Lincoln and the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg - Ranger John Hoptak

[@Smedley60]

An excellent speaker. No "ums" or other pauses. No notes. He knows his stuff and relays it with enthusiasm and without hesitation to the audience. The park rangers are true professionals.

[@travisn2875]

I love this park ranger. Really puts everything into his presentation. You can tell he really cares about what he's teaching.

[@robmackey613]

Mr. Hoptak - I stumbled on this video in my quest to hear more about the Gettysburg Battle. What a privilege it was to hear your amazing speech. It was enlightening, interesting and emotional at the same time. You are a major credit to the park rangers of this great country.

[@lespangen]

Well said 😬😰

[@lespangen]

Excellent video/speech re the meaning of Gettysburg and the terrible bloodshed there and the courageous young Mr. White who heeded Mr. Lincoln’s call to join the fight on behalf of the Union and the nurse who cared enough to write his family after he succumbed

[@alphaomega6224]

Gettysburg is an amazing place to visit. Walking the battlefields and identifying iconic landmarks, while listening to the deafening silence, is absolutely spine-tingling.

[@gfx2943]

Mr Hoptak is truly a class act - you really can't ask for a better tour guide. I can't wait to visit Gettysburg

[@indy_go_blue6048]

I need to add that the exposition on the Gettysburg Address starting at 36:50 is the finest short summary I've heard on this speech/document in my 67 years. TYVVM.

[@richhoule3462]

Superb. The explanation of the Gettysburg Address is something ALL Americans need to hear. Cherish and learn from that war. It changed our destiny.

[@Brace67]

An absolutely marvelous presentation from a extremely knowledgeable park ranger. Very inspirational.

[@mariadileo7320]

John Hoptak, I'll remember that name. Without a doubt the finest presentation I've ever heard from a park ranger anywhere. Bravo! I visit Gettysburg often. I hope my next visit finds you doing more of the same. It would be a pleasure to experience your professionalism in person. I will inquire as to your schedule at the Visitors Center.

[@dennismccarthy7146]

I have been on a few of Ranger Hoptak's tours throughout the battlefield over the past few years, each of them, and I must say, all the other Ranger walking tours were nothing short of outstanding. From the 32:58 mark till the 35:40th only resonates the feeling and passion as Americans we all share for Pres. Lincoln's words on that day. Ranger Hoptak Bravo Zulu

[@frankmarano7530]

Amazing how well he brings Spiney White to life and the great speakers in 1863. He is a great orator himself!

[@LyyrRATM]

Fantastic program. Excellent presentation. I was hooked and paying attention right away.

[@nancymahasky2377]

That was such a good presentation. So informative.

[@konaboss83]

All these Rangers would and prolly could be awesome college professors very well spoken.....I would most likely fold like a lawn chair if asked to give a speech....It’s truly a gift I believe

[@rebeccabsomanybooks3558]

Great historians make the best storytellers. Awesome job Mr. Hoptak

[@danielbernier9115]

Wow , an excellent educator and narrator!

[@kenciolek843]

Bless God ...Good job speaker and videographer ...thank you from Saginaw Mich. and Binghamton NY and thankyou Jesus

[@Rogijimbex]

Fabulous account - great presentation. I agree - you're a great credit to rangerdom.

[@vikingshelm]

The NPS is an extraordinary organization. Period.

[@daniellinehan63]

Well done- Abe would be proud

[@cwb0051]

Awesome..

[@theresaraimondi1413]

Thank you... too bad there are those today that do not honor history...

[@jeffsmenyak2804]

As for the exact location of the speaker's platform on the day of the cemetery's dedication, it seems as though there is another (more likely) spot. Anyone interested in a great read, check out LINCOLN'S GETTYSBURG DECLARATION by Louis A. Warren. In it, on page 182, he states, "Recently [book was written in 1964] there has been discovered documentary evidence of the exact site where the speakers' stand was constructed, its dimensions and the direction it faced". Warren produces a copy of a memorandum by W.Y. Selleck, secretary of Soldiers' National Cemetery Commission, who states, "The stand...was 12 ft. wide and 20 ft. long and facing to the northwest of the outer circle of soldiers' graves as shown by pencil mark on the cemetery map in the book to which this memorandum is attached". Where is this mark on the map? STRAIGHT NORTH of the monument, approximately 300 feet away from it [from the monument, walk north on the path between the Delaware & Rhode Island gravesites until you reach just beyond the outer circle of graves]. Not 150 feet southeast as Ranger Hoptak (and other rangers I've heard) surmise. The platform, states Selleck, was facing northwest, which means the large crowd would have gathered across the road, away from the gravesites that had been freshly placed there not long before.

[@frankapplegate4852]

Time well spent.

[@timaronchang1031]

How was The Polar Express Theme Song Go John Hoptak

[@timaronchang1031]

What are you doing this weekend John Hoptak

[@timaronchang1031]

Could You Teach Me The Gaston Song 1862-1863

[@indy_go_blue6048]

Just for curiosity's sake, that $2,500, based on the value of the dollar in 1913 (the first year available on my inflation calculator) would be over $63,600 in March 2018. One can bet heavily that they'd never get it for less than $150/acre though.

[@timaronchang1031]

Why Not Next Summer John Hoptak

[@timaronchang1031]

Hi John Hoptak

[@timaronchang1031]

John Hoptak Vincent Van Gogh Immersive Museum Exhibition

[@timaronchang1031]

Andrew Curtin President Abraham Lincoln and Me

[@timaronchang1031]

John Hoptak

[@lkyelberg8255]

Is there any such thing as a " Just War " ?

[@indy_go_blue6048]

Yes. Reasons for the war can be justified, and some are noble reasons. That doesn't mean that the conduct of the war can be justified as well.

[@mchristr]

Fourth (and Fifth) century philosopher/theologian Aurelius Augustine proposed a theory of just war. It's pretty easy to research.

[@Swarm509]

Maybe someone passing through here can answer this but why were so many of the Confederate soldiers listed as unknown? Were the confederate records bad enough that they did not know who they lost during the battle?

[@indy_go_blue6048]

Good question. In most cases the bodies were so mangled by fire or altered by putrification as to be unrecognizable, and the majority were simply tossed in common graves without any effort to determine their ID. Dog tags, metal identification disks, wouldn't be used until WWI. It's always been interesting to me that one of Pickett's division commanders, Gen. Dick Garnett, was never ID'd.

[@stevenliszkai7419]

There are no confederate soldiers buried there.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

@@stevenliszkai7419 According to another of these NPS-Gettysburg videos, a couple of rebs were buried here by mistake and were later ID'd as such. It even showed their graves. Overall you're correct though.

[@oceanhedonist265]

@@indy_go_blue6048 It was rumored that Garnett was literally blown to pieces by a cannonball that was shot from a cannon only a few yards away. With so much artillery smoke hovering on the battlefield, making visibility almost impossible, it's very plausible.

[@sarge-cp8yq]

@@indy_go_blue6048 One small form of early "Dog tags" were writing their name, regiment, state, etc. by writing it one a piece of paper and sewing it on their uniforms

[@timaronchang1031]

President Abraham Lincoln and

[@yvonnecornell4936]

Get rid of the sin and corruption only then will there sacrifice be worth it.

[@timaronchang1031]

Me

[@willoutlaw4971]

Confederate dead were eventually removed from the Gettysburg battlefield. All monuments to Confederates should also be removed.

[@timaronchang1031]

President John F Kennedy