The Death of Sedgwick - Spotsylvania Court House Tour | Overland 160

This video is part of our series commemorating the 160th Anniversary of The Overland Campaign. You can view the full series here: • The Overland Campaign ... #spotsylvaniacourthousetour
On May 9, 1864, Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick was shot and killed by a Confederate Sharpshooter on the Spotsylvania Court House section of the battlefield known as Laurel Hill. Sedgwick was the highest ranking United States general to be killed during the Civil War.
The American Battlefield Trust preserves America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educates the public about what happened there and why it matters. We permanently protect these battlefields for future generations as a lasting and tangible memorial to the brave soldiers who fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War.

[@dadsongs]

It is fortunate, at the very least that the area where this happened is saved. So much hallowed ground is lost. Thanks, gentlemen.

[@-PanzerRabbit-]

Yes , on a trip to Franklin Tennessee the most severe fighting took place just north of Tractor Supply west of burger king.....

[@Calatriste54]

"..Why, they couldn't hit an Eleph.." I love the work you boys do. Bravo!

[@blakebufford6239]

I could watch Gary and Chris all day. Great job as always. Succinct, quick, yet great description and enough color to make it all come together in a fascinating way. 🙏👍

[@jankovarik9714]

McClellanism...and as Abraham Lincoln said, "He's got the slows"...love it, Kris! And for Andy, behind the camera---well done you!

[@vickistevens423]

Awesome video, as always. Thanks, Garry, Kris, and co for your never-ending wealth of information.

[@TripleOG1983]

These guys have gotten so good. Impressive my friends. Keep up the good work.

[@fryuppe]

Thank you Garry, Kris and the team for this episode and some very important points facing historians on questions of validation, ascription and accuracy. The experience of events registers in the heat of the moment, while its description happens in the arena of memory; and the subsequent passage of time will render some memory to fiction. The Spotsylvania battlefield is a large arena and even with the assistance of modern guides, maps and interpretation, can be difficult to grasp in its totality. We might replay the action here as a war game and in retrospect, while the vivid, violent reality of May 1864 must have been overwhelming, disorientating and traumatic beyond understanding.

[@nickf2170]

Are there any accounts of the approximate or estimated distance the shot was taken from? I am asking because the Whitworth, while being recognized as the most accurate long range rifle of the day, it wasn't the only accurate rifle. I own and shoot a Whitworth, and it fires what is essentially a .45-70 style bullet, (some are hex shape, some are not). Sedgwick may have been shot with one, however, deer I have taken with this rifle during hunting season have all had massive wounds, this round is incredibly powerful and destructive on impact. I tend to think if he was shot in the face with one of these, he would have sustained a much more egregeous wound. Conversely, a "picket ball" or "sugar loaf" style target bullet used in heavy target guns of that time are a much smaller bullet. I guess we will never know for sure.

[@edwil111]

FYI, city of Reno, Nevada is named after Union Gen Jesse Reno who was killed at the Battle of So. Mountain in early September 1862, (right before Antietam) . Gen Reno had nothing to do with Nevada. The town was named by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1868. Was the custom.Some local historians said that chosen name was also easy to spell, which was a factor in an area with illiterate miners.

[@jesterboykins2899]

Love y’all’s info. Can’t get enough.

[@annmcgehee1728]

It’s very true, no one knows exactly the spot, but glad the marker the veterans erected 23 years after the battle became one of the centerpieces of a solemn, important place….

[@garys.4789]

Spotsylvania is another battlefield I have not yet visited i hope to visit soon 😎👍

[@user-ed5qn8nl7f]

I had read in "Bloody Roads South" that Grant and Meade had just departed after speaking with Sedgwick when Sedgwick was killed.

[@delnunley7026]

Love what ABT are doing. Thank you!

[@barbaraball1121]

Love these guys! They really make it so interesting

[@tomjones2202]

Another great job by all of you! It is an awesome thing indeed to stand where those great men North AND South opposed each other. Generals and common soldier like, makes no difference. It's another thing to stand where those great men now rest and ponder, if we could just speak to each other again, what would we say??

[@ronyantz7349]

Great work team Trust!

[@milesff7]

I’ve been to Sedgwick grave. I don’t think much has changed there since his burial. They have an appropriate memorial for him in front of the cemetery as well.

[@MrElliotc02]

Great job, as always.

[@user-tv3id2nf5o]

APPRECIATE YOU ABT!!!

[@davidwilhelm3431]

Outstanding stuff, men.

[@johnzajac9849]

The same situation occurs today at Chancellorsville, where the NPS has positioned signage advising the 'exact' location of the wounding of Gen. Stonewall Jackson. Witnesses placed that wounding at a different location, many tens of yards away from the NPS signage.

[@dadsongs]

I chalk it up to people strongly wanting to create a connection with what happened ON THAT SPOT. I have that sometimes, as well.

[@nathanappleby5342]

It was said that before the Overland Campaign, Sedgwick desired to transfer out of the Army of the Potomac due to war weariness. He had had enough of the fighting. Sadly, in a way, his wish to exit the war was granted when he was killed at Spotsylvania. The VI Corps were lucky to have the engineer Horatio G. Wright appointed to command in place of the late Sedgwick.

[@NickyB0718]

Very interesting

[@user-pp5xj5ge3q]

That man was petty for lying to those people about Jackson 😭😭💀

[@travisbayles870]

General Ulysses Grant said of the loss of Sedgwick It was worse than the loss of a whole division

[@bigsarge2085]

👍👍

[@basilmcdonnell9807]

I had always hoped his last words were, "What are you men doing down there? They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist-"

[@dalepeto9620]

I have no doubt that Sedgewick's men loved their "Uncle John". I also have no doubt that they loved him even more after his brave death.

[@craigcolandro2781]

@dalepeto9620 Not sure I would characterize his death as "Brave". Leading his men into battle and getting killed would qualify. His death here was just down to his stupidity and hubris really. Completely unnecessary.

[@rickyburdge3537]

"I'm not that terrible." Tshirt

[@Chiller11]

I was fortunate to be first and in typical superficial fashion I will comment before I watch the video.

[@ejatravels]

Connecticut’s own

[@Epitome63]

NPS says he was killed by artillery. ???

[@MatthewChenault]

*Proceeds to cry uncontrollably.*

[@smsfte4699]

What’s the confidence level that Sedgwick was shot by a Whitworth rifle? I know that’s the oft repeated story, but only like 50-100 of those rifles actually made from England to the Confederacy, yet every time you hear a confederate sharpshooting story a Whitworth was used. I’m a bit suspicious of these Whitworth claims.

[@Alex-ej4wm]

The bullet didn't kill Sedgwick. Hubris did

[@michaelguice8941]

This current administration hasn’t thought of an overreaching regulation that it didn’t like.

[@jankovarik9714]

OK, fellas...what is it that you guys DON'T know???

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

All we know for sure is that your donations keep coming! Thanks!

[@billlawrence1899]

I'm so confused. I've always heard he was dismounted. Standing. I agree with the other point. I think all monuments should say it happened *NEAR* here. No one knows the exact spot any particular person fell. But you can say with confidence it happened in this vicinity.

[@tinaphillips7239]

That’s what I’ve heard too. All the stories I’ve heard say he was not on horseback but standing with his soldiers on the line along with his staff. One of his staff officers with him at the time of his death said that he did chastise a soldier ducking from the “whistling” bullets and said his famous last words, “they couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.” Then another whistling sound followed by a dull thud and the general fell. The force of the impact actually turned him to the left and he fell into a staff officer’s arms and at that moment they noticed blood spurting up from his check “like a fountain”.

[@billlawrence1899]

@@tinaphillips7239 that is much more in line with what I have heard about that incident