Farnsworth's Charge - Gettysburg Battle Walk with Ranger Matt Atkinson

Ranger Matt Atkinson leads a battle walk covering the cavalry actions at the southern end of the battlefield on July 3, 1863.
Image of the 5th NY Cavalry by Zeete, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommon..., via Wikimedia Commons
No claim to original U.S. government works.

[@ian_b5518]

What a treat. A Matt and Stuffwriter video starting my day.

[@6thmichcav262]

Thank goodness Custer stayed with Gregg, or Kilpatrick would have sacrificed the Michigan brigade, too.

[@DaveP-zw9rw]

So glad we ran into Matt at visitor center before this walk or would have gone to wrong place! Sorry we had to cut out right before the end of this walk! Matt's the best. Also love all of Stuffwriters videos! TY

[@CarolinaThreeper3534]

Super, as always. Thanks stuffwriter, and Matt, and to everyone else who makes these videos possible.

[@bradbalderson8172]

Finally the one I've been wanting from Matt, my 4x great aunt Louisa lost her father William Bailey during the Farnsworth Charge riding for the 1st West Virginia Cavalry and is buried in the Gettysburg National Cemetery.

[@Alex-ej4wm]

When I saw a new Matt video I said... Quote!! "Wow, it's been a while...and....I can't wait to watch my favorite ranger give a another walk"

[@munciebill8674]

Met Matt in August as he was entering the visitor center as it opened. Recognized him from your videos. He took time to have a chat with me. Great start to my day of touring the battlefield.

[@WindersRanger]

Matt always delivers a great talk. The idle time in between Matt’s talk sometimes is the best candid talks.

[@cynthiajacobson9602]

are you not going to be here for a while ,or yet to be determinded. we will miss how you make History more inviting , its nice that you lighten the mood, yet very informative on a war that was so terrible for are whole country, but never to be forgotten

[@civilwarwife]

He was talking about the possible shut down of the parks. That was the day it was scheduled to happen but they extended it for a while so he didn’t go on vacation.

[@GamerKatz_1971]

Thank goodness. He had me worried for a bit because you don't know sometimes if he is just joking or trying to say something serious humorously.

[@mariospanu159]

This man is awsome if I could afford it I would take one of his tours .

[@COONNFRIENDS1]

The tours are free

[@richardjderr2984]

We were in town in July for the Gettysburg 1860s Baseball tournament to see our son-in-law play centerfield (without a glove). The Bovina Dairymen won every game they played during the festival. Had the pleasure of driving Matt to his battle walk so I am a little worried about his vacation. Matt gave my wife Diane and I a private tour around the town afterwards which was outstanding.

[@TheWeatherbuff]

@StuffWriter Thank you for this. No motorcycle noise, (nothing against the bikers), and a nice peaceful walk and talk.

[@chrisdavern9482]

Matts the man

[@paulstan9828]

Yes another great video with Ranger Matt!! 😁👍

[@joshuscundiff3708]

Wooooooo he’s back baby Matty boy for President baby!!!!!!!

[@warrenatchley1921]

I walked this route by myself on 28 September, just prior to this tour. I did go "back there" because that is what I enjoy.

[@deanbenedict707]

Thank you StuffWriter!!

[@jwa19963]

Spotted lantern fly. You should have killed it

[@civilwarwife]

I was on that walk. We killed dozens of them. There were just way too many. 😂

[@henryrichards1542]

This is perfect timing-wise. I've been reading "Struggle for the Round-tops" on Law's Bridage, and this is such a great companion video.

[@carywest9256]

I paused the video at the 19:30 minute mark, as Matt introduces Brig. General Judson " Kill Cavalry" Kilpatrick.

[@keithangstadt4950]

Kilpatrick may have been a young General at 27, but Custer was an even younger General at 23. I remember 23 year olds in the Army that could barely dress themselves, imagine having kids that age leading troops into combat!

[@RavenclawFtW3295]

Last time I visited Gettysburg, Matt talked about Pickett's Charge. He said that the road to the surrender at Appomattox Court House was paved in part by Lee's loss at Gettysburg, and that it was when Pickett's Charge starts to retreat that the country starts to come back together. The moment he said that the sun came out from behind the clouds and lit up the whole battlefield.

[@panzerdeal8727]

Kilpatrick was smart that day..Artillery fire from both sides ? I'm pretty sure he'd heard of the Crimean War and the british Light Cavalry brigade. Tenneyson's poem was based on fact, after all.

[@jonrolfson1686]

Alfred, Lord Pleasonton callously dispatches a raft of passengers to Charon’s Ferry

[@EstellaBeard]

Matt Atkinson the Witness Tree! 😂😂😂😂

[@EstellaBeard]

I love Debbie Jones the volunteer!

[@toddjohnson5472]

I was in school in Gettysburg in the 70s and I remember the Living History Farm that Matt talks about.

[@Buckeystown]

Ah, Judson Kill Cavalry doing his standard blunder

[@Dahveed1982]

It’s battle walk season! 😍 any videos coming soon?

[@asweettooth1288]

"These men are too good to kill".

[@lindajones8895]

Matt is just awesome 😊

[@richardcutt727]

An added 135 ppm of atmospheric CO2 has led to significant greening and improved crop yields. Look at the bare slopes and fields from 1863 photos vs today. CO2 is good for life. The pre industrial level of 285 ppm was not an optimum but subsistence level. Thank God for fossil fuels!

[@stevenmay2937]

best ranger ever !!!!

[@panzerdeal8727]

Cavalry, 7 shot Spencer carbines, perfect enfilade fire. Those things are close to a Lee-Enfield in speed..saw a demonstration on Paper Cartridges.

[@kimberleyannedemong5621]

I don't understand if the ends of the farm were blocked with fence rails why the cavalry rode around instead of just jumping the fence. I would think if they are good enough riders to be cavalry they should be able to jump their horses. I have to believe there would be obstacles at times they could not just ride around. Makes no sense to me

[@panzerdeal8727]

Yup. Black kepi and all. It feels right as I'm reading up. Hoping for a second trip out..

[@richardcutt727]

I have often mused that on day 3 of Gettysburg Lee should have launched all 10,000 of Stuart's cavalry and horse artillery, supported by Porter's massed artillery fire and the 15,000 infantry of Picket's charge as a follow up, at the Union centre which would have broken. 10,000 horsemen charging all at once seems to me an unstoppable force.

[@genenoud9048]

I belive if Meade would have retreated . Old Jeb had that path in his gun sites.

[@janellekerns6485]

Love you, Matt

[@jacobmasters438]

I know what I'm watching tomorrow morning with my coffee.

[@M_Lopez_3D_Artist]

YAY ANOTHER ONE so glad to find this~

[@richardcutt727]

Kilcavalry was a hell of a fool.

[@DarrellGreen-e4s]

This man talks way to much about himself and not enough about the war!

[@GamerKatz_1971]

'Unplanned Vacation'. Uh oh, I've had a few of those. lol

[@MorgansRaiders23]

Yeah, that kind of made me feel uneasy hearing that. Hopefully, it will be a short vacation.

[@COONNFRIENDS1]

Due to the government potential shutdown? Over the budget?

[@bradleyhajost7161]

What a “fools errand” cavalry charge it was that U.S. Cavalry General Judson Kilpatrick ordered. Fortunately such hapless folly was limited and rarified. Much appreciation to the delightful dedicated Gettysburg Park Ranger for sharing all of the poignantly detailed historical accounting of Brigadier General Farnsworth’s ill fated cavalry “charge”. 🫶🏻🇺🇸🫡

[@Transcocktailbar]

My great grandfather Grover Stranahan was a direct relation to Farrand Stewart Stranahan who to part in the charge.