Addressing Gettysburg- INVASION! June 1863 - All Three Parts

****LISTEN TO THE FIRST TWO EPISODES HERE IN ONE POST HERE: NARRATIVE EPISODE- Antietam to Gettysburg
• NARRATIVE EPISODE- Ant...
We're re-releasing Narrative Episode 2, this time with all three parts strung together so you don't have to go searching for each part (click the link above for Episodes 1 and 2 strung together). This episode brings you through the month of June up the the night of June 30.
Excerpts from the script:
Synapse
[BEGIN “BEAR WALTZ”]
As 1863 began, the Union Army of the Potomac found itself in a general malaise. Its failed attempt at another push towards Richmond, known as the “Mud March,” had served as the nail in the coffin of army commander Ambrose E Burnside. When Joseph Hooker took his place as commander of the Army of the Potomac, the changes he implemented helped boost the morale and confidence of his troops. But Hooker squandered that goodwill by bungling the Chancellorsville Campaign, in the early days of May 1863. While many believed that drunkenness or the artillery round that knocked him out for a short time were the probable causes of such bungling, Hooker himself told Major General Abner Doubleday, while on the road to Gettysburg, “I was not hurt by a shell and I was not drunk. For once I lost confidence in Hooker, and that is all there was to it.”

After Chancellorsville, while Hooker was looking for ways to redeem himself, Robert E. Lee was setting the wheels in motion for his second invasion of the north.

Meanwhile, every day citizens in a bustling country town called Gettysburg, were going about their daily business while reading about the war in any or all of the town’s three newspapers. War had not left them untouched, however. They had sent their ablest young men off to fight for the Union cause and constant threats of invasion plagued them since they first sent their local militia, the “Gettysburg Blues”, to fight to preserve the Union, in 1861. By the Fourth of July of 1863, this small town of 2400 would be left with the daunting tasking of cleaning up the carnage and healing 10 times their number.

By mid-June, two great armies, totaling somewhere around 150,000 men, with tens of thousands of horses and mules, miles of wagons and, in one of those armies, human beings that were owned by other human beings, marched north into Pennsylvania. One army moving cautiously in order to determine its enemy’s intentions, while the other army smashd a Union garrison at Winchester and then happily ran roughshod over the lush and untouched farmlands of Pennsylvania while its citizens, like Gettysburg’s Sarah Broadhead wondered where their own army even was.

On the last day of June, a Tuesday, the lead elements of these two armies would be poised for the commencement of the greatest, bloodiest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere, but very few, if any, had any notion of that as they closed their eyes to sleep.
[BEAR WALTZ END]
...........
THE BATTLE OF BRANDY STATION
FRANK ROBERTSON: “The only time in my 14 month service with General Stuart that he seemed rattled was when Frank Dean, one of his couriers, dashed up and told him the Yankees were at Brandy Station. This was startling indeed. Frank Robertson, General Stuart’s Staff.”
[FADE IN DIFFERENT NIGHT SUMMER AMBIENCE][FADE IN GENTLE RIVER SOUND]
No fires were allowed in the Union cavalry camps on the night of June 8. Troopers ate cold dinners, then slept on the ground with their horses’ reins looped around an arm. All was quiet and calm, for, just across the Rappahannock, camped Jeb Stuart’s confederates.
Pleasonton's combined force of 11,000 cavalry and infantry was poised for a double-envelopment of JEB Stuart and his 9500 cavaliers.
Just around 4:30am, John Buford’s Union division, led by the brigade of Colonel Benjamin “Grimes” Davis, crossed the Rappahannock River at Beverly Ford [HORSES SPLASHING] in a thick fog and brushed aside confederate pickets from the 6th Virginia Cavalry. [LIGHT MUSKETRY]
CONFEDERATE SOLDIER: “At about daylight the Yanks drove in our pickets stationed at Beverly’s Ford on the Rappahannock and came near surprising us in bed...they charged up to our camp and killed and wounded several horses before we could get out. Confederate Artilleryman”....

[@brentinnes5151]

The narration is perfect..tempo just right and clear pronunciation...with the element of passion common to all genuine historians.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you, sir

[@my.visapath1032]

I’m Australian and listened to this, it was amazing! The voices, music and primary source quotes brought it to life. Also made me remember what a great nation the US is, that men on both sides fought and died for the principles they believed in and as a result of this conflict a great nation emerged that has helped the world ever since, incredible really

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you very much. We’ve lost our greatness but I always appreciate when someone from another country is interested in our history. Thanks for listening.

[@krossen4]

@@addressinggettysburg Very well said!

[@JohnnyRebKy]

Y’all should go ahead and cover the whole battle in this format. It’s so good! Narration, sound effects, all of it, is great. You should keep going until Lee’s retreat across the river

[@addressinggettysburg]

That's the plan! The problem is that it takes up o a year (so far) to write and produce one episode.

[@gubbylee]

@@addressinggettysburg whatever it takes sir ... its so good its worth the wait !

[@leza6288]

Awesome show!!!! Bravo!!!

[@jgvtc559]

​@@addressinggettysburg it's worth the wait and by the calendar we should be set for a new episode here shortly eh?❤

[@alexdejesus7322]

@@addressinggettysburg Well, it’s been a year! Love this stuff. Well done, sir

[@davidmurvai40]

Absolutely amazing presentation. Are there any other similar pieces?

[@addressinggettysburg]

July 1 is in the works, but with all i have on my plate, God only knows when it will be finished.

[@davidbowman4259]

Shout-out to the 1st Minnesota, the 20th Maine, the Iron Brigade and all of the Union heroes.

[@addressinggettysburg]

👍

[@carywest9256]

Ya think the heathens can hear ya from hades, some people call it hell, l call it Hades. Any of them bluebellies know where some mustard & biscuits might be? I got me a hankering for some & some of them French fried taters. Y'all can have all them hero sandwiches- some kind of weird New York eats.

[@rix908]

​@@carywest9256à£

[@RevertedRashidah]

This narrative style really helps me understand the battle in ways that books don’t quite communicate. Thank you SO much!

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank YOU so much for saying that!

[@jasonm248]

Thank you so much for making these outstanding videos! I really enjoy listening to them to help fall asleep at night.

[@addressinggettysburg]

You’re welcome. Seriously, that’s the best compliment. I fall asleep to documentaries and only certain ones are capable of killing me to sleep. So I get it! Thank you.

[@michaelbeckwith3873]

It jbbbbbb to bbbbbbbbbb bbbbbbbbbbbbībbbb bbbbbbbb

[@kevanpasco5264]

This was awesome, I hope to find more.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you. They take a loooong time to do but they’ll be out. I’m working on July 1’s episode now.

[@gallantcavalier3306]

Shoutout to the brave men of the Regular Cavalry!!! The U.S 2nd Cavalry, a fine regiment of men at 38:53!!!

[@billyo6710]

Well presented and researched. Looking forward to seeing more episodes.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you very much. More are on the way. They just take a while to put together. Plus I e had writers block for a year lol

[@decimated550]

@@addressinggettysburg You guys should do a show like this for every battle for every war since the beginning of time even do dinosaur battles

[@davidbergstrom8505]

Man… I would love to hear a narration of a Dinosaur Battle! What a great idea.

[@melissapollom427]

Oh my God, this segment is so interesting. I love to hear about the civilians of Gettysburg. I am so glad the civilians are spotlighted.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you. We have more civilian episodes out there.

[@sandramosley2801]

Excellent work! Thank you.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you too!

[@jonrettich4579]

A valuable presentation. I am fascinated by the process of choosing Meade to command and you have added a small relevant fact. But aside from a quote by Lincoln concerning that a fly will not go far from its source I would very much like to know more about how Meade was chosen. Thank you again

[@addressinggettysburg]

The short answer is no one else wanted the job, they had an emergency to deal with and Meade was a solid commander. So they ordered him to take the job. He had no choice. Keep in my too that he was the final commander of the Army of the Potomac. So they must have thought well enough of him

[@weilandiv8310]

A fine, slick masterpiece... I would love for your brigade to use these mad skills to make The First Crusade, or Third Crusade.

[@addressinggettysburg]

At the rate I’m going writing these narratives, I’ll need two more lifetimes to do those lol

[@addressinggettysburg]

And thank you for the compliment.

[@brentinnes5151]

How about Antietam!!!@@addressinggettysburg

[@onceuponapriori]

Truly excellent work, thank you for sharing these!

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you for listening!

[@jimmorris9538]

Excellent narration & Topic

[@addressinggettysburg]

Many thanks!

[@richardwalling845]

VERY well done!

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you very much

[@josephgeurts3134]

Very well done !

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you very much

[@Jns27j]

Awesome job

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you!

[@NP-ui3tr]

Here’s to Vincent’s Brigade and the 20th Maine, thank you. I realize (and more ppl need to) that had Chamberlains line been broken by Oates’ Alabamians that the Union line would’ve been in zero danger as upwards of 12,000 Federal troops were in the vicinity of Little Round Top. However, this should not besmirch the bravery and gallantry of Chamberlain or his tough Maine men; he and his men fought like lions that day. Lastly, here’s to the brave Michigan Cavalry who (under Custers command) helped beat back JEB Stuart’s troopers on July 3. “Cmon, you Wolverines!”

[@addressinggettysburg]

Amen! I was getting worried, as I read this, that you were going to say that had chamberlain broke the whole union army would have been defeated. Thank god you didn’t force me to bite my tongue and diplomatically correct you lol

[@NP-ui3tr]

@@addressinggettysburg Lol my pleasure. I love the story of the 20th and Chamberlain but their defense of little round top while heroic and awe inspiring; 295 Alabamians wouldn’t have turned anything Moreover, the idea that the Rebs could get artillery in position to enfilade the Union line is laughable

[@jimarnn1938]

Having the words of witnesses to this history gives your story a life that gives vitality and makes the history real.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Gotta have the first person accounts! They’re so powerful

[@RPMZ11]

Brilliant.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you!

[@eriksoley6774]

Wow, this is good stuff!

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you

[@willoutlaw4971]

We thought a Stonewall could stop lead bullets. Chancellorsville proved the theory was incorrect.

[@addressinggettysburg]

👍

[@mnpd3]

Invasion? Is that word used to describe the incursions into the South?

[@addressinggettysburg]

Way to demonstrate a small-mind. If you listen to it, you’d hear that to the civilians of Gettysburg, it was an invasion. We’re this a show about the war in a Southern state, I’d probably use the same word since that’s how the people saw it. Quit being so touchy trying to defend slavery and enjoy your life.

[@CarolinaThreeper3534]

Very nice

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you very much

[@JamesWilliams-dj2bp]

Invasion when Virginians crossed into Pennsylvania. What was it called when Pennsylvanians crossed into Virginia the previous year?

[@addressinggettysburg]

Invasion. Haven’t you heard that?

[@jgvtc559]

44:34 a statement of such truth its sad its rarely made

[@addressinggettysburg]

👍

[@mmkkggggoodd2315]

What would have happened if there wasn't a civil war in 1861?

[@addressinggettysburg]

We’ll never know since that’s not what happened

[@janderr777]

I think Lee was acting on his memory of Jackson, but Ewell wasn't Jackson and perhaps regrouping and continuing raid Pennsylvania would have found him on better ground. Then again; if frogs had wings

[@larryfranks3819]

There is no way the south win’s, the north was to strong. There cause of union patriotic. The slave question a Necessity for an answer for an end of the question. I believe the southern people are still pissed. That’s why there lacking in the education department. The wage of there people, the jobs are not here in the south, at least high paying jobs. It all comes down to union. This country owes its prosperity to labor unions. The states with the worst education is mostly southern.

[@samcolt1079]

@@larryfranks3819 Maybe your right. The money is still in the North

[@carywest9256]

@@larryfranks3819 You yankee bastards sure are smug, wouldn't even utter a word like that down South!

[@shawnnerenberg661]

@@samcolt1079 So is the willingness to be educated. The south consistently resists western schooling standards.

[@matthewkeaneone]

Definitely good

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you

[@jcw3195]

Should be just a radio event.

[@addressinggettysburg]

?

[@jgvtc559]

Those of us that thrive on these historical narratives were born in the wrong century We shouldve been with em than learning of em

[@addressinggettysburg]

I often think that. Then I remember the medical progress that was made and we benefit from today. Clean water, dental care, air conditioning, and a bunch of other stuff are things I can’t imagine living without. The good thing is that there are ways to de-modernize our lives today without getting rid of the good things about modern life.

[@jgvtc559]

@@addressinggettysburg facts bro Absolutely truth But at the same time I think of their morals and values and standards They'd be disgusted by our modernity I really think they would

[@LTrotsky21stCentury]

I'd like to see a narrative like this for all three days. Not a conference of guides.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Working on the narratives for the three days. It takes a long time. But the conference of guides is staying. Sorry, my friend, you’re in the minority. That’s a popular format

[@LTrotsky21stCentury]

@@addressinggettysburg The conference of guides for each day is good too - it's just that this piece, this narrative, was so well done, so engaging, so full of otherwise difficult to find detail, almost like an historical drama, would like to see that *too*. I shouldn't have said "not" - that's not what I meant.

[@jeffpowell7336]

This leads up to the battle marvelously. Why does it stop there? This absolutely stops dead before the battle. Why is does not continue in this format through the entirety of the three days battle at Gettysburg is baffling. I eagerly search for the next chapter and all I find is these gentleman bantering back and forth in a podcast-like talk forum. And it’s flooded with advertisements that did not consume the high quality INVASION! June 1863 All Three Parts Where is the high quality Gettysburg battle days one, two and three ? This is the most significant disappointment I have encountered with KZbin programming. If what I am searching for exists I will gladly be the fool that finds it.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Time! I’ve become more successful than I bargained for and the time it takes to research, write and produce these had eluded me. However, I will complete the story before I’m dead. Unless I die tomorrow.

[@jeffpowell7336]

Sorry it was so good I set the bar too high Expectations Thank you for putting the content out there Really fabulous work I will view everything you put out Truly magnificent

[@addressinggettysburg]

I’m happy you enjoyed it. The “blathering” episodes with ads are quite popular, by the way. You might enjoy them. And, well, they’re free, so I have to find a way to eat and, therefore sell advertising. There are ad free shows on our Patreon page. The more patrons we have, the better the chance I’ll have to finish the narratives because I can hire people to help with the many, many facets of addressing Gettysburg. Again, time and personnel are the major hindrances. But it’ll be done.

[@addressinggettysburg]

@@jeffpowell7336 no problem. I know we're a microwave society and want it all now. Like I said, July 1 is currently being written. I had to cram all recording sessions of other shows into the winter months in order to free myself up to focus on writing for the rest of the year. Not easy being a one-man show, but it sure is fulfilling.

[@tomjones5650]

If Ewell would of attempted to take the hill,a and if Lee would of redeployed as Longstreet insisted. It may have changed course for the rebs.

[@addressinggettysburg]

We shall never know.

[@NP-ui3tr]

Doubtful, with all due respect but that’s a “lost cause” pipe dream. Let’s say Ewells men somehow did take and hold Cemetery Hill tho, do you think Gen. Hancock would’ve sent word to Meade telling him to bring up the rest of the army? No. Winfield Scott Hancock was a brilliant commander and tactician, he would’ve recommended that the army displace and take up a position between Lee and Washington. Thereby forcing the Rebels to attack them on ground of their choosing…which is what happened at Gettysburg anyway. I get and to a certain degree, agree w your sentiment tho

[@manilajohn0182]

Ewell did exactly what Jackson was well- known for doing. He sent a reconnaissance force to scout Cemetery Hill. They returned at dusk to report that the hill was held by a "...superior force". The same message which Lee sent to Ewell to take the hill if practicable also reminded him not to bring on a general engagement. Ewell's decision- making was correct based on the information which he then had available. It was only after the war ended that it became clear that a Confederate assault on Cemetery Hill would have likely succeeded. Longstreet's suggestion of a maneuver around the Union left was not a viable option after 1 July. The meeting engagement of 1 July ruined Lee's plan of campaign by casting the tactical initiative onto the AoNV. This was something which Lee had never wanted, because his plan of campaign was to maneuver the AotP into attacking the AoNV, and decisively defeat that attack. After 1 July, it was unlikely in the extreme that the AotP would assume the offensive and attack the AoNV. Moreover, Lee lacked the time to carry it out. The AoNV was foraging off of enemy territory and couldn't remain in any one area for more than 3-5 days- and the army hadn't foraged since Lee's concentration order of 29 June. Lastly, the strategic objective of the campaign was to achieve enough of a success to remove pressure (lift the siege) from the Confederate defenders at Vicksburg- and Vicksburg had been under siege for approximately six weeks. After 1 July, Lee was forced to attack. By 3 July, Lee had to either attack or abandon the campaign in failure. Cheers...

[@ericdillon7467]

Is this why I feel like it's 1863?

[@addressinggettysburg]

?

[@ericdillon7467]

I told you I'm after you Philly!

[@addressinggettysburg]

?

[@jeffstites8187]

Ok

[@addressinggettysburg]

Alright

[@175hydro]

If the Civil War was primarily over the issue of slavery then why did it take until 1863 for the Emancipation Proclamation to come into the picture? Why wasn't it brought about at the onset in 1861? Why did Lincoln write to Hoarce Greely (Editor of the New York Tribune) his paramount objective was preservation of the Union...and not either to save or to destroy slavery? I can understand the Northern Objective being one of preservation of the Union. I can also understand the Southern view of it being about Independence. What I don't understand is how it's viewed today as only being about the issue of slavery. If you ask most Americans about the CW they will respond....it was about slavery. That's it, it's all you need to know, full stop, and move along. It comes across as a disservice and an oversimplification to the bloodiest period in our Nation's history. Please don't mistake me for a Southern apologist. The South deserved to lose on the matter of slavery alone and I'm glad they did. It's an abhorrent and vile institution. Being a retired military man I see this being a power struggle. Once side fighting for unification and the other attempting to break away. The humanitarian cause being a secondary one. If I am error please feel free to educate me further because I desire to learn the truth.

[@addressinggettysburg]

The arguments that led to the suspicions and “othering” and ultimately secession all had slavery at their roots. The first pressing issue for Lincoln was restoring the union. Northerners would not have sent their sons to fight a war of liberation had that been the stated aim at the beginning. It happened in 1863 because that’s when Lincoln felt he had the clout to do it. But the emancipation proclamation didn’t “free the slaves”. The slaves had to somehow find themselves within union lines to be free. It was an executive order, which is not law. So eventually there had to be a constitutional amendment. Everything happens on a timeline that is out of our control. All the elements need to come together for things to happen. Just look at your own past and ask yourself why didn’t X happen to me at Y point in time instead of Z point in time, when it finally did happen. Lots more than we realize goes into a life event happening. Same goes with politics and war and comedy. Timing is key

[@175hydro]

@@addressinggettysburg Thank you for your response. It does lend further insight

[@carywest9256]

@@175hydro Your hero was a snake in the grass. Like the Red Man would say, you speak with a forked tongue. Savvy?

[@175hydro]

@@carywest9256 No...I'm not savvy to your response at all. What hero is that...because I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. If you have something of relevance to offer in order for me to better understand I more than welcome it.

[@rodgerosborn7124]

Your losing track of the forest for the trees. The issue was how much individual states governments had to determine their individual laws according to their state constitutions. The rest of its just what the disagreements were over.

[@ericdillon7467]

Did they have real lawyers in real life then?

[@addressinggettysburg]

?

[@carywest9256]

How old are you boy?

[@shawnnerenberg661]

Are you seriously that dumb?

[@Odonanmarg]

10+ mins. & NO new pictures. Why is this called a video.?

[@addressinggettysburg]

Theater of the mind.

[@carywest9256]

@@addressinggettysburg ln you own you mean?

[@TaterChip91]

I like the music, but it is way too loud and is distracting

[@addressinggettysburg]

well, in some parts it's supposed to be

[@Odonanmarg]

Good listening. No viewing.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you. If I had to create visuals for this episode I’d still be working on it lol. I’m a one man show

[@br360guy2]

Hold up! “Human beings that own other human beings marched.” I think BS needs to be called here. You make it sound as if everybody and their brother owned slaves and I’m sure you know different. Poor phrasing I think.

[@addressinggettysburg]

That’s not quite the line. You hear it as “everybody and their brother” but a simple understanding of simple English through the filter of the English language and not the filter of the Lost Cause Delusion would show you that I am saying that among the troops were slaves. I just prefer to boil things down to their basic level. Slavery is a human being owning another human being.

[@debpratt52]

@@addressinggettysburg I enjoyed the visual created by the wording. I can see the events unfold before my mind's eye.

[@carywest9256]

@@addressinggettysburg l doubt very seriously that any Cornfederates led their ( body servants,slave or however) a person tends to call them into the land of the (free). As earlier in the advance into Maryland as into Pennsylvania, a quite of few men held back . No sense in giving someone a headstart to break away and reach Canada. There were still State laws in effect to prohibit blacks to live in certain States in the North. Look it up, this is not propaganda!

[@Jns27j]

Awesome job

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you

[@Jns27j]

@@addressinggettysburg could you do a similar video for the retreat to Williamsport?

[@nanouli6511]

17 mile invasion? After Yankees continued to invade for four years?

[@addressinggettysburg]

You do realize that invasions can go both ways. Right? Maryland and Pennsylvania were in United States. The confederacy claimed they were a separate country. Obviously you’re looking at it from a confederate perspective, so I’ll use the same one. Lees army no longer considered itself part of the United States. It went into the United States. It invaded. How is this hard to understand? It’s war. Armies invade.