Kershaw's Brigade - Gettysburg Battle Walk with Ranger Matt Atkinson

Ranger Matt Atkinson leads a battle walk covering Joseph B. Kershaw's brigade on July 2, 1863.
Ranger Atkinson and the NPS hold the rights to the notes and lecture.
Note: Some minutes toward the end were not filmed due to technical issues.

[@sartainja]

Superb presentation. The National Park Service is blessed to have such a Ranger as Matt in service to our country. 👍

[@jtpencils]

I thoroughly enjoy Matt’s approach to a tour. Like any good teacher, he keeps the discussion interesting, not monotone and droning on with just facts and figures. An excellent representative of Gettysburg staff. And let’s be honest, though I’m sure it was just an aside... “rednecks with a cannon” was a perfect moment of levity. Things like that helps to recapture an audiences attention... “ooo... what’s he going to say next?” Perfect.

[@LaurieGeePea]

I have Parkinson’s and can’t walk any longer so I appreciate that StuffWriter has been taping these videos.

[@Otis-Tank]

Yeah..free guided tours. I'm all over it .🎉

[@chrisdfx1]

This man is a national treasure. I can listen to him talk 24 hours a day.

[@melodymakermark]

He is soooo north Mississippi. 🤣 I’ve known a hundred guys like him, full of southern humor.

[@gusbuckingham6663]

I think this man could do a two hour talk on metal shoelace tips and I'd be fascinated.

[@KCVRK]

Yup. Just discovered him last month in 2024 and he’s absolutely amazing. Listening to every tour I can find

[@hollyannwalther]

I love how Ranger Matt gets the kids involved and gets down at their level and tries to make history come alive as he teaches and tells all the stories ❤️

[@tomrider1319]

Matts tours are so great. I went to the battlefield when I was 10 which was 20 years ago and Im going to take my kids and will def be sign up for one of his tours

[@paulstan9828]

Another great Matt battle walk. Thanks again for putting these on KZbin for us who couldn’t be there.

[@scottriley1913]

Matt Atkinson is what I understand this Rangers name to be. I think this man’s expertise and knowledge of this battle is way beyond any of us lay people could ever expect to see or hear, I am very grateful to His contribution to helping us understand this enormous conflict and how it has affected all of American history . You cannot put a value on this single man’s contribution to bringing it to the American public. His knowledge, contribution and humor.have been an invaluable service ..........God bless Him.

[@TheWeatherbuff]

Hurrah for StuffWriter! So many hours of great entertainment for those of us who don't have a chance to get out to Gettysburg much. Thanks for your efforts Sir!

[@markthomas913]

My 3x Grandpap, Joseph (Joab) Benton Was with the 2nd S.C. at the Wheatfield. Later he was transfered to an Artillery Battery however still with Longstreet. He even was at Chickamauga soon after this. In fact he was at every major engagement of the ANV. He was paroled at Appomattox. Kershaw Brigade! Never Forget! I plan to visit. Gettysburg later this month. Would be nice to meet you Matt.

[@chefjonathannagy3866]

Your the best Matt!!!! Please keep giving tours.

[@marymoriarity2555]

The rain and the colder weather made surprised that 70 ppl were in the tour. As always excellent your ranger Atkinson. The descriptions by actual participants made it clear how devastating the fight was. Wonder who the staff officer was who gave the wrong order? When Matt said 5 brothers from the same family were killed it was chilling. That family must’ve been devastated. Thank you Stuffwriter for doing the video. It’s appreciated. With the rains in southern PA lately plus the lower temperatures I could not believe ppl were still in shorts. So the lady can name her boy Matt Keshawn to commemorate her tour at GB

[@danielboone21]

My great great grandfather was in the South Carolina Eighth Infantry, Mccloud's division, Kershaw's Brigade. His name was Benjamin Atkinson . He died the second day of the battle in the peach orchard. Thanks for the video.

[@Assdfgresa]

Grandfather? You must be old

[@danielboone21]

@@Assdfgresa Great great Grandfather lol. We got a copy of his muster roll from s.c. dept of archives. 40 years ago. I am old though.

[@Assdfgresa]

My second great was with 11th Georgia in the wheatfield and survived...your only old if you feel old!!

[@jmiller1977]

Very interesting My Great Great Great uncle Thomas White was in A Pennsylvania Regiment but I can’t find much info

[@104thDIVTimberwolf]

Which company? My Great Grandfather was Abner W. Weatherly, also Company K, South Carolina 8th Infantry. He was wounded at Malvern Hill and back in the line in time for Antietam. He was also here.

[@JamesBray-qm8gr-q3w]

Matt's walks have kept me sane as i am in lock down alone in my home with this Corona Virus precautions !! :)

[@pfcchap]

Same!

[@kenduffy5397]

Lol, Matt Atkinson is definitely my favorite Ranger by far.

[@dadsongs]

Atkinson is -- as they said on Antiques Roadshow -- a "national treasure". And don't let him tell you otherwise.

[@troymartin1347]

One day I'm going to get there and see it for myself. Matt is great at his job.

[@guruandy2606]

Brilliant as always Matt...myself and a friend ..lifelong Civil war fanatics..despite being Englishmen..lol.. hopefully will get over to the States next year to enjoy one of your walks

[@dadsongs]

Truly worth the trip. 🙂

[@guruandy2606]

@@dadsongs Thanks m8...hopefully u had a blast...English for great time..lol...as said we are hoping to get to the states next year and visit the Hallowed Ground at Gettysburg...V much want to get to see the CSS Hunley in N or S Carolina..love the story of these innovative and brave guys who died for their cause

[@dadsongs]

@@guruandy2606 some perspective: My second great-grandfather served in the Civil War. 30 years earlier, he stepped off a boat that sailed from Liverpool. Captain William Jennings survived the war and went on to lead a successful life in northeast Pennsylvania.

[@guruandy2606]

@@dadsongs Wad he Irish...coming from Liverpool England..a lot were...friend of mine has Irish ancestry..he has a strong fascination for The Irish regts who enlisted out of New York and fought for the Union

[@dadsongs]

@@guruandy2606 no, English. From Bath, originally.

[@kevinpiacente3456]

I went to gettysburg during the pandemic beautiful day parkwas full of people. It was my 2nd time there and I could go back a 100x more and still learn more

[@Chiller01]

Good to see the kids. Even if they’re being dragged by their parents they are making memories that will last. I’ve enjoyed Matt’s presentations for quite awhile now.

[@decimated550]

those little kids , if they lived in the time of the civil war , would not be footsore and complaining "mom i'm tiyurrred mom" they'd be drawing water from wells,, milking cows , being a drummer boy etc

[@Sshooter444]

My goal is to take my son on one of Matt's walks!

[@zettle2345]

I watched a video from up on McPherson ridge, where a Ranger talked about all the extended family members that were in 1 brigade, division, regiment? I can't remember if it was North Carolina or South Carolina... Have to go back and look it up, Always a great presentation Matt, sometimes wearing the rain gear is worse than getting soaked. If you keep talking we'll keep walking. Rain or sun On a personal note: you need to calm down Matt, people might get the idea that the name Dan Sickles, sticks in your craw... ;-)

[@marymoriarity2555]

zettle 234 yes Ranger Atkinson has also mentioned that frequently members f one family were in same fight. Especially the Carolinas

[@caseyfollensbee5898]

New subscriber. Can you and Matt do something on Col. Cross and the 5th NH? Heard Bert mention them on Little Round Top

[@tristaneuritt9556]

Matt Atkinson for president

[@JamesBray-qm8gr-q3w]

Amazing how small Kershaw's regiments were. Then when you see his dead in the Rose Woods, and imagine there was 3 wounded for every one killed, they took HUGE casualties in the Rose Woods!

[@kevindecoteau3186]

Love the mom who was doing her best to take care of her daughter at about 1:47

[@meridian1928]

Blaze Bayley joined the band in 1995 and performed on two studio albums, The X Factor and Virtual XI. Bruce Dickinson returned in 1999, when the band released Brave New World.

[@carywest9256]

I saw lron Maiden in '87 on the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son tour in Tarrant Co. Convention Center. That's in Foat Wuhth, Tx. Twas a badass show, Frehley's Comet opening act.

[@sdingeswho]

Would *love* to have heard the conversation between McLaws and Longstreet after Longstreet rode up and he saw what McLaws was talking about (Sickles’ corps being where it “shouldn’t have been”) 🤣! I don’t know how you say “WTF?” 😮in “Southern”, but I’m betting Longstreet’s remarks were along those lines! 😅

[@ElectrikNYCfunK]

Lets Go Mets!.....Vid looks and sounds great!

[@rgbrin]

Excellent Narration but the camera work needs a little help...they need to follow what your pointing at so we can see as well...

[@tberkoff]

Matt is wearing a fleece?? Does Matt get cold if it dips below 85?

[@kimberlyhenshaw8368]

Huh... how different to see him in a fleece.

[@marymoriarity2555]

It’s been s lot cooler and rainier in parts if PA recently

[@whitespider8523]

This is a great talk if you are an adult, but the kids are bored out of their skulls.

[@stevenmay2937]

matt is best ranger at gburg by far !!!

[@davidbowman4259]

Gary Adelman.

[@jackhays1194]

Gary is great but not a park ranger

[@decimated550]

yes but he's not for everyone. imagine if a visitor has a circulatory problem, diabetes, war wounds, rickets, rheumatoid arthritis, has had a heart attack in previous 2 years, has back problems, has an oxygen device, early onset dementia, etc...all these conditions will make surviving through a Matt the Ranger presentation difficult if not impossible to survive

[@WindersRanger]

@@decimated550 thats not so much Matt as it is the nature of most battles walks in general.

[@steveb287]

Hey Stuff....did you go to Antietam battlewalk yesterday ?

[@StuffWriter]

I did not, sorry. I've been very busy. I wish I could film more of these walks, not just Matt's, but I've had so much to do this year that I've missed many programs and walks all over the region. I wanted to do a Second Manassas walk, but, again, too busy. Hopefully in the future, I'll be freer.

[@marymoriarity2555]

Stuff writer no matter what you post we appreciate all of them.

[@Zoetropeification]

2:23 "We managed to be better than worst" somehow brought to mind "First with the most"

[@marymoriarity2555]

Zoetropeification I noticed that

[@bobbyb.6644]

He’s the Best - Great way to make a living ! 👍

[@Otis-Tank]

I gotta get back there. Went there w school in the 7th and 8th grade

[@Grossman2868]

Love it Matt, guess they crossed the field and suffered, in modern terms, from Cannon Derangement Syndrome and moved like He**. When they wheeled how long would that take, seems to me that the guy on the end of the whip had to travel pretty well flat out.

[@WindersRanger]

Generally speaking, no matter the size of the unit, the out side swinging end would be at the double quick or a jog. The bigger the unit the harder it is. I think they would try to keep the units smaller, probably company size before doing a wheel.

[@panzerdeal8727]

Don't Forget: Dan Sickles was short 1 full Division that day...Losses had caused 3 corps to shift surviving units from 3 Division to 1 st. and 2 Nd. to bring them up to strength, 3 rd. division being the weakest of the 3 after the fight..

[@COMPNOR]

14 people who can't pronounce "Kershaw" disliked this video.

[@ericjackson178]

Did Sickles position and fighting actually contributed to the union holding Little Round top.

[@davidtuttle7556]

@@ericjackson178 but at one helluva price. He lost half his corps.

[@blaisevillaume2225]

6:37 Bruce went solo in the '90s and Blaze Bayley ended up recording two albums with Iron Maiden: The X Factor and Virtual XI.

[@gary_stavropoulos]

I was trying to figure out what he was talking about when he mentioned Layne Staley he was way off

[@blaisevillaume2225]

@@gary_stavropoulos The guy talking to Matt is trying to play it off like he's not a huge Maiden nerd that's what made it confusing. You don't just come up with Blaze Bayley out of nowhere, own it. Where do they say anything about Layne Staley?

[@gary_stavropoulos]

Blaise Villaume he didn’t I misheard him. Listening with headphones on I can hear him more clearly.

[@JamesBray-qm8gr-q3w]

So funny, never seen a bunch of kids who really did not want to be out there and you can see it in their faces :)

[@mbBoyce]

What are the sources of the quotes? I'd like to read them.

[@WindersRanger]

Check the Gettysburg NP website, the Rangers might publish their battle walks, not sure if they do. Most of the quotes are from regimental histories, diaries and after action reports by the commanders and such.

[@henryrichards1542]

Hadn't McLaws requested to reconnoiter the area (both himself and his engineer) earlier that morning...but was forbidden to do so by Longstreet? It seems almost too obvious to say that may well have revealed a great deal to the Confederates that would be critical intelligence to possess BEFORE the assault commenced that afternoon.

[@ericsanger4408]

The lag for McLaws to step off is approx :25mins

[@ericsanger4408]

Correction, approx. :50 min. lag. About 4:55.

[@ericsanger4408]

Also, the MICHIGAN Mother, you can tell that she puts an impetuous on her children learning the history of her NATION. Smart.

[@markthomas913]

Matt, BTW, Col. Gaillard is pronounced, Gill-yard. :)

[@BanjoZZZ]

The video starts at 11:00.

[@carywest9256]

That's "gill-yard" he's an old World frog! 1:38:55

[@decimated550]

1:47:11 i've read this account before - a union gun fired down a ravine which hit confederates in the flank, and "the gun reaped the harvest of souls."

[@panzerdeal8727]

No matter WHERE Sickles was placed..his unit was weakened and short before day 2.

[@mthompson0331]

At the end of the day that's more of a reason he should have been conservative and used little round top instead of using the SLIGHT high ground of the peach orchard and attempting to defend devils den? (im no expert just this doesnt make sense to my understanding of it)

[@panzerdeal8727]

@@mthompson0331 It can be confusing. Visiting the firld in 2019 I got a better understanding of it as an old infantry man myself. The Terrain, as measured on Google maps, works out to 1.6 miles where sickles actually was, and 1.6 miles where Meade said he was supposed to me, from the Pennsylvania monument, to the top of LRT. He would have been stretched just as thin , with his artillery concentrated on his right, in open terrain, rather on the wooded slopes of the Round top. And his line, being 200 men LESS than that in 5 th. corps, would not have stretched quite as far as Chamerlain's 20 th Maine had. AND had he been there, the units of Longstreet's corps would have been positioned to get around the flank.

[@mthompson0331]

With respect I'm an infantry man as well and alot of that does make sense if it is the case, but little round top( by all accounts and pictures afterward didn't have many trees? Maybe I'm misunderstanding which round top ya mean.)

[@mthompson0331]

I've also stood and walked the ground and still along with many others can't justify Sickles if I had too. Not saying you can't but let's make sure we remember what the prevailing theory is and why it's the prevailing theory.

[@panzerdeal8727]

@@mthompson0331 Hazlett's battery got up there, but it was rough. Counter battery fire probably denuded a lot of the foliage by the time Brady photographed the area after the battle. Accounts I've read tells of it being wooded.

[@carmine4878]

Where do these guides get there info who actually knows what really happened where do they get there info?

[@mthompson0331]

after action reports, soldiers memoirs, eye witness civilian accounts. There are lots of ways. This wasnt thousands of years ago.

[@meridian1928]

He's a historian, so he consults primary documents, official reports, other scholar's work, and his own research.

[@TorianTammas]

storytelling like Biographies or diaries

[@owryan1]

New/better camera? Really shows up Matt's wrinkles lol

[@edwardpike3386]

His name was little George. An Arkansaw Razorback. He initialy fights John Wayne's man that was winning at Indian Wrestling. Lil George later starts taking on the rest of John Wayne's men. Great movie except I didn't like the ending.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

Sorry, what movie?

[@carywest9256]

@@indy_go_blue6048 He's talking about The Undefeated. And the character Little George is portrayed by Merlin Olsen who was a linebacker for the L.A.Rams. He also was on Little House On the Prairie.

[@donaldkepple4927]

Id love to meet ranger Rick

[@donaldkepple4927]

I meant ranger matt

[@kpmatley22]

Blaze Bayley was on 2 iron maiden albums

[@Gitarzan66]

The worst ones.

[@yamahabiker1937]

Antiquated, Napoleonic tactics against more modern and rapidly developing weaponry. The mind set and tactics of the day had not caught up to the weaponry.....that's why they marched into it. How they were able to drag along those brass balls is anyone's guess.

[@timaronchang1031]

Matt Atkinson and I Mr Cats And Dogs The Revenge Of Mr Luke Evans Star Himself Paw Patrol Jet To The Rescue Luke Evans BM Red Lightspeed Dino Fury Power Ranger

[@ИринаКим-ъ5ч]

Gonzalez Donna Lee Linda Wilson Jeffrey

[@ИринаКим-ъ5ч]

Brown Anna Anderson Brenda Miller Deborah

[@travisarnold4824]

34:50 me

[@decimated550]

cool hat bro! lots of insignia.

[@jonrolfson1686]

Use of the words 'decimated' and 'decimation' in presentations usually causes me to figuratively step back and to carefully consider the speaker or writer's likely biases. Sometimes that usage should simply be ascribed to a misunderstanding of the particular root of the word and to the hope that the slightly exotic 'decimation' will be understood to be a more serious, more profound alternative to dull, prosaic, everyday 'devastation. ' Mr. Atkinson's quoting of those Confederate who described their units as having been decimated did have that effect initially, but his recitation of the numbers of soldiers lost to those units supports the chilling claim of 'decimation.' Counting men killed in action, died of wounds, permanently maimed, or missing and presumed captured, brings the level of losses into sharp focus; it shows that those locally, small-town based units often were doubly or even triply decimated.

[@marymoriarity2555]

Jon Rolfson what is your point? Does the word usage affect your sensibilities ?

[@jonrolfson1686]

Mary Moriarity No Ma'am, it does not affect my sensibilities. My particular point was that specific usage by the men whom Mr. Atkinson quoted was substantially accurate, that their word choice was not the result of any pretentious affectation. For that clarity of expression, I offer praise. Being more of a descriptivist on word usage, I am usually the one who appeals to the spirit of Norma Loquendi (“Consuetudo, jus et norma loquendi.” : The right method of speaking and pronouncing is established by custom.) Language change is inevitable: old meanings are lost, new and changed meanings, even diametrically reversed meanings adhere to old words. Older words which once sparkled with clarity and precision are tumbled, blunted; they slip dully into an unreflective, undifferentiated pseudo-synonymic mass. That is a normal process. Linguists and philologists normally need to do nothing more than recognize and document changes. In rare instances, when precision and clarity are potentially ascribed to situations where precision and clarity are not to be had, when the muddying of meaning is susceptible to mendacious misuse, a careful hearer or reader is well-advised to be skeptical.

[@dtmjax5612]

I bet you’re fun at parties.

[@Sshooter444]

Words are sometimes literal and sometimes figurative, the sooner you understand this the less confused you'll be.

[@willoutlaw4971]

@@marymoriarity2555 Bottom line is that Lee got the devil whipped out of him at Gettysburg. Ordering "Lee's Charge" on the third day of the battle was a collossal strategic and tactical screw up. Not surprised considering Lee's pedigree.

[@davidbowman4259]

First nine minutes of this can be cut. Blah blah ...

[@keithhuotari2571]

I get what you're saying, but I like the interaction Matt always has with his guests. It's a way to keep them engaged in his talk when he treats them like friends who have a mutual interest. Probably not necessary to include on the video, but you can always zip past that.

[@TorianTammas]

I like every minute of it.

[@billkeane528]

i am sick of the propaganda against sickles in my irish opinion his actions forced the hand of longstreets core that day he held up the attack on little round top remember the maine men had but 5 minutes to spare when they arrived that day if little round top was taken by the rebs the battle could have been totally different and by the 3rd the army of lee was tired and the attack by pigget was bound to fail lets face it all the west pointers lost just about everytime they did it by the book as napoleon said bring my luckiest general not my best general

[@billkeane528]

by the way all the core commanders were bound to keeps ranks against sickles

[@indy_go_blue6048]

This is America and you're entitled to your opinion. As I understand it Meade ignored Sickles because of his concern for the Culp's Hill; what I don't understand is why LRT wasn't manned as soon as Syke's V Corps showed up UNLESS he thought Sickles had occupied it earlier. But III Corps out of position made the second day a Union battle of reaction which probably caused a lot of needless deaths. We'll never know.

[@darinweeks9330]

sickles was many things, it he was also the guy who saved the battlefield. Whether people think he made a mistake at Gettysburg or not, he definitely did what he did with the idea he was doing what was best for. the army. The battle happened in real time and we’ve had 157 years to digest it and see what they could not have seen back then. The fog of war is a real thing.

[@SantomPh]

there were a lot of lucky escapes for the Union that day, like on the first day when Ewell failed to take the hill Lee ordered him to and his reinforcements came late. While Sickles went forward it was a big risk making a salient in the wheatfield. What made it very fortunate was that Barksdale and McLaws took the bait and attacked him. Meade was the real hero, shoving the V Corps into that salient making it a 2 Corps on 2 Corps battle and weakening his main line. Had Longstreet not taken that dangerous chance he might have gotten onto Little Round Top just by marching, although Sickle's new position meant he could fire artillery directly onto Confederate lines as well. He might even have tried to do a Pickett's charge on the Confederate lines if he was a tad closer- fortunately he did not. Grant might have praised Sickles for this ballsy move but would not have approved it himself given Meade's strong position on the ridges and hills. Mind you the Confederate leaders there ,were mostly West Pointers as well- Lee, Longstreet, Pickett, Trimble, Gordon, Heth, Ewell,Archer, McLaws, Pender, Steuart, Stuart, Garnet and many more. They all still failed.

[@colea0096]

I'll say this. He took a risky chance, forcing Longstreet to react. However, he also forced Meade to react. So he technically prevented the Confederates' initial assault, but barely held long enough for the Maine unit and other units to arrive on LRT. So technically he made the right move, but he also took a risk and it almost somewhat backfired. So he made a good decision, but it had almost bad consequences. It's very complex.

[@danielfaflik4545]

enough of the jokes and trying to be funny just do your job and tell us about what happened.

[@gary_stavropoulos]

Daniel Faflik the south lost.

[@jaycourtois1109]

I don't have a problem with Matt..awesome job as always.

[@Sshooter444]

Looks like he can do both

[@howardburchuk9835]

its a 2 hour walk with a bunch of kids and very few folks who have intimate knowledge of G'burg. Wonder if Faflik has ever been to G'burg? Over the last 15 years I have taken many walks with Matt and Angie. He engages with humour and teasing BUT always educates and informs. Many rangers are just doing a job and punching the clock till they retire. I have avoided those. One trip Matt and several rangers at the visitors center engaged with us trying to locate the Devils Kitchen. Matt took the time to go into the back rooms to figure out the obscure reference point we wanted to see. On another trip there was less then a dozen of us and the newbies appreciated every joke and jest we had heard many times. Hope the twins inherit his thirst for knowledge and education!!!!

[@alanjohnson6091]

He is smoking and joking while the group is coming together. He is wonderful at his job.