Lewis Armistead and Pickett’s Charge - 2024 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.
Images of the Friend to Friend Monument are from Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikime...) and credited to the original photographer (Veggies).
No claim to original U.S. government works.

[@altonbunnjr]

A second StuffWriter/Matt Atkinson video in as many days! I guess we’ve been living right to deserve all this.

[@MarcoSchaper-n4z]

This is a man who loves his job, talking about history and give us a good time

[@paparude7724]

I’m here 22 min after the author uploaded the latest video!! I’m proud to be one of the first to see this! Lol😂 thanks so very much to all involved. Your programs have been a great addition to my life. Very enjoyable. Good ol Matt. I hope to catch one his programs one day soon. Bucket list item # 23 😂

[@danielvanmol5655]

Last year i had the chance to visit Gettysburg, from Belgium. Also a great one from my bucketlist

[@tomwestover3706]

Caught one of his tours and a camp fire program he's amazing at his job

[@karlheinzvonkroemann2217]

Matt's the man! Good to see him again!

[@johnmills3205]

A few weeks ago, I saw Matt face to face for the first time in 5 1/2 years. My wife and I were regular battle walkers with him for years. After she passed away I lost interest in a lot of things. It was good to reconnect with Matt after such a long time. I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. Good to see you again, buddy. John

[@trevornewman2147]

Do you think that beard suits him it’s rather cool

[@chieffamilygenealogyoffice621]

John mills- I totally understand…….

[@johnmills3205]

@@chieffamilygenealogyoffice621 Thank you

[@johnmills3205]

@@trevornewman2147 I think the beard is great. It totally suits him. I've had a beard myself since 1988. Neither Matt or I was this grey when we first started battle walking together.

[@M_Lopez_3D_Artist]

im glad you could see him again after all that time.

[@CatchAUAP]

Omg another one?? This is like when Dan Carlin at hardcore history comes out with a new episode every 10 months. Like Christmas in June lol. Thx Stuffwriter and Ranger Matt. 🙌

[@woodycarlile4730]

Thanks Stuff Writter for taking the time to film Matt's Battle walks. I learn something new every time I watch.

[@NicoleDeemer]

Omg!!! I can’t believe I missed this walk!!! Armistead with Matt!!!

[@user-sp9ks4sp3n]

Love seeing Matt's battle walks even after being to Gettysburg and walking the fields dozens of times.

[@rhythmannblues1182]

I've watched Matt a thousand times, every single video he's done and I still enjoy his tours and lectures. I'm across country from there but one of these days, I hope to get there and take a tour of his. I despise war but I enjoy learning about the Civil War. Thank you for sharing, Stuff Writer!

[@DaleHarris-hf8js]

Love Matt's video from a few years a go, great to see hes still doing it at gettysberg!

[@keeftaylor834]

KZbin, you're gonna have to step up your game. ANYTHING with Ranger Matt Atkinson shouldn't show up in my feed a month later. He's an awesome teacher.

[@danielvanmol5655]

He's having a beard!! Saw him last year in Gettysburg 160, without it . Great guide! The best. Was honored to be a his walk.

[@BigMrFirebird-ne1wt]

Even over here in the UK, we've heard of Ranger Matt.

[@Stew-kv8nw]

Another engaging, enlightening and entertaining walk from Matt. A walk with him is on my Gettysburg bucket list

[@deanbenedict707]

Thank you StuffWriter!!

[@joannkeeler6582]

Thank you so much for posting these! I’ve been so excited to see more by Matt. Matt is one of the best guides and teachers of history I’ve ever heard. (And I was a history major.). So thank you for all the effort you put into this and to Matt for embracing it and sharing his knowledge with us. 😊

[@SteveMikre44]

Another outstanding job by Ranger Matt Atkinson...

[@billbrenneman334]

People should have More Respect and turn off the cell phones. Great tour Thanks Matt and StuffWriter

[@Alex-ej4wm]

Now you're just spoiling us. Thank you Mr mysterious stuff writer!

[@bruceschmidt3404]

Fantastic battle walk.. I get goose bumps every time I hear the story of this action. Thank you!

[@ronmoore5827]

Another Matt masterpiece, thank you Mr Stuff Writer for sharing.

[@crowsnest20ny]

I love listening to Matt's stories. Learn something new every time. Cheers!

[@henryrichards1542]

Outstanding - a New Matt video! And now with goatee too!! 😀

[@jonrolfson1686]

Looking forward to the revelation of Little Round Top’s reopening. The last time we visited there was with my late father, shortly after his 90th birthday in the fall of 2017. He was still good for a fair bit of up and down and hiking about, enough to challenge this then sixty-something son.

[@paulstan9828]

Nice job Stuff Writer and Matt! Another great lecture tour for us who couldn’t be there. Thanks!

[@jeremygrice6530]

Glad to see Matt back!! The book was a delightful read Matt

[@CarolinaThreeper3534]

Thank you stuffwriter, I learn more about our history with every video

[@snake316171]

Dat beard...... . . . . . . . . . . . . Looks good Matt.

[@gusbuckingham6663]

If that is ADD its the best ADD I've ever seen. This man knows his history and brings you to his love and giving it you. And of course, the invisible man, Stuffwriter; takes a lot to be silent in that heat.

[@alanmacvean2053]

Thank you as always for the knowledge , quality and asides that make this so incredible !

[@Vort317545]

My two favorite Southern historians that bring the Southern perspective on the Civil War. Shelby Foote and Matt Atkinson! Shelby gave us insight into thinking of the upper crust of the Old South. While Matt gives insight into thinking of the common folk (some would say the greatest example of Southern Pride) the foot soldier. Oh sure, Lee on his high horse might have gotten all the glory. But he would have been nothing without the those often barefoot and starving infantrymen.

[@williamstankiewicz3313]

Outstanding job Matt

[@TheWeatherbuff]

@StuffWriter delivers again! Thank you, Sir, from those of us who can't get there every year. My considered opinion is that Ranger Matt has been working on that goatee since December.

[@BoomyNation]

Always get excited when I see a new Matt video!

[@ACupPlayz]

feeling spoiled another Walk :) Lets go :)

[@janellekerns6485]

Another great video. Love you, Matt!

[@cmphighpower]

Love Matt he’s the best

[@N2Dressage001]

Thank you for another one.

[@stonemason5573]

Great work capturing the rise of the ground through the walk, the defilade is there but it vanishes by the time you get to the final position. I cannot imagine attacking that way without direct support. Like Hill 112 near Caen, the idea of the lives spent for such terrain leaves me with an abiding sorrow.

[@sportingkcfan1]

Very cool to see another Stuffwriter video with Matt! I got to meet Ranger Matt in 2022 and he's the same on and off the camera. It's cool to see the videos but being there in person is the only way to truly see the battlefield.

[@kevinhall2545]

To the amazing Matt and the amazing StuffWriter

[@InspectorJeremy]

Why so many dislikes??? Its an amazing video that's informative and very entertaining!

[@Tupacfan0326]

Thank you Stuffwriter for putting these videos up of Ranger Matt Atkinson. It's like I'm there. I love listening to Matt's stories.

[@jshumaker4499]

Would really like to do this walk with Matt. Excellent presentation.

[@ellietobe]

These walks on the battlefield can be very informative. It would be nice if when the speaker points to an area or is speaking about a particular area if the camera person would turn the camera on that area. We don’t need to constantly see the speaker or the audience. We would like to see the area being spoken about. This particular video has been much better than in previous years but we still have a very limited view in many cases.

[@wes2262]

1:42:53 “You gotta come up Lou, god damn they’re flanking us!”

[@LP2Check]

Ranger Matt Atkinson the Official/Unofficial voice of Gettysburg. He could describe making a PBJ or BLT with such pizzazz that would leave a peer in awe.

[@soothsayer2406]

Matt's so awesome.. but if you watch a video of him 10 years ago, the current Matt aged at least 20 to 30 years..... unless I'm wrong and it's a different Matt Atkinson.....However, I believe it because of the white beard.

[@soothsayer2406]

Is there a difference between Matt's organization-NPS and the Battlefield Trust group?.Matt seems to be from the Parks Service.

[@mattybgame]

That beard!!! How long has the beard been there?? I would love to challenge Matt as my favorite ranger to cover my beloved 1st Minnesota. Just to see him hem and haw and admit that them d*mn stubborn Swedes fought as valiantly as his Mississips! Love you Matt. And thank you Stuffwriter

[@waynelayton8568]

Matt is a cool cat

[@charliet1535]

Gettysburg season. 😊

[@Civilwarman40]

I'm a little confused he just said there was a trench by emmitsburg road that held over 500 dead confederate but then says a total of 499 killed on the battle numbers don't add up lol

[@williammurray8060]

Great men indeed

[@burrellbikes4969]

I honestly believe multiple factors were at play with Lees battle plan: 1) he’s human and makes mistakes. If we can learn anything from the Civil War it’s that any commander can be told over and over again that ____ is a bad idea, but they only see victory. 2) I believe that Lee was well aware of Grant around Vicksburg and what that would mean and wanted to get something BIG done before Vicksburg fell - which everyone would know was REALLY bad for the South. 3) the whole society was pretty religious at the time and I believe he wanted to show he could whip the Union army even when it was in a good defensive position. Hubris perhaps? Yeah. I can believe that. But if we think about many of Lee’s important victories they were gutsy flanking attacks (admittedly, a gutsy command approach), against Union generals screwing up, or against smaller than the full Union force. I honestly think Lee was fixated on beating them badly right where they were so there could be zero second guess I’m about it. His army would be seen as unbeatable - ergo my point about religion - the people would might see it as a divine mandate for the south to be the winner. Maybe I’m extrapolating a bit far on the last one. But I don’t buy that Lee was sick one bit. He had a lot of factors at play. And he made a bad decision like all humans do.

[@greggcorbett9344]

Another great video - anyone know what the bird is singing at the copse?

[@irockuroll60]

Why is that Longstreet quote “going in without Pickett is like going in with 1 boot off” so famous if Pickett’s division had been chilling the past year and growing their numbers?

[@CarolinaThreeper3534]

Is this perhaps the first time stuff writer has ever been heard speak?

[@raygeary1698]

Where was cavery in the attack? Never attack with out cav support Napoleon at Waterloo just a thought ,?

[@daviemccallum7759]

Abreaham Lincoln done a great job

[@tregbrown3054]

Matt what the heck is that on your face lol

[@panzerdeal8727]

Read that book.

[@warbull888]

i rember 150th aniveersay my boy and i in gen outfit walked in missippis! crazy times ill come out see u maybe next yr . hes will be 20 thyen ill be mohawk with grey hair lol

[@Vort317545]

33:50 Clearly Longstreet knew without a shadow of a doubt what the outcome would be. Hundreds if not thousands would die for absolutely no other reason, for Robert E Lee's ego. That's why he delayed and delayed and gave half-assed excuses to Lee. Hoping to god Lee would get some senses back and call it off. He was trying to save those men. But finally the 'The Boss' is the boss and he Longstreet had to give the order.

[@kevinwilson9317]

It wouldn't have mattered if the attack had taken place at 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, or 2....the attack was doomed to failure. Harping on the timing of the attack obfuscates the issue and averta blame from Lee for such a preposterous plan.

[@richardboli482]

Miss it a gain

[@Cattani1982]

[@mlaforce321]

How rude can people be with these damn phones with ringers set to as loud as humanly possible? Silence your crap and have some respect for those who can to listen and learn, as well as for the staffer who is speaking.

[@blackrocks8413]

weird....

[@lonnietoth5765]

We here in Pa. don't like people bringing anything but American flags across our fields ! Then we had to send Sherman into Georgia with payback !

[@SoulpatchArmada]

Dumb as hell

[@lacey457-z5e]

Hate seeing Matty getting old, .life sucks

[@sartainja]

I am getting old myself.