GETTYSBURG PICKETT'S CHARGE

****************************WARNING**********************
This video contains scenes of graphic war photographs and may not be suitable for young children.
Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
The civil war or the war between the states took place from 1861 - 1865. Over 600,000 casualties were inflicted on both north and south. One of the key battles of the war was fought in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in July of 1863. General Robert E Lee commander of the Confederate Army wanted a decisive victory over the Union army to bring president Lincoln to the peace negotiating table after his recent victory at Chancellorsville. It was not to be. After three days of horrific fighting Lee had lost about a third of his army and was running low on supplies. The union army had suffered slightly more, but could well afford the losses where the south could not.
On July 3, 1863 LT. General Longstreet ordered General(s) Pettigrew and his North Carolinians along with Pickett and Tremble's forces to attack the center of the union line at Cemetery Ridge. 12,500 men would make the attack less than 6,250 would return to fighting. Union General George Meade expected the attack and had General Hancock and his II corps prepared to repulse "Pickett's Charge".
This is a tribute to the fighting men of America no matter what there race or creed. Whether they fought for the North or the South. This video is for educational purposes only. No commercial use is allowed.

[@qwirberbil]

I really enjoyed this, and seeing those North and South veterans (I'm assuming they are) shake hands made my heart warm....I'm sick and tired of seeing people on youtube argue on who was better or right: North or South; its disgraceful....can't we all just watch the video and admire the sacrifice that BOTH sides made? This is one of the only Civil War videos on youtube that doesn't have that drivel....this was a very well done video my friend, no bias for North or South; great music and pics!

[@coastermaniac16]

good vid, i am reaserching B.O.G. and this really helped on pickett's charge

[@boberttrain831]

Sry to hear about your relatives. Very nice presentation. Thumbs up

[@360Nomad]

@SirAceMcFly They were seen riding on horses and mules, driving wagons, riding on caissons, in ambulances, with the staff of Generals, and promiscuously mixed up with all the rebel horde. The fact was patent, and rather interesting when considered in connection with the horror rebels express at the suggestion of black soldiers being employed for the National defence.” -Dr. Lewis Steiner while observing Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson's occupation of Frederick, Maryland, in 1862

[@eric5906]

God bless the freedom lovers, the wonderful Southerners.

[@hollywoodwerewolf]

I wasone of the 11,000 people recreating Pickett's charge in the '98 event seen as the video opens.

[@SAILORSCOUTS7654321]

Just watched part of this in History today, I couldn't speak after because i couldn't find the words to discribe it

[@360Nomad]

@raphaelmaraki “Wednesday, September 10.-At four o’clock this morning the rebel army began to move from our town "Frederick, Maryland," Jackson’s force taking the advance. The movement continued until eight o’clock p.m., occupying sixteen hours. The most liberal calculations could not give them more than 64,000 men.

[@dougalmac54]

@BorisGodunov I disgaree. Lee was outnumbered in almost all of the engagements in which he and the Army of Northern Virginia participated. The South was also outgunned and didn't have the industrial capacity to support his efforts as the North had. Yet in battle after battle, Lee engineered victories over the North in the majority of occasions, and even managed to keep fighting for almost two years after the defeat at Gettysburg. And Lee was a powerful figurehead of the South's determination.

[@MaxxTheMerciless]

@dougalmac54 That's because battles aren't always about numbers, but how many actually fight, how well they're trained, and how disciplined they are. Alexander the Great proved that with his force of 40,000 versus an estimated 500,000 at the Battle of Gaugamela, which he won.

[@QFizzle1992]

This was lee's biggest and most crucial mistake was picket's charge... when you have massive victories one after another, leaders tend to think their troops are invincible. Rome thought this, but ended drastically over-extending their empire, leading to it's descent from power. Persia, Great Britain's empire, Spain, and even Nazi Germany had the same problem. History tends to repeat itself. Makes me wonder... will this be the same for the U.S. sometime in the near future?

[@Jackrabbitslim47]

General Lee developed the theory that his job was to perfect the ideal battle plan, then left it up to his subordinates to carry out his plan. If the battle did not go as planned, then, according to Gnl Lee, it was God's will not to allow it to go as Lee had planned. The perfect excuse for defeat. Gnl Lee also put aside the Confederate victory at Fredericksburg where the rebel army chose their defensive ground, the Unionsts were slaughtered. Now Gettysburg with the shoe on the other foot.

[@MrWINNSLAW]

"The Confederate Army was cut in two and the Union Army had control of the Mississippi River after Gettysburg! This battle was a major turning point against the rebels!"

[@dougalmac54]

@MaxxTheMerciless You also need to reference the incompetence of many of the officers of the Army of the Potomac, who comitted many tactical blunders that gave Confederate forces the wedge or circumstances they needed to prevail even when outnumbered. McClellan, Hooker, and some other notable generals of the AOTP drove Lincoln to anger and disgust when they failed to press home attacks on the enemy or exploit clear advantages the North had over the South in countless battles. Lee used them well.

[@stigmajosh]

"In the year of our Lord, 1863, patriots of the Confederacy, starving and outnumbered, charged the fields at Gettysburg. They fought like warrior poets, they fought like rebels, and had their arses handed to them." - read by Mel Gibson in a Scottish accent.

[@TheBlueb0ttle]

It's gotta be true....

[@Shafeone]

@stigmajosh They were hardly "starving". Far from it, they lived high off the hog in PA and many men wrote home that they'd never eaten so well in their lives. Other than that, that's a pretty accurate assessment.

[@1995Pdr]

I'm terribly sorry about your cousin. May he rest in peace.

[@Shafeone]

@dougalmac54 Yeah but Lee's "victories" were more against the Union generals than their army. He never understood that and developed both contempt for the AoP rank and file as well as an over-exhalted opinion of his own men's abilities. Consider, the Battle Of The Wilderness. Had it been Bursides or McClellan Lee was facing, he'd have won yet another "victory". Grant, however, knew it meant nothing and shrugged it off while knowing he'd drained Lee's ranks of irreplacable men and moved on.

[@BorisGodunov]

@dougalmac54 I didn't say Lee was a bad general, just that he is overrated because many Southern "Lost Cause" folks deify him and overlook his egregious mistakes. In fact, they go as far as to try and blame Longstreet for Gettysburg, when in truth that loss was definitely due to Lee's blunders. Lee won lots of battles while defending, but that was the nature of that era of warfare--it was FAR easier to defend than to attack. That's also what made his offensives bad ideas.

[@mtlhd777]

God bless the southern boys

[@MaxxTheMerciless]

@dougalmac54 Lots of blunders are made in battle, it's just that Lee committed fewer of them. The North had also suffered from what Lincoln called a lot of family quarrels among his generals, whereas the South had an awesome commander who was, IMO, the George Washington of his day as both a commander and a gentleman. I don't think Davis had so many contenders among the general staff who wanted his presidency like McClellan, McClernand, and others wanted.

[@clucaspik]

Never understood this charge - no tactics to it. Did Lee have a feeling of invincibility due to his many successes? This charge was very unlike his normal tactics.

[@SirAceMcFly]

R.I.P. North and South Soldiers wow died in this war! Greetings from Germany!

[@MrSmexyChickenn]

what about the middlers

[@JamieFHarbert]

First thing you should know is that British Empire never really inclued the "others" in the rule of the land India had every right to seek inpendence from them as did the USA. I hope that the USA still stands for Freedom and is the main promoteter of freedom for the world. Freedom should be for everybody not just for the rich and powerful. But my gut feelings is that it'll be the Big campanies that "F" it up for everybody.

[@Shafeone]

@BorisGodunov Lee's troops suffered the highest percentage of casualties in any army of the war...including those under Grant "The Butcher". Lee was extremely profligate with his men's lives. Even at his greatest victory CHancellorsville he threw his army on May 3 against Hooker's lines and would suffer over 12,000 casualties in the battle--losses he could ill-afford--just to push Hooker back across the Rappahannock. The Union could afford such losses...not the South.

[@26thncst]

The only people that receive credit for this charge is Picketts Virginian's not saying they don't deserve credit but also what about the credit for the two divisions of A.P. Hill's Corps with men from North Carolina Tennesse Mississippi and other states

[@spedshift]

Lincoln blew a gasket when they let the confederates out of Pennsylvania. The war should have ended that Day ...

[@raphaelmaraki]

did any black troops fight for the south.?