I will take that Hill | Gettysburg

[@tehonlyFreeman]

"General! Give me one Regiment, and I will take that hill!" Love those lines!

[@calob3927]

“With that bloody damned hill empty!!!!… I beg your pardon sir, *tries to compose himself* “That damned hill as bald as his GREAT BALD HEAD!!!” 😂😂😂😂😂

[@philiphughes7481]

The Ewell of Gettysburg was not what he used to be. He had just come back from a serious injury and had grown cautious. In short he lacked the zeal to command a corps. Unfortunately there weren’t that many other options.

[@calob3927]

@@philiphughes7481 Jackson would have taken the hill

[@Shadowz41]

"General, give me one company, and I will take that hill!" "General, give me one squad, and I will take that hill!" Should've just kept going down in sizes :P

[@danielorr7124]

@@Shadowz41 Give me a drummer boy with a flintlock pistol, and I will take that hill! 😄

[@ANProductionsOfficialChannel]

"Many a good boy will die... taking that hill." Powerful performance. So much nuance and character in one scene.

[@dougalmacrobbie1918]

LOL. Ridiculous Reb arrogance and emotionalism. Trimble looks like a ranting fool here. Which is why Lee looks at him askance and sees him for the fool he is. It was Lee's cocksure arrogance that made him blunder into Pickett's charge. A charge that Longstreet specifically and assuredly tried to advise Lee against doing so. It was a ridiculous bloodbath and weakened the AoNV, leading it toward defeat.

[@Cowboy_Ash]

Brilliant performance by both men.

[@jamesmarjan5481]

It was ridiculous to him as a soldier that were just standing there doing nothing. General Jackson would have had all of them so busy with an endless list of tasks!!

[@Cton88]

Such a master class by two tremendously great actors

[@andrewwiggins7374]

I love two things about this scene, besides William Sheppard's incredible acting as Trimble. One is Sheen's contemplative look away at the 3:09 mark. It's as if he's envisioning the scene in his mind, and already calculating what it will cost them in terms of men and resources the next day. It's the look of a man who's been transported to an instantaneous state of deep regret for what has to happen next. The second plays off of the first. Lee looks at his watch at the end of the scene. Timing is everything. They missed their opportunity with Ewell's refusal to push harder, and now Lee is calculating the hours until they must attack in the morning. He must submit to the almighty "time at hand", a fact that he reminds Stuart of the next night when he declares, "There is no time for that! There is no time!" Timing is everything, and he is already on borrowed time. He understands they missed their chance, but must still roll the dice and attack the next day. The South is like a man below the ocean, holding his breath, and there is little time left. For Lee, timing was everything, and this reality was the main reason he invaded the North in the first place.

[@manilajohn0182]

Ewell did nothing wrong. He did exactly what Jackson was well- known for doing. He sent a unit to reconnoiter Cemetery Hill while he dealt with a report of Union forces moving on his left flank. The unit returned at about dusk and reported to Ewell that Cemetery Hill was held by a "superior force". Since Lee had instructed Ewell not to bring on a general engagement, Ewell did not attack. The real mistake was made by Lee, who lost control of the entire campaign by issuing contradictory orders to his subordinates- particularly his cavalry commander.

[@andrewwiggins7374]

@@manilajohn0182 "The general engagement" order was negated the moment Lee ordered Hill's and Ewell's corps to advance in the late morning. The battle was on at that point.

[@manilajohn0182]

@@andrewwiggins7374 When Lee directed Ewell to take Cemetery Hill if practicable, he also reiterated that Ewell was not to bring on a general engagement.

[@fw5995]

Whenever I need to vent to my boss, this scene is always one of the first things that I think of lol

[@readsomebooks666]

If your boss is good and you come in like Trimble, you’ll do fine. Mind that you have good reason though.

[@joedelpopolo4316]

I watch this amazing film every 4th of July Holiday weekend. And I will continue to do so until I'm no longer able.

[@augustlandmesser1520]

Great movie, superb actors!

[@jamesmarjan5481]

Lee telling him reassignment isn’t necessary assures him that he isn’t in trouble for throwing down his sword “DOWN ON THE GROUND” at Ewell.

[@DutchGuyMike]

ok

[@Sigma0283]

He understood that Trimble was frustrated and was letting him vent.

[@calob3927]

“AND HE SAID NOTHING!!!” “HE JUST STOOD THERE!!!” 😂😂😂. Man he was seriously having a breakdown in the middle of a battle.

[@reaper411b]

Nah that's not it dude, lee's saying "sorry dude, i get you, but no, keep on keeping on." Cuz there's a fight comin. You see the disappointment on trimble's face

[@jamesMarjan]

​@@reaper411bwow great assessment. It's amazing how different interpretations are made.

[@pitbullruss5636]

My left ear got an earful

[@diraska]

What an amazing way to handle a subordinate who is upset and border line insubordinate with his complaints of his superior officer. In the scene, Lee seems to decide to just let his subordinate get it out of his system and then politely them know Lee still has confidence in the general. He lets him have his temper tantrum and is not bothered by it.

[@RJLNetwork]

I can only imagine how the Gettysburg Campaign would have ended if Stonewall Jackson was not killed at Chancellorsville and was present at Lee's side. I dont know if the South would have won the battle, but i know the battle would have proceeded somewhat differently from what historically transpired.

[@calamityup]

They would have not attacked. "On the ground of their choosing" - Longstreet

[@manilajohn0182]

It's likely that little, if anything, would have changed. Ewell did what Jackson was well known doing. He sent a reconnaissance unit forward to reconnoiter Cemetery Hill while he attended to a (false) report of Union forces moving on his left. The unit returned at approximately dusk and reported that Cemetery Hill was held by a "superior force". Since Lee had already instructed Ewell (Jackson) twice not to bring on a general engagement, Jackson would have almost certainly refrained from attacking as Ewell did. It was only after the war ended that it became clear that Cemetery Hill could probably have been taken.

[@bad74maverick1]

@@manilajohn0182 completely disagree. Trimble took command of Jackson's Corps when he died, but Trimble had been wounded and he didn't command it long. He was part of Lee's staff for a while but his gung ho attitude got him moved. When he served under Ewell he had the foresight to know to take command of cemetery hill, which would have given them both roundtops. Meade would not have been able to wait for Reynolds reinforcements and would have had to attack with out them, outgunned against and entrenched force. Ewell refused to Give Trimble men to take the hill which led to a famous moment when Trimble basically threw is sword at Ewells feet and rode off (romanticized in the movie Gettysburg). Had Ewell listened the battle would have been a 180 degrees from what it was. The Union would had to assault an entrenched enemy from a fixed position on a high ground and the battle most likely would have been a disaster for the Federals. Instead Ewell gave him Lane/Penders division that was battered already and asked to hold the left flank with Pettigrew's division. When it collapsed Trimbles had too as well and the flank wasn't held, giving Lee the idea to attack the center to collapse it.

[@manilajohn0182]

@@bad74maverick1 Okay, I get that you disagree, but you haven't said why. All that you have said is that if Ewell had taken Trimble's advice, then Meade would have had to have counterattacked- and that isn't the case. Meade could have withdrawn that same evening (most likely to Pipe Creek where he'd originally wanted to move the Army), in which case the battle of Gettysburg as we know it would have never taken place. On the other hand, if Union forces had counterattacked immediately afterwards, any Confederate forces on Cemetery Hill would not have been entrenched. An entire night would have been required to construct the actual entrenchments on Cemetery Hill. Furthermore, we only have Trimble's claim that he actually urged Ewell to take Cemetery Hill. His claim is suspect because: 1) it was only made long after the war was over; 2) no other eyewitness accounts corroborate Trimbles alleged interaction with Ewell, and; 3) Trimble made no formal complaint against Ewell to his superior (Lee). The fact of the matter is that Ewell did exactly what Jackson was well- known for doing- namely, he reconnoitered Cemetery Hill. In the case of Jackson in Ewell's position at Gettysburg, the essential question is: If Lee had directed Jackson to take Cemtery Hill if practicable but not to bring on a general engagement, AND Jackson had sent a unit to reconnoiter Cemetery Hill, AND that unit had returned at dusk and reported to Jackson that Cemtery Hill was held by a "superior force", would Jackson have attacked that position?

[@bad74maverick1]

@@manilajohn0182 I actually did say. Jackson would have taken the hill as Trimble would have, Trimble knew the hill has not held, there would have been no general engagement. Ewell was too cautious and Lee did not trust his Corps commanders after Jackson died save for Longstreet. Even then Longstreet's advice was pushed to the wayside. Lee had gotten cocky over his recent string of key victories and that was part of the problem. Back to the hill, Trimble was known as a go getter and that's why in part he was originally given command of Jackson's division but was wounded a for a time relieved. I never said the argument between Ewell and Trimble actually occurred as Trimble said it did, but Trimble did approach Longstreet suggesting they should wheel left and move on the hill (this does give some provenance to Trimble telling Ewell to take the hill). Adding to this and that Trimble's account may have actually happened is the fact that Trimble did ask for a transfer and was denied on paper. This scene was Trimble asking for a request for transfer with justification told to lee. The justification given to General Lee, was a means for General Lee to speak to Ewell on his reconnoiter, which he did. At no point was Trimble asking for a formal complaint, just a transfer and offering why. Even Longstreet said the hill could have been reconnoitered without incident. The current belief is that Ewells men came up but had been marching for so long, Ewell thought his men were too tired to take the hill and needed rest. Trimble informed him the hill was not occupied but Ewell as I have said was too cautious. "On the other hand, if Union forces had counterattacked immediately afterwards, any Confederate forces on Cemetery Hill would not have been entrenched. An entire night would have been required to construct the actual entrenchments on Cemetery Hill.". But the confederates would have had the high ground and Lieutenant-Colonel Carter's batteries would have been positioned on it, making it monumental to try to take even if it weren't entrenched. The high ground without entrenchment would have been equally hard to take. Meade absolutely would have had to attack and not retreat to pipe creek. Or attack lees center and then risk envelopment. If Ewells corps would have gained the high ground there and Meade retreated Lee would have gotten what he wanted a direct line to Washington. Meade had to stop Lee there at Gettysburg, he couldn't retreat. Reynolds was too far behind and his men had marched and were tired. Buford was in a defensive position. In fact that was Longstreets argument, they could wheel left and either force Meade to engage or bypass them leaving no army to washington. Lee said "No. Meade's here and we will attack". Meade knew he had to engage Lees army as well, as if he didn't there was no defense for lee to make it to Washington and Lincoln had become war weary. Had Lee won decisively or routed Meade at Gettysburg it's likely as most suggest that Lincoln would have sought to end the war with terms.

[@MrTeiohx]

Best scene of a great movie

[@davidpitchford6510]

General, give me one wagon and I will take that hill!

[@dadbot8480]

General Trimble is not considering the lack of intelligence on the enemy's strength behind that hill, for all Ewell knew he would've been blasted away by Otis Howard's cannons the second he crossed the crest of that hill and routed by a counterattack. Ewell did not know of the enemy's disposition and did not know if they had received reinforcements. Ewell's men were tired from a full day of fighting, low on ammunition, and had suffered heavy casualties throughout the day. Ewell's division has been chewed up and spat out by the Union, winning at the cost of extremely heavy casualties. The day was waning, too. Culps hill had trees and underbrush, making it very difficult for Ewell's exhausted men to remain in order. Had he ordered an assault on that hill and if the Union was able to mount a counterattack, his men could've been smashed. Had I been in Ewell's position, I would've made the exact same decisions he did. Without calvary, he was running blind, and he did not want to throw the lives of his men away in what seemed to be a doomed assault on Cemetary Hill from Ewell's perspective. Given the knowledge that Ewell likely had access to during Gettysburg, he made the right decision by not attacking in that moment. However, hindsight is 20/20; it really shows just how hampered the Confederates were by Jeb Stuart's absence.

[@calob3927]

This is a great comment, people like to simplify the situation with hindsight. The fact is Lee hadn’t heard from Stuart for 2 days of recon so was essentially blind to the enemy’s movements, numbers, and position’s.

[@michaelcarden9623]

Great point. Show’s the importance of battlefield intelligence. If there is anyone to truly “blame” here it might be Stuart. But that was the risk of putting young, spirited officers in command in that time and place, they might lose their hands and essentially “go off on an adventure” as Stuart did, forgetting his most important duty. Perhaps what Lee really needed was an older, more even-tempered cavalry commander.

[@IphigeniaAtAulis]

You make an excellent point. I also think that people put too much emphasis on Lee's vague order and Ewell's indecision as the biggest mistakes of the battle instead of Lee's failure to listen to Longstreet and redeploy the army to a more favorable position. Both Lee and Ewell were simply acting on the best intelligence they had that first day of the battle. However, come the second day Lee should have realized that any attack on the high ground would have resulted in serious causalities even if successful and the Confederacy just didn't have the ability to replace men like the Union did. If Lee had moved off and placed himself between Washington and Meade as Longstreet suggested, it would still mean that he would have to fight Meade but then he could have done it from a defensive position and suffered fewer casualties, and even though the Union could replace any men they lost, they wouldn't be able to do it before Lee could take Washington.

[@dadbot8480]

@@IphigeniaAtAulis Aye, and Lee was trying to beat Meade to Gettysburg before the battle. Lee was planning on holding the heights at Gettysburg and letting Meade throw his army at Lee, one corp at a time.

[@tomschultz-lg9ne]

This is an excellent comment. If I am not mistaken, the Union troops holding that hill included the remnants of the Iron Brigade. They would not have been easily driven away.

[@indieroc4life]

Lee is just like “yup just another day at the office”

[@jacklopinto946]

he stood there AND SAID NOTHING!!! fantastic!

[@keithrowe1663]

Trimble and Buford both saw the importance of the high ground. Their speeches were almost parallel to what would befall the men trying to take that hill. Buford prevented it, Trimble had to endure it

[@InspiredJJ]

Ahhh the 90’s history strikes again.

[@whiskey_tango_foxtrot__]

Give me two Boy Scouts and a pitbull and i will take that hill!!!

[@manzi71]

Best I can to do is one Girl Scout and a 3-legged cat.

[@Tadicuslegion78]

It's interesting to reflect on Trimble's words because in the moment you agree with him that if the enemy is retreating and the field is wide open to take the best ground. But then when you stop and remember his word's about General Jackson, that's how Stonewall Jackson got killed, his men and the Union troops were scattered all over the woods, nobody had any clue who was where and Jackson pushing at night lead to him getting blasted by his own men on accident.

[@MajinHercule]

"And I said to him, General Ewell, "General Ewell, give me one Battalion, and I will take that hill! And General Ewell picked his nose. I couldn't believe it. Then I said, "General Ewell, give me one COMPANY, and I will take that hill!" And General Ewell sneezed. I was losing my mind, General. I said, "General Ewell, sir, give me one PLATOON, and I will that hill!" And General Ewell scratched his balls. Finally, I said "General Ewell, give me one squad, and I will that hill. And General Ewell said '.....ok.'"

[@warlaker]

Give me ObiWan Kenobi, and I will take that hill! It'll be over then! He'll have the high ground!

[@coryreeves2645]

This part uncovered a huge mistake

[@ambrosephill9]

Another instance where if Jackson had been there it would have all been different.

[@RocKnight11]

Yes. In an alternate timeline, the 18th North Carolina Infantry Regiment accidentally kill Stonewall Jackson at Gettysburg instead of Chancellorville.

[@ambrosephill9]

@@RocKnight11 Yeah you are a stoner aren't you. If Jackson had not been kill by the18th NC when he was scouting after dark. He would have been at Gettysburg, and Ewell's and AP Hill's troops would have been under the direct control of Jackson. That means that AP Hill would not have stumbled into Gettysburg blind and Ewell would not have been recalled to Gettysburg but pushed on to Harrisburg and burnt it to the ground. Jackson was a good subordinate and a perfect compliment to Lee. He knew what Lee wanted done. Jackson needed just the mere suggestion of the overall strategy and he got the job done. Even if Jackson had allow AP Hill to forage into Gettysburg without scouting first. He would have withdrawn quickly or he would have committed completely very quickly. Then once Ewell is on the scene Jackson would have had Ewell and AP Hill driving Howard and Hancock off of Cemetery Ridge and Culp's Hill even if it tool all night, no matter the cost. That is the difference Jackson would have made. The fact that I have went this far into the explanation means you have no knowledge of the subject matter other than listening the Union apologist like Gary W Gallagher and James M McPherson. They have made excuses for the people that did not save the Union, but only destroyed the Republic and the Constitution. That is why the children today don't know whether they are boys or girls, because of morons like you being lead around by the nose by Leftist Hate filled academics. Please go back to Facebook, where women and children are trying to make their lives mean something.

[@RocKnight11]

@@ambrosephill9 Sorry, not sorry, but as a modern-day abolitionist, I am happy that the sIaver Jackson took a major L at Chancellorville at the hands of the 18th North Carolina Infantry Regiment.

[@ambrosephill9]

@@RocKnight11 It really means nothing that you are a modern-day abolitionist, you know that right, your just a poser. If you were a real modern-day abolitionist, you would be in Africa today fighting the African slavery that exist to this day. But you are not, your sitting around engaging in pathetic gotcha warfare, as if it gives you some type of moral high ground as if anyone cares about what you think or what you have done which is nothing. Jackson, Lee, and a host of other Confederate heroes will be discussed in history classes and be considered heroes long after you are gone. In fact, at West Point today, the history and strategies by men like Jackson and Lee are still taught. When you leave this world, you will leave nothing but dust.

[@bad74maverick1]

@@RocKnight11 Jackson did own slaves but he also understood their humanity. In fact the 3 slaves he owned he obtained because they were going to be punished and according to one account "Meet worse fates". Jackson went against law and started a sunday school program educating slaves about religion and teaching them to read and write. In fact he held in the highest regard his nanny, a slave named "Miss Fanny" whom he loved as a family member. Not to mention there were abolitionist generals and officers in the confederacy as well. Just like many who fought in the Union army didn't do so to free slaves, but because Lincoln called upon them to "preserve the union" not abolish slavery.

[@peteinthedesert7082]

For all the brilliant decisions that Buford made earlier in the day, the day would have been a disaster if Ewell's II Corps would have taken Culp's and Cemetery Hill(s) later in the day. Indecision amongst Lee, Ewell, and Early (who commanded a division under Ewell) didn't help matters. Whether Ewell was to blame or not, the fact of the matter was that Culp's Hill was unoccupied until late in the afternoon, and any general worth his salt would have seen the strategic importance of Culp's Hill. Both Trimble & Early pleaded with Ewell to take the hill, but Ewell did not allow it, thinking his 2 divisions were exhausted after the long march and fighting early in the afternoon. Newly arrived Union General Winfield Scott Hancock saw the same thing. Upon his arrival, General Hancock rallied the retreating divisions of General Howard's 11th Corps, and one of his first orders was to occupy Cemetery Hill as soon as possible. Then around 5:30pm, Culp's Hill was occupied by a small union force. My opinion is not the entirety of Ewell's indecision, but also of Scott Hancock's arrival (and decisive decision making) in Gettysburg, which played a vital role in shaping the battle after the first day.

[@manilajohn0182]

Trimble (a thruster hell- bent on promotion to corps command) alleged that he forcefully argued that the Hill should be occupied. Contrary to what you have said, Early agreed with Ewell- in large part because Ewell did what Jackson was well- known for doing; he first sent out a reconnaissance party to scout the hill while he dealt with a report of Union forces moving on his left flank. The scouting party returned at about dusk to report that the hill was held by a "superior force".

[@bad74maverick1]

This one action in a sense doomed the battle. Trimble took command of Jackson's Corps when he died, but Trimble had been wounded and he didn't command it long. He was part of Lee's staff for a while but his gung ho attitude got him moved. When he served under Ewell he had the foresight to know to take command of cemetery hill, which would have given them both roundtops. Meade would not have been able to wait for Reynolds reinforcements and would have had to attack with out them, outgunned against and entrenched force. Ewell refused to Give Trimble men to take the hill which led to a famous moment when Trimble basically threw is sword at Ewells feet and rode off (romanticized in the movie Gettysburg). Had Ewell listened the battle would have been a 180 degrees from what it was. The Union would had to assault an entrenched enemy from a fixed position on a high ground and the battle most likely would have been a disaster for the Federals. Instead Ewell gave him Lane/Penders division that was battered already and asked to hold the left flank with Pettigrew's division. When it collapsed Trimbles had too as well and the flank wasn't held, giving Lee the idea to attack the center to collapse it. Lee didn't Trust fully Trimble because of his take risk style. He didn't have confidence in anyone but longstreet without Jackson, and Stewart could have made a compelling argument with Harry Burgwyn had he been there and reliable. When Reynolds was killed it would have been the perfect time for Lee to act on a flanking mission with the 26th Carolina troops around the town. Even Buford wouldn't have seen it, and if he did, he would have to commit his cavalry to the engagement and that would allow John B. Gordon, Hood, and Henry Heth's divisions free to move on the town itself. Then Longstreet, Ewell, Trimble, and Pickett could charge the center even with the roundtops controlled by the Federals because there would be no support and the Confederate advance would originate behind them. ees artillery gunners were the best of the best, and they were used to using substandard southern made cannon powder. But they knew how to use it, they trained with it, they were successful with it. Right before the battle began Lees artillery batteries had been completely resupplied...... With British made powder. A vastly superior powder to anything at the time. The Batteries didn't account for superior performance of it and it's estimated over 80% of fire over shot it's target by 70 yards or more! Had they accounted for that, or used what they had in store that they were used to, they could have battered the center for several hours until Picketts charge. There wouldn't have been much resistance left at that point and Hood, Heth and Gordon could have moved to the town or reinforced the attack on the round tops if a flanking action was still needed. Years ago I was part of a study on the operational characteristics of cannons and their powder types. The powder supplied by the British was incredible.....

[@reaper411b]

Damn dude, i never knew this, that's absolutely fascinating. Frickin love this movie 🤘🤘

[@joshuadesautels]

It was Ewell who had been wounded and was new to command.

[@bad74maverick1]

@joshuadesautels I know this. He was actually hit twice. So was trimble. He was in command of Jacksons division for a time before being wounded.

[@ambrosephill9]

The situation on the July 1st shows the importance of having good and experienced subordinates. Men that can seize the opportunity in the instance it occurs, not questions their ability for decision. The "If only Jackson had been there." argument is the Jackson effect. Jackson had his quirks and if you read about these men. You find that Lee had a group of fine but flawed officers. On multiple occasions, Lee has to pocket requests for military court marshals for one officer against another for supposed failures of duty in the field or for insults. Lee had to contend with that the whole war. On July 1st, 2nd, and even 3rd, their were officers who were new to their new position like Ewell and AP Hill. Even Lee's "Old War Horse" Longstreet was slow to act and react to changing conditions at Gettysburg that Lee was not aware of due to poor intelligence. Lee was probably the greatest military leader this country produced, particularly at the time. But your leader can only be as good as the subordinates that follow him. Imagine if Lee had been able to fight with these officers who needed to be trained up to their new positions like Ewell and AP Hill. Train them in combat, in Virginia, in areas were they knew the geography, in battles like 2nd Manassas, or Chancellorsville. Somewhere that they would have had the homefield advantage. Then after a year, you take them into a Gettysburg Campaign. Then you see what difference experience makes. I am not making excuses for Ewell or AP Hill, but experience in their new positions would make the difference. Remember both these men were subordinates of Jackson, they were use to clear direct orders of battle that gave no room for latitude. But at the level of Jackson or Longstreet, Corp Commanders the orders of battle would have a clear objective, and positioning of troop, but how to accomplish the objective the Corp Commander would have had latitude operationally. Once again, "If Jackson had been their, it could have all be different.". I guarantee we would not be fighting what a Woman is!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@bad74maverick1]

@@ambrosephill9 That's a fantastic point. It always puzzled me though, Ewell and Hill hesitated but they themselves were used to clear and concise orders from Jackson. At least give Trimble, also a combat veteran the benefit of the doubt and reconnoiter the area. Trimble before being wounded was in command of Jacksons corps before he was wounded. He knew the men and the command structure under Jackson. Ewell should have known that (I surmise). Some answers will probably never be answered in full. Why Ewell so grossly hesitated on an empty hill, what women really want, the infield fly rule...... Love your last comment HA HA!

[@eldonhagen1257]

I think it saved the Union that it retreated into and through the streets of Gettysburg to the south part of town heights...it drew the pursuing throngs of Rebels into a logistical nightmare of crowd control, fractured their formations, and forced them to conduct a house to house search, block by block, for hiding Yankees. I think this is what prevented the Rebs from taking Cemetery or Culps Hill. If the Yanks had fled around the outskirts, instead of thru the town, I think their goose would have been cooked...

[@jamesMarjan]

General Ewelle didn't have a regiment to give him. Nor was the hill empty. God was the witness.

[@jamesknowles658]

The war was lost because of that hill. Lee's two words doomed the South, "if practicable". Many people ask the huge "what if". This is for sure, Tremble was correct, if Jackson was alive the South would have commanded the heights. He was that impressive a commander. The North would have had to use the fortifications around Washington. This could have lead to early talks and an agreement reached.

[@Captainkebbles1392]

As a movied it's so clunky. But if this was a play..omg it would have won so many awards

[@staticcharm3808]

It's actually a great movie. One of the only where the battle is the main character and the movie never forgets it

[@JPOGers]

3:40 Bro for a split second I thought he was gonna smack the sh!t out of general Lee

[@joonamikkonen_]

Trimble’s least aggressive salute. 😂 Now I can’t unsee it.

[@philiphughes7481]

I’m with General Trimble on this one. That was a missed opportunity that very well could have changed the outcome of the battle. I don’t fault Ewell for not taking the hill, but for not bothering to try. Ewell had them beaten on Day 1 and his hesitation allowed the Union troops to recover and reform for the next day of battle. That is something that neither Jackson nor Trimble would have done.

[@manilajohn0182]

In the same note in which Lee instructed him to take Cemetery Hill if practicable, Ewell was also reminded not to bring on a general engagement. As he was short one division, he did exactly what Jackson was habitual for doing and sent out a reconnaissance force to scout the hill while he dealt with a report (erroneous as it turned out) of Union forces moving on his left. By the time he resolved that, it was almost dark. His scouting returned at about this time and reported that Cemetery Hill was held by a "superior force". Since Lee had instructed him not to bring on a general engagement, Ewell chose not to attack. At the time, and with the information which he had available, Ewell acted in accordance with Lee's discretionary order. Trimble, on the other hand, was an overly ambitious thruster intent on acquiring divisional command. Such men tend to easily find fault with their superior's actions- until they themselves are thrust into those same shoes. The sober truth is that neither Ewell, Longstreet, or Stuart failed Lee. The major errors in the campaign were made by Lee himself- and before the battle even began.

[@Birlibi4]

Of course

[@soothsayer2406]

Was this made up or did this conversation actually happen?

[@InspiredJJ]

Nope.

[@calob3927]

Really happened. The order from Lee to “take the hill if possible” was relayed to Ewell as “take the hill if practicable”. Apparently he did not deem it practicable.

[@patrickwilkinson7351]

This specific conversation, no. However, a lot of people do blame Ewell for not pushing the advantage when the Union lines started to collapse, before they reformed and started entrenching themselves on both hills. During the engagement, the orders Ewell received spoke of the need to take the unoccupied hill "if practicable". Ewell decided his men, exhausted from the day of fighting, weren't up to taking the hill, even though it was unoccupied at the time. Had he taken it, it would have given the Confederates a better position. It might not have won the battle by itself, but it certainly did them no favors, and a lot of people think that had Jackson still been alive, he would have pushed his troops to take the hill and secure it in place of the more cautious Ewell.

[@garbeard3748]

these were general trimble's words, but they were written later in his account of the battle. did he say them to lee? we dont have evidence to say that he did, nor evidence to say that he didn't.

[@manilajohn0182]

@@calob3927 That's incorrect. Lee himself stated that: "General Ewell was, therefore, instructed to carry the hill occupied by the enemy, if he found it practicable, but to avoid a general engagement until the arrival of the other divisions of the army..."

[@GrantDWilliams82]

The Civil War would've been over by early 1862 had McClellan not had Ewell's same sort of cowardly, half-measure, politician mentality on the other side. The Union would've fiercely, unapologetically marched into Virginia before the rebellion had ever really got started, overwhelmed Richmond, and 500,000 men, in dozens of other battles, would have never died.

[@Mourtzouphlos240]

“You are so happily placed in America that you need fear no wars,” said Bismarck, who ruled a country that bordered its rivals. “What always seemed so sad to me about your last great war was that you were fighting your own people. That is always so terrible in wars, so hard.” “But it had to be done,” Grant replied. “Yes,” said Bismarck. “You had to save the Union just as we had to save Germany.” “Not only save the Union,” said Grant, “but destroy slavery.” “I suppose, however, the Union was the real sentiment, the dominant sentiment,“ said Bismarck. Inadvertently had raised a question that Americans have debated, , Bismarck sometimes vociferously, for 150 years: Did the North fight the Civil War to preserve the Union or to destroy slavery? “As soon as slavery fired up the flag, it was felt-we all felt, even those who did not object to slaves- that slavery must be destroyed,” Grant explained. “We felt that it was a stain on the Union that men should be bought and sold like cattle.” “I suppose if you had had a large army at the beginning of the war it would have ended in a much shorter time,” Bismarck said. “We might have had no war at all-but we cannot tell,” Grant replied. “Our war had many strange features. There were many things which seemed odd enough at the time, but which now seem Providential. If we had had a large regular army, as it was then constituted, it might have gone with the South. In fact, the Southern feeling in the army among high officers was so strong that when the war broke out, the army dissolved. We had no army-then we had to organize one. A great commander like Sherman or Sheridan even then might have organized an army and put down the rebellion in six months or a year, or, at the farthest, two years. But that would have saved slavery, perhaps, and slavery meant the germs of new rebellion. There had to be an end of slavery. Then we were fighting an enemy with whom we could not make a peace. We had to destroy him. No convention, no treaty, was possible-only destruction.”

[@bad74maverick1]

@@Mourtzouphlos240 Grant had the opportunity to say those things after the war. But that's not what the war was fought for. Lincoln had no intention of freeing the slaves, but preserving the union. He made that very clear. And he knew that freeing the slaves would break the souths backs in doing so. General George Pickett himself fled to Illinois before the war as an abolitionist himself. It was what the federal government had done that provoked them to fight. Bismark saw through what Grant was trying to say. In the end it wasn't slavery that was fought for. There are thousands of letters in the Smithsonian written from Union soldiers that show disdain for freeing "negro"s (not my word the letters) and that's not what they signed for.

[@manilajohn0182]

Since both Lee and Jackson had absolute faith in Ewell, your reference to him as cowardly makes you ignorant of Ewell's actual worth. No offense.

[@bad74maverick1]

@@manilajohn0182 No one ever called Ewell cowardly. In fact I hold Ewell in high regard. He was a hero of the Mexican American war and a confident leader in the Apache wars. He was a great general in the civil war but commanders no matter how great make mistakes. His mistake was not taking Culps hill for a jumping off point for cemetery hill. To say that I think he is cowardly is kind of a shoddy putdown for no reason and no source for it. No offense.

[@manilajohn0182]

@@bad74maverick1 Look at the OPS's post. Mine was directed toward him. EDIT: I know you didn't say it. No offense taken, my friend...

[@lukealadeen7836]

Why does he sounds Scottish 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@nate3915]

Trimbles come from Northern Ireland. General Issac is actually a great cousin of mine but we’ve been here since early 1700s

[@bryanbarnes388]

The actor William Morgan Sheppard was British.

[@calob3927]

Apparently the order given by Lee was “to take the hill if possible”, however the message that was relayed was “if practicable”. One mistaken word that cost the victory of an un-winnable war. If only stonewall Jackson was not spent also, probably a very different outcome.

[@danielorr7124]

That was the real issue here. Lee's orders were open ended, and he want to avoid a large-scale engagement until all of the Confederate forces had arrived & organized themselves for battle. Also as was said repeatedly in the movie, without General Stewart's cavalry they had no idea the size of the force in front of them, so any advance was risky.

[@8777myoung]

So I’m guessing he didn’t want to take the hill?

[@michaeljohnson1157]

PJCKETTS CHARGE, WAS STUPID AND SUICIDAL AND TOTALLY RIDICULOUS

[@thanhhoangnguyen4754]

And i am even suprised that Lee would order that charge. Especially when his artillery do basically zero damage to the Union position. Should have call it up and cut your losses rather than continue. No commander that stupid to nake a charge when the enemy position is well entrenched and received no damage.