and on the 12th, helping plug the gap at the Bloody Angle and suffering heavy casualties in the process. For their actions that day, Gordon would be promoted to Major General, and Evans to Brigadier, and permanent command of the brigade.
The brigade, joined by the 12th Georgia Artillery Battalion (serving as Infantry), saw more combat defending from the Assault of the 18th, as well as a Harris' Farm, before being engaged heavily at the North Anna and Cold Harbor, repulsing and countercharging Burnside’s IXth Corps.
Gordon’s Brigade is by-far one of the most elite battle hardened units of the Army of Northern Virginia.
If you were interested in the Overland campaign and Gordon’s Brigade, I highly recommend you read the historical novel “Hell or Richmond”, by author Ralph Peters.
While it is a novel, Peter’s attention to historical accuracy and detail, and his vivid writing, makes his characters and historical figures come alive in a way I have never before seen.
Come on you guys! Where's # 15? I can't wait!
In many ways, this foreshadowed the type of warfare and carnage of WWI
What a horrible fight. I've seen the tree stump at the Smithsonian but haven't been to Spotsylvania.
Such a MASSIVE opportunity missed by poor Union leadership. So many soldiers paid with their lives for bungled attacks which absolutely could and should have succeeded in shattering Lee’s army. Twice the lines of the Confederates were broken. Twice, the opportunity was lost. I’m not sure any of the Unions upper leadership is blameless. Surprisingly Burnside might be the only Major General who did what was asked of him.
I don't know how Kris knows so many small details of the ground.
I wanted to get your opinion on something. I was wondering how cannoneers communicated with each other during battle? I thought they used flags, but the smoke would be so thick, I thought a buhle , but bkasts would be too loud. Just something I've always wondered about. Thank you.
I was wondering, everyone always says Jeb Stuart was mortally wounded but never how, I know it was in Calvary action at yellow tavern but that’s all I know
Its a shame Lee didn't take advice that the mule shoe was a bad position too hold ! On top of pulling his guns back from that defensive position leaving it naked ! You would have to believe the stress unfolding was getting too Lee! No Longstreet, and Stuart going down . Having to bleed his army for his mistakes while new line was being built.
You walked under a window maker... @ 1320 ish
Lee really farked up here....one of the most over rated generals in history.
Wow just wow
One of the best Generals in History
@@jimmyherring2007 totally over rated and a traitor to boot ✌️
@@brianford8493 I knew the "traitor" and other nonsense would follow quickly. Can spot you guys a mile away. There's always one.
@brianford8493 Brilliant, just brilliant. Have a cookie.