I tell you, one of the most satisfying things about being a civil war buff, it's listening to elegant speech of the written accounts of even common soldiers
I attended Lutheran Theological Seminary and often late at night, we would walk out to the scene of Picket's Charge. There was a bench there and, under the clear, moonlight skies of a Gettysburg fall or spring, we would sit on the bench and press the button and hear the story. I swear you can feel the tension and vibration and almost hear the screams and shots fired of some young men who lay dying.. And Robert E. Lee saying "Too bad, too bad!" and don't tell the seminary professors but we would often take a bottle of good booze and drink to the horror of that hill and the screams of the wounded and dying. And we would imagine the 15 and 16 and 17 year old children soldiers and know the tragedy of the that war. Every time I see the Confederate flag, a sign of dishonor for its celebration of slavery, and think that in this day and age we still have racists who would hate a person for the color of their sin, and those 15,000 young men who died, fighting to win for slavery and those who died, fighting to free all people, I feel once again that great sadness. The focus might have been on the Generals, but most of the dying was on common people who only tried to make a good life for not only themselves, but for people held in slavery for 200 years. Thank you for making it real again.
Hearing all the accounts of the common soldier is amazing indeed and very much appreciated. Kind Thanks and Many Blessings and I include all those soldiers of both sides as well. DaveyJO in Pennsylvania
Sir, thank you for this individual accept of the battle. I'm Canadian and love any and all information on your Civil War. Can't wait for another one of these. Thank you for the time you put into this.
I love Gettysburg. I love it so much I have written undergraduate and graduate papers on it. I even did a review of it. But you are right in that it is SO drum and bugle and SO top-down. The historiography is moving ahead with bottom-up history, and I think that we need a new era of "epic" war movies that updates how they approach history. Some of my favorite graduate research was small town newspapers, memorials, and veterans' stories around the Civil War, and I hope that we eventually get some films that are more modern in their historical methodology.
Exactly, that is what I was going for in this video. Not that the movie was bad, but the individual soldier perspective would have added so much to the films emotion and better understanding of what fighting was like, not just lines of men running into one another.
...Speilberg and Hanks, ( who is related to Nancy Hanks...Lincoln's mother ) did an incredible job topping " Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers" with their production of HBO's "The Pacific" The intensity, horror, and gore was shocking....but, NECESSARY....to FORCE the viewer to understand what our Marines suffered fighting for our nation. The movie " Gettysburg" LACKS the shocking realism of the actual horror on the battlefield and the true accounts written by soldiers who described bloody hand to hand combat where men savagely stabbed, cut, and shot each other.....desperately swearing and cursing, while standing on top of bloody corpses and even screaming wounded men below. In the real battle, helpless wounded men lay on the ground and were EATEN by loose pigs , unless they could wield a sword, or, other weapon to beat them off. If the movie" Gettysburg" had not been done with an eye for being broadcast on regular television, and was done as " The Pacific" was done....it would have made an unforgettable and indelible impression on the nation and world. There would be more respect TODAY for those men of the North and South and maybe even less IGNORANCE about them that currently results in hordes of leftist brain dead animals tearing down statues of men they know NOTHING about !!
You are so correct, and that is why I hate movies like this. I want to see historically accurate movies not HOLLYWOODized children's pap. This movie was entertaining as far as it went, but that is the problem: it didn't GO FAR ENOUGH. The movie ignored Sickles role and Ewell at Culps hill--how could they call this "Gettysburg" when it was really about Joshua Chamberlain--It should have been called "Chamberlain" and it would have been fine. It ignored Longstreet's recommendation to take Seminary Ridge and force the Federals to follow. It ignored Longstreet's 7 hour pouting fit and failure to follow orders.Out of curiosity, did you see Gods and Generals? It wasn't the subject, so much as the poor directing and the "boo-hoo", poor General Jackson (crying sounds here) and incessant weepy music that ruined this movie. It was the same writer/director/producer as Gettysburg. Thank god he learned something from G&G in directing or there would have been constant, inappropriate violin music
@@sallyjohnson8660 ....yes, Gods and Generals was a sappy disappointment. I always imagined that a REAL Civil War movie would have featured Robin William's as Grant.....he looked just like him, had the necessary acting chops, and even shared Grant's struggle with drinking.....the perfect dramatic choice. The only actor who had the bearing and aura to play Lee would have been Charlton Heston, but, Heston did not resemble Lee enough. Any serious and objective student of the Civil War must focus on WHY a man like Robert E. Lee would choose to fight against the very Federal army he was asked to lead in an effort to stop secession and preserve the Union. Lee`s own personal decision was MIRRORED by hundreds of thousands of Southern boys.....most of whom never owned slaves, and like Lee, were not motivated by the preservation of slavery. This is a crucial question that is always ignored by historians, or, distorted by the ones who have commented on it. I am always touched by the real accounts of soldiers who experienced the actual terror and tragedy of this war between Americans....fellow countrymen, who in many cases did not hate each other. I think of the scene where Jeb Stuart raided and captured an actual Union command post, where the commander narrowly escaped capture. Stuart left an affectionate note for the Union commander nailed to a tree........Stuart's West Point ROOMATE !! Or, the two lines of battle worn enemies facing each other during the formal surrender ceremony at Appomattox, as Bruce Catton described in " A Stillness at Appomatox". Men stood in silence on both sides as tears poured down their cheeks in remembrance of the pain and suffering those survivors had endured in the war.......separated by flags, yet, bonded together in the common tragedy they shared on the bloody battlefield. Dramatic scenes that actually happened, like Lee riding to a severely damaged artillery battery at Fredericksburg, finding almost all men there dead and seeing one survivor covered from head to toe in black soot. When Lee told him to be brave and continue manning his gun, the soldier said : " Father....don't you recognize your OWN SON ??...... it's ME, ROB !! " So many real life scenes......Union and Confederate soldiers playing BASEBALL against each other during breaks in action, or, trading tobacco for coffee as officers tried in vain to stop the " fraternization " between soldiers who were ALL Americans in reality. Hah!!..... maybe I'LL direct the next movie !!!
Reminds me of a scene in a docudrama about the Battle of Gettysburg where a single Union soldier is followed as he tries to retreat through the town on the first day. He is shot and mortally wounded and in his dying moments, takes out a photograph of his young children. After the battle is over, they cannot identify him but when the photograph he was grasping is published in the newspapers, his family is finally found and this soldier is given back his name.
His name was Sergent Amos Humiston of company c, 154th New York volunteers. Beautiful story, we heard it during our visit at the cemetery in 2007. My son still talks about it.
Thanks a lot for your work. I enjoy your videos a lot, but also, it is important I think to remember the sacrifices and the struggle so many men from before me made in this, our country. Please keep up the good work.
I think a little attention should have been paid to Stuart's cavalry trying to circle behind the Union lines, and being stopped by Brig Gen George Custer.
I have really enjoyed all your videos and know I am a bit late to most but the background music if a bit less would make the reading easier to hear. Overall have truly been impressed with all of your videos!!
Though I can think of many ways that the movie "Gettysburg" could have been improved, and the the memoir you read from (like so many accounts) is very moving, the flaw with your post is that the movie is based on Michael Shaara's novel, The Killer Angels, and the novel tells the story of the battle through the experiences of several participants all of whom are officers. The most prominent characters in the novel are Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, commander or the 20th Maine Volunteer Regiment, which was part of the Union Army's 5th Corps, and General James Longstreet, commander of the Confederate Army's 3rd Corps. Shaara did not intend, nor attempt, to write a history of the Battle Of Gettysburg. His intent was to write a compelling story of historical fiction. To include the stories of character other than the focus of Shaara's book would be to deviate from Shaara's very succinct storyline.
thb53 You are correct--it is a work of FICTION that had mostly reliable history as far as it goes. the movie should NOT have been called Gettysburg because it is not ;really about Gettysburg, It is as you say, about Chamberlain and Longstreet. (However, Longstreet was poorly written as he wished to take Seminary Ridge and force the Feds to attack there. and there was other poor portrayal of the true histsory of Longstreet.) Realistically, as much as I enjoy watching Gettysburg, it is really a pretty poor portrayal of history.
Love these accounts of men in the field. My GG Grandpa was in NY 126th and Hays during this event. I would give anything to sit with whiskey and listen to him and his accounts.
Thank you so much for watching and supporting the channel. I have many of these accounts. It's the closest people like me and you can come to listening to those stories from our ancestors.Please check out my other videos.
Nicely Done! I saw the comment on the First Minnesota. They filled the gap caused by Sickles Salient. It was his head hard and wrongly followed orders to do what he did. The Minnesota came in and saved him. The cost to Minnesota was huge. I think they lost 80 percent of their numbers and it was one of the, if not largest loss of its kind in the war. Sickles who killed his wife's lover, the son of Francis Scott Key, and was the first to use the defense of temporary insanity in his plea, forfeited his leg this day, which is still on display in one of the Washington Museums.
I love the personal stories of the men. The men saw the horrors, the heroics, the individual struggles and their stories must be told to understand it all.
Any thing like this personalizes my view of these happenings. It’s REAL people. Father, sons brothers and kin of all kinds. It’s not entertainment it is their reality and you give us a window into the price they paid. I don’t care how long ago it happened. When I went to Gettysburg there were times and places that brought tears to my eyes. The one thing that a war can never do is END. It change lives/history forever. Thank you. Thank you again.
Sir, please keep making your stories. The perspective of the soldier is so good. I would very much like to recommend you create a story about the 54 Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The negro Infantry represented in the movie Glory. I understand that the movie was extremely accurate.
These individual accounts give the big movements their character. Battle is, indeed a very small field, confined to what is in front of the individual soldier and that can be more than enough.
There was a skirmish held in my great grandfather's back yard, when he died my uncle(his son) inherited the property and sadly ended up selling it to someone outside of the family. The old house with the kitchen built off separately is still there, as are the hand dug bunkers, but I don't think the new owners even know that lands Civil War history.
What is Little discussed is that the 14th Connecticut that day had two companies of men with Sharps carbines, which were made in Connecticut. Colonel Ellis who is mentioned in the narrative had all his men prior to the attack get as many rifles from the wounded and dead as possible and have them loaded and ready at the wall. Many men had three and four rifles each. In addition the men in the front line with the sharps carbine’s passed them back to have them loaded with fresh rifles being passed forward. That regiment of 100 men captured five battle flags that day and the pile of dead in front of their line was reported to be enormous
I think Gettysburg captured the desperation of the situation perfectly, and I attribute that to the music. You see the advance of the Rebels under heavy fire, and the Union artillery sergeant, who I think is supposed to be 1st Fueger, in holding the line to the last minute. That personal account would have been a great addition to the film, however. The common soldier was largely omitted from that movie.
Individual stories bring life to the war although they often make my heart hurt because as you said no matter which side they were on they were somone's so brother etc. Please bring more individual stories if you are able
Gods and Generals did this very thing with Private McClintock, who also played “Johnny Reb,” in this film. I am soon to interview him! In addition, I reenact closely with the 14th CT! I am in the 8th.
Jeff Shaara, son of the author of the book on which Gettysburg is based, and a great writer in his own right, has addressed the "top down ness" (if I may coin a term). In his books, especially the more recent ones, he gives the point of few of enlisted men and junior officers as well as the generals. This makes the books very rich.
As books, they can contain whateaver the writer deems his book is about, however, if one is going to make a movie about that book, the writer may have to include a little more to make the thing even a little historically accurate. The Scriptwriter should have done a better job for one, but the book writer also could have done a bit better in my opinion.
I've visited the place five times so far. Each time, more grit, blood, smoke and bravery can be seen the fields and hills. Your stories almost have a religious feel to them. Just like the place itself.
I would add the 26th NC regiment that had 816 men and officers, they would get their fair share and treatment like the 20th Maine did, they fought the first day against 2 federal regiments in the Iron Brigade and beat them back taking the ridge suffering 577 casualties, they were in Pettigrew's brigade in Heth's division, on the 3rd day they were in Pettigrew's division(replaced Heth) and fought in Pickett's charge, this regiment was at the front like Garnett and one of the few who made it over the stonewall, they penetrated further than any other confederate regiment, after the attack failed and they withdrew to their own lines, there were 80 men left.
Another aspect were the smaller battles outside of the main Gettysburg battle. I believe there were 2, one a bit East & another Southeast of Gettysburg. Appreciate anyone;s input. I'd like to read more on them, but don't have names to research efficiently. Thank You All !
Gettysburgh showed the horrors of war, in great detail, the horror of that charge, but the lessons were not learnt, only more even terrible wars followed on, like senseless world war one charges, on the somme, and still wars continue to this day, endless wars with no end game, no ending. we never learn. sigh.
Fantastic job you did Sure is a sad part of the war to lose so many on that mile charge yes I would like to see more of what you have to offer about the history of the Civil War
I like it! I think since the Gettysburg movie should have included something about Greene’s men on Culp’s Hill. This was truly another pivotal moment during the battle that the movie could have shown. However, you can’t put everything in a film.
Have History Will Travel I have grown up in tupelo Mississippi most all my life, I’m related to Gen. John Bell Hood. My families land is where the 2nd day action of Tupelo/Harrisburg took place on July 15, 1864.
Ill be real Ive been really liking all of your content. Which means my answer to your question is ...well both. I wanna hear the individual stories but also the over view. Or more vids like your cudjo cave vid. Regardless I cannot wait til the next installment of Have history will travel
This was great ... I enjoyed your focus on enlisted men, they don't get enough credit for what they endured. The movie didn't include much about them, because it followed Michael Shaara's book The Killer Angels very faithfully. I do have a question about the painting: it looks to me as though the figure identified as Gen. Armistead is being shot off a horse, although I can't really see it well, could be the horse is just close by. Armistead wasn't on horseback during the charge, Dick Garnett was, because he was injured.
I saw that as well and that was not my arrow or my identification. That was a photo I got of Wikimedia commons. From what I understand, you are correct.
Great content here my man. Have been enjoying your videos. Any chance you could highlight John b. Gordons written account of his experience during the Battle of Sharpsburg? Thank you
Pickett's Charge was the worse mistake in judgment Lee ever made. He was taught at West Point that attackers in such a situation needed at least a 3-1 numerical advantage. At most they had the same number as they were attacking and it was obvious by day 3 that the Union position allowed for quick reinforcement of any part of their position. It is incredible, absolutely incredible that the Confederates were able to punch a hole some 25 yards deep over that wall. It should have been impossible to even come close to that. Yet, they did, unlike the Union at Fredericksburg and Cold Harbor where, in those cases the 3:1 or more advantage was in place for the Union.
That can be disputed. the worst mistake in MY opinion is that Lee did not do as Longstreet wanted to do which was to take SEMINARY Ridge and make the Feds attack them. Lee proved how poor of a commander he truly was at Gettysburg. He made MANY fatal mistakes that week. He was not the greatest commander of that war, tho' he was ONE of the greatest. the greatest was GRANT!
Good stuff. My only critique would be to remind everyone that the movie was intended to follow the events as recorded in the book "Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara. As such it would have made the movie untenable to try to include even all of the scenes depicted in the book, much less the innumerable heroic deeds generated by the three day battle itself.
Just an outstanding film, I would have liked it to be longer than it was but you can only expect people to sit for only so long in a theatre. Lets all remember when the film came out, no 60 inch tv screens back in those days...
The 1st Minnesota's story should of been in Gettysburg too. But it was based off of the book killer angles, so if it wasn't in there then it wouldn't be in the film.
I agree with you reading many of these comments I wonder how many people actually read the source material the movie was based on as it was the movie was long enough with an intermission included everything could not be included in the movie even without the "omissions" the movie was great as is it was meant to be entertaing movie and it accomplished its goal
To answer your question I would say both. As a history buff I do prefer the overview approach for documentaries. However from a movie / entertainment aspect, including more individual stories would not hurt. Ken Burns would be an example of going too far in that direction. As good as his Civil War documentary is, I can't stand all the personal stories he inserts. I do not understand why the movie includes nothing about the cavalry actions near Cashtown before the battle or those that took place on days 2-3.
Ken Burns stuff sux in my opinion. His stuff presents the view of Ken Burns which basically is "I am Ken Burns and I am right and you are wrong if you disagree with Ken Burns". Ken Burns is King. Really, he is just a prejudiced producer producing inaccurate material.
It shouldn’t be in the movie because Shaara didn’t included it in his book. Maybe you should right a book and then perhaps they’ll put it in a movie... There a million unbelievable and amazing things that happened and that battle. But Shaara choose to focus on what he did and is book was amazing. Period
ChimChim812, while your basic premise may be correct (the movie was based on the book and if it wasn’t in the book it’s not likely to appear in the movie) if you’re going to dictate a snotty review, at least proofread it before you post it. And at least he took the initiative to make and upload a video of his thoughts, not just take potshots at others.
The movie was based almost verbatim off of "The Killer Angels". Shaara wrote it from the perspective of mostly officers. Probably because many of them wrote memoirs after the battle. Granted, memoirs are skewed sometimes, but Shaara used them as main sources for his book. Enlisted men tended to write letters home, but not memoirs. Including anything more would have added to an already bloated run time.
There were many memoirs written by enlisted men, however Shaara did not have the internet at that time and most likely would have had a very difficult time finding those memoirs. As it is, I have above 800 documents written by Civil War persons, many of which are writtne by NON officers, including nurses, White House persons, slaves, spies and others. There is much more available on-line than what I have. I thimk that Shaara wrote an ENTERTAINING story but not an HISTORICAL story, at least not historically quality wise. He leaves out too many important stories such as Hancock, Meade, Ewell and other important generals, the attack on Culps hill and the disgusting actions of Sickles.
This is novel and powerful to let the rank n' file soldiers, not just skilled elite officers who fought expalin their understanding of such a key historic event . I hope you will expand o this too-with your future US Civil War battle videos . But the 1993 Gettysbug movie though flaawed & a bit long , was a great instructors tool i used when i was teaching school , It really kept most ll the students attention and they wer reallyinterested in learning more about the conflict the epoch, and what grew out of it .
Thank you so much for the kind words. Keep checking back for more rank and file stories. I completely agree about the movie. It had its flaws but it drew me into wanting to study the civil war.
Just saying but the events that took place before Pickett’s charge involving symths brigade was at this barn called the bliss barn and on the second day of the battle of Gettysburg their was confederate sharpshooters in the barn firing at the men at the cannons and during the battle of Gettysburg the union commander Alexander hay’s ordered the barn to be burnt
The movie suffered from the lack of grisly horror which Stephen Spielberg made sure to present in the series " The Pacific" and, of course, "Saving Private Ryan". The tame depiction of the actual fighting made the movie appear to be a "TV movie" because of its lack of realism and terrible fake beards.....especially Longstreet's. Only the actual suffering and horror can adequately show the true courage and valor of the men who fought at Gettysburg on both sides. That men could persevere despite this shows what kind of determined people Americans were in the 1800s. No wonder that Grant felt sad at Appomattox, saying : " I feel like anything but celebrating the defeat of our foe. They fought so long and so hard........they are our countrymen again."
Having read the Killer Angels this information was not in the book. The book was never meant to be a complete history. Since the movie was based on the book only the characters in tne book were featured. The movie was never meant to be a complete and total history
NY 126th should have been recognized redeeming themselves after Harper Ferry. They filled the gap in union lines. The brave 1st MN gave them the chance to fill that gap
The movie is greatly flawed because it was based upon the self-aggrandizing account of James Longstreet, his " Manassass to Appomattox" book, which drew the ire of most of the surviving Confederate generals who had been at Gettysburg, as well as many staff officers. As Glenn Tucker has written, it was NO " accident" that Gettysburg was the scene of the battle. Lee had skillfully drawn the Union Army out from Virginia and away from Washington in a long arc.....knowing Lincoln would demand that the capitol still be covered as the Federals moved north, giving Lee the opportunity to pounce on each arriving Union Corps one at a time with his concentrated rebel army converging from different points. This plan worked brilliantly on the first day. Without the dependable and aggressive Stonewall Jackson, Lee had to reorganize the command of his army prior to the march north. President Davis had refused Lee's request to include General Beauregard and all his men for the all important invasion. Lee was eager to follow up quickly on the first days success......he ordered Longstreet to make an EARLY MORNING attack on day two, but, the stubborn Longstreet delayed until four pm, allowing massive Union reinforcements to arrive and to ruin Lee's plan. Longstreet delayed AGAIN on the third day, forcing Lee to hastily come up with the idea of Pickett's charge, which was NOT conducted as Lee had ordered it !! Longstreet FAILED to insure that the artillery was present to support the charge, as Lee had ORDERED !!! The advancing troops had NO artillery firing back at the Union guns that were mowing the rebels down, AND no artillery firing into the mass of Union troops at the wall who decimated the rebels climbing the fences on the Emmittsburg Road with their musket fire and Alonzo Cushing's cannons firing double canister. !! Lee was NO dummy !!...he had CRUSHED every previous Union commander while being outnumbered and out gunned. The difference at Gettysburg was that he had NO Stonewall Jackson.......Longstreet was a poor substitute who moaned and delayed, causing thousands of deaths with his stubbornness. While Lee and Jackson had achieved their greatest victory at Chancellorsville just a month before, Longstreet was guarding PEANUTS in Suffolk, Virginia !! Yet, he claims to be the all knowing, all seeing military genius who knew BETTER than Lee !! It's too bad the movie does not show how great Lee and Jackson were, and why they were so beloved by their men. At Gettysburg, Lee was let down by SEVERAL commanders who disobeyed his orders : Ewell failing to take Culp's Hill, Stuart not " feeling the right" of the army after crossing the Potomac ,as Lee had ordered, Pender and Heath bringing on a general engagement the first day, and Longstreet failing to attack promptly and supervising his artillery under E. Porter Alexander. Lee ordered Pickett to DESTROY his battlefield report in an effort to stop the disharmony among his officers which would have resulted from Pickett's account. The bravery and courage of the men on both sides must never be forgotten.......one trip to that hallowed ground leaves the visitor with an unmistakable sense of the brave spirits still on duty there....as if they are reaching out to us. Any demand made today by ignorant fools for "reparations" forgets that they have been PAID in FULL already, and deposited in the neat graves on Cemetery Hill , as well as in the mass trenches along the fences on the Emmittsburg Road......brave boys ALL !!
You are so correct about this. Longstreet failed miserably but so did Lee. Longstreet recommended to Lee that the Reb forces should make their stand on Seminary Ridge and force the Fed to attack them on that hill. It most likely would have produced profoundly different results none of which anyone could at this time predict. Lee knew that Longstreet did not want to do what he was ordered and Lee knew that if a commander is against an order, to replace that commander or to NOT give that commander the order. As an ARM-CHAIR general (LOL), I thimk Longstreet should be given a bit of credit--not for his failures, but for his opposition to Lee's plan. Hmmm.
@@dikhed1639 ......Both Lee and Longstreet EXPECTED a direct counter attack following Pickett's Charge and that explains one of the reasons Longstreet held back on supplying the necessary artillery ordered by Lee to support the charge....a costly mistake. Meade would not make the attack because his army was also severely damaged. Lincoln was FURIOUS that Meade did not make the attack, too....not realizing Lee could have wound up with the Union army in a 3 sided box to be heavily pummeled even WORSE than Pickett was !. This is EXACTLY what happened to Grant at Cold Harbor, VA in 1864, where Grant lost 10,000 men in twenty minutes.
Gettysburg, altho' entertaining, is hardly an historical movie--but then what movie is? Basically Gettysburg was a movie about Joshua chamberlain. It left out so much more--Sickles and his horrible mistake and disobedience as a commander, the fights for Culps Hill, The disobedience and failure of Longstreet and Lee's failure to listen more to Longstreet who wanted to take SEMINARY Hill and force the Federals to the attack. In short, Gettysburg needed to be a mini-series as it would take 15 hours of film to tell the story correctly. And there is a LOT to tell and it is VERY interesting. The writer/producer/director had also made the HORRIBLE movie Gods and Generals which is so boo- hooish that it is nearly impossible to watch. It is mostly about the wonderful hero Stonewall Jackson which is a good story but it was done with such poor taste and a sop to anti-slavery sentiment that it interfered with good story telling. Thank god that the director had learnt something about directing from this bad movie for directing Gettysburg. Unfortunately, he didn't learn enough and jprobably needed more $$ to tell the story correctly. the Next movie he was supposed to produce never got made which was about Grant, should have been even better than Gettysburg. As you may know, Vicksburg fell the day after Gettysburg and was probably MORE important than Gettysburg for Strategy overall for th e North. Grant made war look easy, he won with such facility, took tens of thousands of prisoners BEFORE Gettysburg that many believe it was all luck for Grant. It WASN'T luck, it was GREAT Generalling. Today, Grant is on the 50$ bill and for good reason. He was the greatest General of the Civil War, better than Lee, no matter what propaganda you might hear. Lee, without a doubt, was a great tactician, but Grant was a great strategist. Strategy, as long as no terrible tactical mistakes are made, always wins over tactics in the long run. Grant actually lost not a single battle, however, he has several draws of which Cold Harbor and the Wilderness were the worst for the North, while Lee lost several battles which were not even against Grant. Had Grant been commander of the Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg, the forces under Lee would have been entirely annihilated, at least enough that the war would have ended a year earlier. Grant would not have allowed the insubordination of Sickles and he would have hurried the outlying forces of the Federals to the quickstep, took Culps hill and the Round Tops without the blink of an eye. Yet Grant gets little appreciation for his genius. I wish someone could produce a mini-series on Grant. It would be eye-opening.
...Lincoln lost his life because his wife angered Julia Grant, who refused to go to Ford's theater. Mary Todd Lincoln had called general Grant " a BUTCHER"....referring to the massive casualties he suffered in trying to overcome Lee. Grant always maintained a respect for Lee, having served under him in the Mexican War and knowing the incredible sacrifice it took to defeat him, though Lee was usually outnumbered and out gunned. Americans forget that McClellan, like other Union commanders, could not stomach the heavy losses required to achieve victory. He RAN against Lincoln as a " Peace candidate", echoing the sentiment of many Americans who just wanted to STOP the massive bloodshed and END the war !! Grant appeared to Lincoln to be the ONLY commander willing to suffer the high casualties in order to win. Lincoln had an inexhaustible supply of German and Irish immigrant troops who poured into New York every day, and were turned into whole brigades on the battlefield. Grant's " genius" was in persisting in the attack, despite the horrific bloodshed and casualties. His defeats at the Wilderness and Cold Harbor may have caused other commanders to retreat.....Grant just kept hammering away. The scene at Spotsylvania Court House is one never depicted on film....where the Texans are about to give way under heavy fire and Lee himself rides up to the very front line to personally lead a desperate counter charge yelling: " the Texans ALWAYS move the enemy!" as bullets and shells whizzed all around him and groups of soldiers yelled " Lee to the rear" as they charged forward with tears running down their faces to stop the Union advance, while men grabbed Lee's horse bridle to pull him back to safety. Grant was always mindful of the bloody price of victory, and maintained his respect for those who fought so hard against him. Its too bad that TODAY more Americans no longer have the respect that Grant had.
Gettysburg 1993 is a perfect movie its four hours long and its a great movie sure theirs a lot of scenes that did not make into the movie remember is based off of the killer angels which came out in 1974 and both the book and movie are perfect yes in 63 the most important battle is Gettysburg due to lee losing and getting defeated at that battle in my opinon you are complaining and whining in this video hers some advice shut up and enjoy the movie for what it is and yes their is a directors cut which makes it 4 hours long Gettysburg does not nee to be like peter Jackson lotr movies and the hobbit movies as well ron Maxwell most perfect film is indeed gettysburg
Another scene the movie Gettysburg did not include was Confederate troops kidnapping African Americans in Pennsylvania and sending them into slavery in Virginia. The Southern troops were fighting to preserve slavery.
Yes God can be for and against the same thing at the same time. He was against slavery when his chosen were slaves. Then he was for it when his chosen decided to practice it. It is funny how that works. Yes we need more from the enlisted ranks. We particularly need more enlisted Rebel point of view.
It is sad but I think this war was inevitable; people wanted to fight it and there were so many strong feelings on both sides about what they were fighting for. My great-great grandfather ran off at 16 eager to fight in this war. I can't relate to that at all, especially because he fought for something I don't believe in.
Carla Lorch What did he fight for his home, friends, and families. Or did you think he actually fought over the job status of Black people? Lincoln and the Federal government was quite willing to let the South keep their slaves as long as the import/export taxes were being paid by the South. Slavery only became the issue once a political advantage could be gained. An issue that was use to justify the expenditure of almost 700,000 lives for the purpose of ensuring Federal supremacy over the states. Lincoln was our Julius Caesar and in the same way the Republic was destroyed. Think of today we have Russian collusion, Man-made Climate Change, racism, sexism, Islamaphobia, Transphobia, etc being used to psychology brow beat the population into a submissive mindset. Basically using different kinds of guilt to control people. Slavery then and now is an issue that is used to demonize the majority population and subvert their will to resist the agenda of the elite and powerful through media and the government. Don’t be ashamed of your ancestors or your heritage and history!!!! Don’t let guilt be used against you!!!
the movie Gettysburg was a perfect film it is of ourse based off of the amazing book by Michael shaara called the killer angels th book did not have these scenes which are not in the film or the book its just one seriously good movie plus gods and generals was a terrible movie it did not follow the book very well plus if you have watched Gettysburg it mentions in the opening credits that its based off of the book the killer angels by Michael shaara maybe these scenes you are mentioning might be in the book cain at Gettysburg by another amazing author
I tell you, one of the most satisfying things about being a civil war buff, it's listening to elegant speech of the written accounts of even common soldiers
I have many of them available on my channel. Please check them out and consider subscribing if you have not done so already.
I attended Lutheran Theological Seminary and often late at night, we would walk out to the scene of Picket's Charge. There was a bench there and, under the clear, moonlight skies of a Gettysburg fall or spring, we would sit on the bench and press the button and hear the story. I swear you can feel the tension and vibration and almost hear the screams and shots fired of some young men who lay dying.. And Robert E. Lee saying "Too bad, too bad!" and don't tell the seminary professors but we would often take a bottle of good booze and drink to the horror of that hill and the screams of the wounded and dying. And we would imagine the 15 and 16 and 17 year old children soldiers and know the tragedy of the that war. Every time I see the Confederate flag, a sign of dishonor for its celebration of slavery, and think that in this day and age we still have racists who would hate a person for the color of their sin, and those 15,000 young men who died, fighting to win for slavery and those who died, fighting to free all people, I feel once again that great sadness. The focus might have been on the Generals, but most of the dying was on common people who only tried to make a good life for not only themselves, but for people held in slavery for 200 years. Thank you for making it real again.
Hearing all the accounts of the common soldier is amazing indeed and very much appreciated. Kind Thanks and Many Blessings and I include all those soldiers of both sides as well. DaveyJO in Pennsylvania
Really enjoyed the reading. Concentrating on what was being read I was seeing it in my mind. Thank you.
Well played, kind sir. You seem to have a knack for finding the diamonds in the rough!
Sir, thank you for this individual accept of the battle. I'm Canadian and love any and all information on your Civil War. Can't wait for another one of these.
Thank you for the time you put into this.
That's good. Individual stories are excellent, and in fact this is probably the best way to tell them. Thnks again.
I love Gettysburg. I love it so much I have written undergraduate and graduate papers on it. I even did a review of it. But you are right in that it is SO drum and bugle and SO top-down. The historiography is moving ahead with bottom-up history, and I think that we need a new era of "epic" war movies that updates how they approach history. Some of my favorite graduate research was small town newspapers, memorials, and veterans' stories around the Civil War, and I hope that we eventually get some films that are more modern in their historical methodology.
Exactly, that is what I was going for in this video. Not that the movie was bad, but the individual soldier perspective would have added so much to the films emotion and better understanding of what fighting was like, not just lines of men running into one another.
JakseSA Recently I preformed Chamberlains monologue for my theatre class
...Speilberg and Hanks, ( who is related to Nancy Hanks...Lincoln's mother ) did an incredible job topping " Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers" with their production of HBO's "The Pacific" The intensity, horror, and gore was shocking....but, NECESSARY....to FORCE the viewer to understand what our Marines suffered fighting for our nation. The movie " Gettysburg" LACKS the shocking realism of the actual horror on the battlefield and the true accounts written by soldiers who described bloody hand to hand combat where men savagely stabbed, cut, and shot each other.....desperately swearing and cursing, while standing on top of bloody corpses and even screaming wounded men below. In the real battle, helpless wounded men lay on the ground and were EATEN by loose pigs , unless they could wield a sword, or, other weapon to beat them off. If the movie" Gettysburg" had not been done with an eye for being broadcast on regular television, and was done as " The Pacific" was done....it would have made an unforgettable and indelible impression on the nation and world. There would be more respect TODAY for those men of the North and South and maybe even less IGNORANCE about them that currently results in hordes of leftist brain dead animals tearing down statues of men they know NOTHING about !!
You are so correct, and that is why I hate movies like this. I want to see historically accurate movies not HOLLYWOODized children's pap. This movie was entertaining as far as it went, but that is the problem: it didn't GO FAR ENOUGH. The movie ignored Sickles role and Ewell at Culps hill--how could they call this "Gettysburg" when it was really about Joshua Chamberlain--It should have been called "Chamberlain" and it would have been fine. It ignored Longstreet's recommendation to take Seminary Ridge and force the Federals to follow. It ignored Longstreet's 7 hour pouting fit and failure to follow orders.Out of curiosity, did you see Gods and Generals? It wasn't the subject, so much as the poor directing and the "boo-hoo", poor General Jackson (crying sounds here) and incessant weepy music that ruined this movie. It was the same writer/director/producer as Gettysburg. Thank god he learned something from G&G in directing or there would have been constant, inappropriate violin music
@@sallyjohnson8660 ....yes, Gods and Generals was a sappy disappointment. I always imagined that a REAL Civil War movie would have featured Robin William's as Grant.....he looked just like him, had the necessary acting chops, and even shared Grant's struggle with drinking.....the perfect dramatic choice. The only actor who had the bearing and aura to play Lee would have been Charlton Heston, but, Heston did not resemble Lee enough. Any serious and objective student of the Civil War must focus on WHY a man like Robert E. Lee would choose to fight against the very Federal army he was asked to lead in an effort to stop secession and preserve the Union. Lee`s own personal decision was MIRRORED by hundreds of thousands of Southern boys.....most of whom never owned slaves, and like Lee, were not motivated by the preservation of slavery. This is a crucial question that is always ignored by historians, or, distorted by the ones who have commented on it. I am always touched by the real accounts of soldiers who experienced the actual terror and tragedy of this war between Americans....fellow countrymen, who in many cases did not hate each other. I think of the scene where Jeb Stuart raided and captured an actual Union command post, where the commander narrowly escaped capture. Stuart left an affectionate note for the Union commander nailed to a tree........Stuart's West Point ROOMATE !!
Or, the two lines of battle worn enemies facing each other during the formal surrender ceremony at Appomattox, as Bruce Catton described in " A Stillness at Appomatox". Men stood in silence on both sides as tears poured down their cheeks in remembrance of the pain and suffering those survivors had endured in the war.......separated by flags, yet, bonded together in the common tragedy they shared on the bloody battlefield. Dramatic scenes that actually happened, like Lee riding to a severely damaged artillery battery at Fredericksburg, finding almost all men there dead and seeing one survivor covered from head to toe in black soot. When Lee told him to be brave and continue manning his gun, the soldier said : " Father....don't you recognize your OWN SON ??...... it's ME, ROB !! "
So many real life scenes......Union and Confederate soldiers playing BASEBALL against each other during breaks in action, or, trading tobacco for coffee as officers tried in vain to stop the " fraternization " between soldiers who were ALL Americans in reality. Hah!!..... maybe I'LL direct the next movie !!!
Reminds me of a scene in a docudrama about the Battle of Gettysburg where a single Union soldier is followed as he tries to retreat through the town on the first day. He is shot and mortally wounded and in his dying moments, takes out a photograph of his young children.
After the battle is over, they cannot identify him but when the photograph he was grasping is published in the newspapers, his family is finally found and this soldier is given back his name.
His name was Sergent Amos Humiston of company c, 154th New York volunteers. Beautiful story, we heard it during our visit at the cemetery in 2007. My son still talks about it.
Thanks a lot for your work. I enjoy your videos a lot, but also, it is important I think to remember the sacrifices and the struggle so many men from before me made in this, our country.
Please keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for watching and supporting the channel.
I think a little attention should have been paid to Stuart's cavalry trying to circle behind the Union lines, and being stopped by Brig Gen George Custer.
Thank you for creating this moving account of this horrendous battle......(this thumbs up is from a reader is writing from England)
Robert Thompson🇬🇧 thumbs up back at ya from across the sea 😎👍🇺🇸
@@HE_HATE_ME Rock n Roll
I have really enjoyed all your videos and know I am a bit late to most but the background music if a bit less would make the reading easier to hear.
Overall have truly been impressed with all of your videos!!
Though I can think of many ways that the movie "Gettysburg" could have been improved, and the the memoir you read from (like so many accounts) is very moving, the flaw with your post is that the movie is based on Michael Shaara's novel, The Killer Angels, and the novel tells the story of the battle through the experiences of several participants all of whom are officers. The most prominent characters in the novel are Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, commander or the 20th Maine Volunteer Regiment, which was part of the Union Army's 5th Corps, and General James Longstreet, commander of the Confederate Army's 3rd Corps. Shaara did not intend, nor attempt, to write a history of the Battle Of Gettysburg. His intent was to write a compelling story of historical fiction. To include the stories of character other than the focus of Shaara's book would be to deviate from Shaara's very succinct storyline.
thb53
You are correct--it is a work of FICTION that had mostly reliable history as far as it goes. the movie should NOT have been called Gettysburg because it is not ;really about Gettysburg, It is as you say, about Chamberlain and Longstreet. (However, Longstreet was poorly written as he wished to take Seminary Ridge and force the Feds to attack there. and there was other poor portrayal of the true histsory of Longstreet.) Realistically, as much as I enjoy watching Gettysburg, it is really a pretty poor portrayal of history.
Love these accounts of men in the field. My GG Grandpa was in NY 126th and Hays during this event. I would give anything to sit with whiskey and listen to him and his accounts.
Thank you so much for watching and supporting the channel. I have many of these accounts. It's the closest people like me and you can come to listening to those stories from our ancestors.Please check out my other videos.
Nicely Done! I saw the comment on the First Minnesota. They filled the gap caused by Sickles Salient. It was his head hard and wrongly followed orders to do what he did. The Minnesota came in and saved him. The cost to Minnesota was huge. I think they lost 80 percent of their numbers and it was one of the, if not largest loss of its kind in the war.
Sickles who killed his wife's lover, the son of Francis Scott Key, and was the first to use the defense of temporary insanity in his plea, forfeited his leg this day, which is still on display in one of the Washington Museums.
Sickles really should have been court martialled and hung for what he did, but I guess he got his due which is on display in the museum
Personal accounts of these battles are fascinating!
I love the personal stories of the men. The men saw the horrors, the heroics, the individual struggles and their stories must be told to understand it all.
The description is so vivid as if I was there too
1st Minnesota 85%
Casualties. Highest
Rate in any American
War. In reality it was
One of the amazing
Events that won the
Battle.
Their bravery was supernatural..
"Do you see those colors? Take them!"
This is wonderful ! The boys who gave their lives so many years ago would love this, Carry On ! Gerry Owen , up and over !
Any thing like this personalizes my view of these happenings. It’s REAL people. Father, sons brothers and kin of all kinds. It’s not entertainment it is their reality and you give us a window into the price they paid. I don’t care how long ago it happened. When I went to Gettysburg there were times and places that brought tears to my eyes. The one thing that a war can never do is END. It change lives/history forever. Thank you. Thank you again.
Sir, please keep making your stories. The perspective of the soldier is so good.
I would very much like to recommend you create a story about the 54 Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The negro Infantry represented in the movie Glory. I understand that the movie was extremely accurate.
These individual accounts give the big movements their character. Battle is, indeed a very small field, confined to what is in front of the individual soldier and that can be more than enough.
There was a skirmish held in my great grandfather's back yard, when he died my uncle(his son) inherited the property and sadly ended up selling it to someone outside of the family. The old house with the kitchen built off separately is still there, as are the hand dug bunkers, but I don't think the new owners even know that lands Civil War history.
What is Little discussed is that the 14th Connecticut that day had two companies of men with Sharps carbines, which were made in Connecticut. Colonel Ellis who is mentioned in the narrative had all his men prior to the attack get as many rifles from the wounded and dead as possible and have them loaded and ready at the wall. Many men had three and four rifles each. In addition the men in the front line with the sharps carbine’s passed them back to have them loaded with fresh rifles being passed forward. That regiment of 100 men captured five battle flags that day and the pile of dead in front of their line was reported to be enormous
I think Gettysburg captured the desperation of the situation perfectly, and I attribute that to the music. You see the advance of the Rebels under heavy fire, and the Union artillery sergeant, who I think is supposed to be 1st Fueger, in holding the line to the last minute.
That personal account would have been a great addition to the film, however. The common soldier was largely omitted from that movie.
You have a wonderful storytelling voice
I like this concept please add more, thank you and Merry Christmas.
I have long thought that this movie could have been a trilogy, with one movie for each day of action.
Would love to see more individual stories
Individual stories bring life to the war although they often make my heart hurt because as you said no matter which side they were on they were somone's so brother etc. Please bring more individual stories if you are able
Gods and Generals did this very thing with Private McClintock, who also played “Johnny Reb,” in this film. I am soon to interview him! In addition, I reenact closely with the 14th CT! I am in the 8th.
Jeff Shaara, son of the author of the book on which Gettysburg is based, and a great writer in his own right, has addressed the "top down ness" (if I may coin a term). In his books, especially the more recent ones, he gives the point of few of enlisted men and junior officers as well as the generals. This makes the books very rich.
As books, they can contain whateaver the writer deems his book is about, however, if one is going to make a movie about that book, the writer may have to include a little more to make the thing even a little historically accurate. The Scriptwriter should have done a better job for one, but the book writer also could have done a bit better in my opinion.
Thanks - very much enjoyed this reading. More please.
I've visited the place five times so far. Each time, more grit, blood, smoke and bravery can be seen the fields and hills. Your stories almost have a religious feel to them. Just like the place itself.
Very well done. What is the background music? Could be toned down a notch but don’t exclude it, I like it.
Keep the stories coming.🇺🇸
I would add the 26th NC regiment that had 816 men and officers, they would get their fair share and treatment like the 20th Maine did, they fought the first day against 2 federal regiments in the Iron Brigade and beat them back taking the ridge suffering 577 casualties, they were in Pettigrew's brigade in Heth's division, on the 3rd day they were in Pettigrew's division(replaced Heth) and fought in Pickett's charge, this regiment was at the front like Garnett and one of the few who made it over the stonewall, they penetrated further than any other confederate regiment, after the attack failed and they withdrew to their own lines, there were 80 men left.
Another aspect were the smaller battles outside of the main Gettysburg battle. I believe there were 2, one a bit East & another Southeast of Gettysburg. Appreciate anyone;s input. I'd like to read more on them, but don't have names to research efficiently. Thank You All !
Gettysburgh showed the horrors of war, in great detail, the horror of that charge, but the lessons were not learnt, only more even terrible wars followed on, like senseless world war one charges, on the somme, and still wars continue to this day, endless wars with no end game, no ending. we never learn. sigh.
Fantastic job you did Sure is a sad part of the war to lose so many on that mile charge yes I would like to see more of what you have to offer about the history of the Civil War
I like it! I think since the Gettysburg movie should have included something about Greene’s men on Culp’s Hill. This was truly another pivotal moment during the battle that the movie could have shown. However, you can’t put everything in a film.
Agreed. Culp's Hill was super important.
I really wish more attention was given to Col Oat's 15th Alabama leading up to and during the fight for Little Round Top.
I LOVE your videos
First hand accounts are the best
Have u done anything on Shiloh, Corinth, Brice crossroads and tupelo?
I haven't yet. I've got some Chickamauga and Antietam stuff lined up at the moment but Shiloh is definitely after those.
Have History Will Travel
I have grown up in tupelo Mississippi most all my life, I’m related to Gen. John Bell Hood. My families land is where the 2nd day action of Tupelo/Harrisburg took place on July 15, 1864.
@@CSAFD I go to Mississippi State. Northern Mississippi means a lot to me. I've got a series of John Bell Hood videos. Please check those out
Never heard that. Very Awesome.
I agree I well be looking foreword to your movie.
Ill be real Ive been really liking all of your content. Which means my answer to your question is ...well both. I wanna hear the individual stories but also the over view. Or more vids like your cudjo cave vid. Regardless I cannot wait til the next installment of Have history will travel
This was great ... I enjoyed your focus on enlisted men, they don't get enough credit for what they endured. The movie didn't include much about them, because it followed Michael Shaara's book The Killer Angels very faithfully. I do have a question about the painting: it looks to me as though the figure identified as Gen. Armistead is being shot off a horse, although I can't really see it well, could be the horse is just close by. Armistead wasn't on horseback during the charge, Dick Garnett was, because he was injured.
I saw that as well and that was not my arrow or my identification. That was a photo I got of Wikimedia commons. From what I understand, you are correct.
Bravo Sir
Thank you so much for watching and supporting the channel. Please check out my other videos.
Yes the individual accounts are priceless; even though they may not reflect reality or results of the battle.
Great content here my man. Have been enjoying your videos. Any chance you could highlight John b. Gordons written account of his experience during the Battle of Sharpsburg? Thank you
Yes I think it makes it more personal
Pickett's Charge was the worse mistake in judgment Lee ever made. He was taught at West Point that attackers in such a situation needed at least a 3-1 numerical advantage. At most they had the same number as they were attacking and it was obvious by day 3 that the Union position allowed for quick reinforcement of any part of their position. It is incredible, absolutely incredible that the Confederates were able to punch a hole some 25 yards deep over that wall. It should have been impossible to even come close to that. Yet, they did, unlike the Union at Fredericksburg and Cold Harbor where, in those cases the 3:1 or more advantage was in place for the Union.
That can be disputed. the worst mistake in MY opinion is that Lee did not do as Longstreet wanted to do which was to take SEMINARY Ridge and make the Feds attack them. Lee proved how poor of a commander he truly was at Gettysburg. He made MANY fatal mistakes that week. He was not the greatest commander of that war, tho' he was ONE of the greatest. the greatest was GRANT!
Good stuff. My only critique would be to remind everyone that the movie was intended to follow the events as recorded in the book "Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara. As such it would have made the movie untenable to try to include even all of the scenes depicted in the book, much less the innumerable heroic deeds generated by the three day battle itself.
Just an outstanding film, I would have liked it to be longer than it was but you can only expect people to sit for only so long in a theatre. Lets all remember when the film came out, no 60 inch tv screens back in those days...
More please
Thank you for the support. Check out my channel for more videos. I have many civil war eyewitness accounts.
The 1st Minnesota's story should of been in Gettysburg too. But it was based off of the book killer angles, so if it wasn't in there then it wouldn't be in the film.
I agree with you reading many of these comments I wonder how many people actually read the source material the movie was based on as it was the movie was long enough with an intermission included everything could not be included in the movie even without the "omissions" the movie was great as is it was meant to be entertaing movie and it accomplished its goal
Wonderful, chilling account!
I love the movie Gettysburg and the battlefield itself. But when I watch it now I jump over every one of the Freemantle scenes and Harrison scenes.
I enjoy the movie AS FICTION but I know too much to enjoy it AS HISTORY
I would have liked to see something - anything - on Culp's Hill and Ewell's men.
To answer your question I would say both. As a history buff I do prefer the overview approach for documentaries. However from a movie / entertainment aspect, including more individual stories would not hurt. Ken Burns would be an example of going too far in that direction. As good as his Civil War documentary is, I can't stand all the personal stories he inserts. I do not understand why the movie includes nothing about the cavalry actions near Cashtown before the battle or those that took place on days 2-3.
Ken Burns stuff sux in my opinion. His stuff presents the view of Ken Burns which basically is "I am Ken Burns and I am right and you are wrong if you disagree with Ken Burns". Ken Burns is King. Really, he is just a prejudiced producer producing inaccurate material.
Please keep up the good work!
I feel bad that many of the descriptions of Gettysburg do not mention the 1st Minnesota Regiment.
It shouldn’t be in the movie because Shaara didn’t included it in his book. Maybe you should right a book and then perhaps they’ll put it in a movie... There a million unbelievable and amazing things that happened and that battle. But Shaara choose to focus on what he did and is book was amazing. Period
ChimChim812, while your basic premise may be correct (the movie was based on the book and if it wasn’t in the book it’s not likely to appear in the movie) if you’re going to dictate a snotty review, at least proofread it before you post it. And at least he took the initiative to make and upload a video of his thoughts, not just take potshots at others.
Great account
The movie was based almost verbatim off of "The Killer Angels". Shaara wrote it from the perspective of mostly officers. Probably because many of them wrote memoirs after the battle. Granted, memoirs are skewed sometimes, but Shaara used them as main sources for his book. Enlisted men tended to write letters home, but not memoirs. Including anything more would have added to an already bloated run time.
There were many memoirs written by enlisted men, however Shaara did not have the internet at that time and most likely would have had a very difficult time finding those memoirs. As it is, I have above 800 documents written by Civil War persons, many of which are writtne by NON officers, including nurses, White House persons, slaves, spies and others. There is much more available on-line than what I have. I thimk that Shaara wrote an ENTERTAINING story but not an HISTORICAL story, at least not historically quality wise. He leaves out too many important stories such as Hancock, Meade, Ewell and other important generals, the attack on Culps hill and the disgusting actions of Sickles.
include as many stories as can be done
Include more personal stories please. They are the real story
Thank you so much for watching and supporting the channel. Please check out my other videos, I have many personal stories.
This is novel and powerful to let the rank n' file soldiers, not just skilled elite officers who fought expalin their understanding of such a key historic event . I hope you will expand o this too-with your future US Civil War battle videos . But the 1993 Gettysbug movie though flaawed & a bit long , was a great instructors tool i used when i was teaching school , It really kept most ll the students attention and they wer reallyinterested in learning more about the conflict the epoch, and what grew out of it .
Thank you so much for the kind words. Keep checking back for more rank and file stories. I completely agree about the movie. It had its flaws but it drew me into wanting to study the civil war.
Just saying but the events that took place before Pickett’s charge involving symths brigade was at this barn called the bliss barn and on the second day of the battle of Gettysburg their was confederate sharpshooters in the barn firing at the men at the cannons and during the battle of Gettysburg the union commander Alexander hay’s ordered the barn to be burnt
dump the music , you have good voice was hard to hear. thanks
I didn't know "sock it" was such an old term! Lol
The movie suffered from the lack of grisly horror which Stephen Spielberg made sure to present in the series " The Pacific" and, of course, "Saving Private Ryan". The tame depiction of the actual fighting made the movie appear to be a "TV movie" because of its lack of realism and terrible fake beards.....especially Longstreet's. Only the actual suffering and horror can adequately show the true courage and valor of the men who fought at Gettysburg on both sides. That men could persevere despite this shows what kind of determined people Americans were in the 1800s. No wonder that Grant felt sad at Appomattox, saying : " I feel like anything but celebrating the defeat of our foe. They fought so long and so hard........they are our countrymen again."
Having read the Killer Angels this information was not in the book. The book was never meant to be a complete history. Since the movie was based on the book only the characters in tne book were featured. The movie was never meant to be a complete and total history
NY 126th should have been recognized redeeming themselves after Harper Ferry. They filled the gap in union lines. The brave 1st MN gave them the chance to fill that gap
The movie is greatly flawed because it was based upon the self-aggrandizing account of James Longstreet, his " Manassass to Appomattox" book, which drew the ire of most of the surviving Confederate generals who had been at Gettysburg, as well as many staff officers. As Glenn Tucker has written, it was NO " accident" that Gettysburg was the scene of the battle. Lee had skillfully drawn the Union Army out from Virginia and away from Washington in a long arc.....knowing Lincoln would demand that the capitol still be covered as the Federals moved north, giving Lee the opportunity to pounce on each arriving Union Corps one at a time with his concentrated rebel army converging from different points. This plan worked brilliantly on the first day. Without the dependable and aggressive Stonewall Jackson, Lee had to reorganize the command of his army prior to the march north. President Davis had refused Lee's request to include General Beauregard and all his men for the all important invasion. Lee was eager to follow up quickly on the first days success......he ordered Longstreet to make an EARLY MORNING attack on day two, but, the stubborn Longstreet delayed until four pm, allowing massive Union reinforcements to arrive and to ruin Lee's plan. Longstreet delayed AGAIN on the third day, forcing Lee to hastily come up with the idea of Pickett's charge, which was NOT conducted as Lee had ordered it !! Longstreet FAILED to insure that the artillery was present to support the charge, as Lee had ORDERED !!! The advancing troops had NO artillery firing back at the Union guns that were mowing the rebels down, AND no artillery firing into the mass of Union troops at the wall who decimated the rebels climbing the fences on the Emmittsburg Road with their musket fire and Alonzo Cushing's cannons firing double canister. !! Lee was NO dummy !!...he had CRUSHED every previous Union commander while being outnumbered and out gunned. The difference at Gettysburg was that he had NO Stonewall Jackson.......Longstreet was a poor substitute who moaned and delayed, causing thousands of deaths with his stubbornness. While Lee and Jackson had achieved their greatest victory at Chancellorsville just a month before, Longstreet was guarding PEANUTS in Suffolk, Virginia !! Yet, he claims to be the all knowing, all seeing military genius who knew BETTER than Lee !! It's too bad the movie does not show how great Lee and Jackson were, and why they were so beloved by their men. At Gettysburg, Lee was let down by SEVERAL commanders who disobeyed his orders : Ewell failing to take Culp's Hill, Stuart not " feeling the right" of the army after crossing the Potomac ,as Lee had ordered, Pender and Heath bringing on a general engagement the first day, and Longstreet failing to attack promptly and supervising his artillery under E. Porter Alexander. Lee ordered Pickett to DESTROY his battlefield report in an effort to stop the disharmony among his officers which would have resulted from Pickett's account.
The bravery and courage of the men on both sides must never be forgotten.......one trip to that hallowed ground leaves the visitor with an unmistakable sense of the brave spirits still on duty there....as if they are reaching out to us. Any demand made today by ignorant fools for "reparations" forgets that they have been PAID in FULL already, and deposited in the neat graves on Cemetery Hill , as well as in the mass trenches along the fences on the Emmittsburg Road......brave boys ALL !!
John Foster do you have cliffs notes for that post ? 😁
You are so correct about this. Longstreet failed miserably but so did Lee. Longstreet recommended to Lee that the Reb forces should make their stand on Seminary Ridge and force the Fed to attack them on that hill. It most likely would have produced profoundly different results none of which anyone could at this time predict. Lee knew that Longstreet did not want to do what he was ordered and Lee knew that if a commander is against an order, to replace that commander or to NOT give that commander the order. As an ARM-CHAIR general (LOL), I thimk Longstreet should be given a bit of credit--not for his failures, but for his opposition to Lee's plan. Hmmm.
@@hooper4581 ...what the hell are you talking about ? Your comment is illegible.
John Foster “cliffs notes “ are condensed versions of novels and books . Just funnin ya
@@dikhed1639 ......Both Lee and Longstreet EXPECTED a direct counter attack following Pickett's Charge and that explains one of the reasons Longstreet held back on supplying the necessary artillery ordered by Lee to support the charge....a costly mistake. Meade would not make the attack because his army was also severely damaged. Lincoln was FURIOUS that Meade did not make the attack, too....not realizing Lee could have wound up with the Union army in a 3 sided box to be heavily pummeled even WORSE than Pickett was !. This is EXACTLY what happened to Grant at Cold Harbor, VA in 1864, where Grant lost 10,000 men in twenty minutes.
In favor.The Privates & Corporals are the backbone of the any army.
Gettysburg, altho' entertaining, is hardly an historical movie--but then what movie is? Basically Gettysburg was a movie about Joshua chamberlain. It left out so much more--Sickles and his horrible mistake and disobedience as a commander, the fights for Culps Hill, The disobedience and failure of Longstreet and Lee's failure to listen more to Longstreet who wanted to take SEMINARY Hill and force the Federals to the attack. In short, Gettysburg needed to be a mini-series as it would take 15 hours of film to tell the story correctly. And there is a LOT to tell and it is VERY interesting.
The writer/producer/director had also made the HORRIBLE movie Gods and Generals which is so boo- hooish that it is nearly impossible to watch. It is mostly about the wonderful hero Stonewall Jackson which is a good story but it was done with such poor taste and a sop to anti-slavery sentiment that it interfered with good story telling. Thank god that the director had learnt something about directing from this bad movie for directing Gettysburg. Unfortunately, he didn't learn enough and jprobably needed more $$ to tell the story correctly.
the Next movie he was supposed to produce never got made which was about Grant, should have been even better than Gettysburg. As you may know, Vicksburg fell the day after Gettysburg and was probably MORE important than Gettysburg for Strategy overall for th e North. Grant made war look easy, he won with such facility, took tens of thousands of prisoners BEFORE Gettysburg that many believe it was all luck for Grant. It WASN'T luck, it was GREAT Generalling. Today, Grant is on the 50$ bill and for good reason. He was the greatest General of the Civil War, better than Lee, no matter what propaganda you might hear. Lee, without a doubt, was a great tactician, but Grant was a great strategist.
Strategy, as long as no terrible tactical mistakes are made, always wins over tactics in the long run. Grant actually lost not a single battle, however, he has several draws of which Cold Harbor and the Wilderness were the worst for the North, while Lee lost several battles which were not even against Grant. Had Grant been commander of the Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg, the forces under Lee would have been entirely annihilated, at least enough that the war would have ended a year earlier. Grant would not have allowed the insubordination of Sickles and he would have hurried the outlying forces of the Federals to the quickstep, took Culps hill and the Round Tops without the blink of an eye.
Yet Grant gets little appreciation for his genius. I wish someone could produce a mini-series on Grant. It would be eye-opening.
...Lincoln lost his life because his wife angered Julia Grant, who refused to go to Ford's theater. Mary Todd Lincoln had called general Grant " a BUTCHER"....referring to the massive casualties he suffered in trying to overcome Lee. Grant always maintained a respect for Lee, having served under him in the Mexican War and knowing the incredible sacrifice it took to defeat him, though Lee was usually outnumbered and out gunned. Americans forget that McClellan, like other Union commanders, could not stomach the heavy losses required to achieve victory. He RAN against Lincoln as a " Peace candidate", echoing the sentiment of many Americans who just wanted to STOP the massive bloodshed and END the war !! Grant appeared to Lincoln to be the ONLY commander willing to suffer the high casualties in order to win. Lincoln had an inexhaustible supply of German and Irish immigrant troops who poured into New York every day, and were turned into whole brigades on the battlefield. Grant's " genius" was in persisting in the attack, despite the horrific bloodshed and casualties. His defeats at the Wilderness and Cold Harbor may have caused other commanders to retreat.....Grant just kept hammering away. The scene at Spotsylvania Court House is one never depicted on film....where the Texans are about to give way under heavy fire and Lee himself rides up to the very front line to personally lead a desperate counter charge yelling: " the Texans ALWAYS move the enemy!" as bullets and shells whizzed all around him and groups of soldiers yelled " Lee to the rear" as they charged forward with tears running down their faces to stop the Union advance, while men grabbed Lee's horse bridle to pull him back to safety. Grant was always mindful of the bloody price of victory, and maintained his respect for those who fought so hard against him. Its too bad that TODAY more Americans no longer have the respect that Grant had.
Gettysburg 1993 is a perfect movie its four hours long and its a great movie sure theirs a lot of scenes that did not make into the movie remember is based off of the killer angels which came out in 1974 and both the book and movie are perfect yes in 63 the most important battle is Gettysburg due to lee losing and getting defeated at that battle in my opinon you are complaining and whining in this video hers some advice shut up and enjoy the movie for what it is and yes their is a directors cut which makes it 4 hours long Gettysburg does not nee to be like peter Jackson lotr movies and the hobbit movies as well ron Maxwell most perfect film is indeed gettysburg
You are full of crap. Neither the book nor the movie are PERFECT. They ARE, however, entertaining.
Yes, i strongly support individuals
It amazes me how the northern banksters managed to get everyone to believe we Southerners were the rebels.
Another scene the movie Gettysburg did not include was Confederate troops kidnapping African Americans in Pennsylvania and sending them into slavery in Virginia.
The Southern troops were fighting to preserve slavery.
Yes God can be for and against the same thing at the same time.
He was against slavery when his chosen were slaves. Then he was for it when his chosen decided to practice it.
It is funny how that works.
Yes we need more from the enlisted ranks.
We particularly need more enlisted Rebel point of view.
Most of the dialogue is from your point of view. You won the PR dialogue.
It is sad but I think this war was inevitable; people wanted to fight it and there were so many strong feelings on both sides about what they were fighting for. My great-great grandfather ran off at 16 eager to fight in this war. I can't relate to that at all, especially because he fought for something I don't believe in.
Carla Lorch
What did he fight for his home, friends, and families.
Or did you think he actually fought over the job status of Black people?
Lincoln and the Federal government was quite willing to let the South keep their slaves as long as the import/export taxes were being paid by the South.
Slavery only became the issue once a political advantage could be gained. An issue that was use to justify the expenditure of almost 700,000 lives for the purpose of ensuring Federal supremacy over the states.
Lincoln was our Julius Caesar and in the same way the Republic was destroyed.
Think of today we have Russian collusion, Man-made Climate Change, racism, sexism, Islamaphobia, Transphobia, etc being used to psychology brow beat the population into a submissive mindset. Basically using different kinds of guilt to control people.
Slavery then and now is an issue that is used to demonize the majority population and subvert their will to resist the agenda of the elite and powerful through media and the government.
Don’t be ashamed of your ancestors or your heritage and history!!!!
Don’t let guilt be used against you!!!
the movie Gettysburg was a perfect film it is of ourse based off of the amazing book by Michael shaara called the killer angels th book did not have these scenes which are not in the film or the book its just one seriously good movie plus gods and generals was a terrible movie it did not follow the book very well plus if you have watched Gettysburg it mentions in the opening credits that its based off of the book the killer angels by Michael shaara maybe these scenes you are mentioning might be in the book cain at Gettysburg by another amazing author
Seriously???? You have got to be kidding. Good thing you didn't do the movie.