Veterans Return to Virginia after the Civil War (Lecture)

"Going Back: Returning to Fields of Glory," a winter lecture at Gettysburg National Military Park by Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania Military Park Ranger Beth Parnicza. Beth tells us about veterans returning to battlefields, what calls them back, what they say when they return, and the events that transpired to bring them together.

[@DonaldKDever]

What a wonderful speaker. I enjoyed her very much. A beautiful southern woman.

[@johnschuh8616]

Outstanding. Not many academics have mastered this material so much or been able to present it so well.

[@danielphipps415]

I went to Gettysburg last summer, there's so much to see there. I strongly recommend, that you see it. You will not be disappointed. Worth the time and money to see. I am a vet, that's why I went.

[@recabitejehonadab2654]

Absolutely!

[@joemackey1950]

I was there in June. '20 on a two week VA battlefield {Revolution/ CW} tour but found all the monuments a bit distracting.

[@brianrodgers4751]

Thankyou very much for your service to our country. Every single person in our armed forces im sure makes sacrifices everyday in one way or another! I do think about the men and women that has and continue to serve our country. I have regrets for not joining the service.

[@littleshopofsawdust1157]

Ranger Beth, I love your eloquence and your mastery of delivery. I think you could read the phone book and make it sound interesting.

[@melodymakermark]

She is impressive. Also, if I were 30 years younger and single,……well, we’ll leave that at that.

[@oldnovocastrianbarry8703]

Hi Beth I'm Barry from England and I find the civil war so fascinating and I would like to say that your presentation was excellent 👌👌💜💜

[@sadhvacman7238]

She does a fantastic job. Fascinating subject matter for a civil war lecture.

[@fieryweasel]

She's another one for the list of park rangers I'd love to be able to chat with. Very well done lecture.

[@louiskleinman1853]

If I had been able to attend this presentation I would have asked 3 questions: 1. How much of her lecture is influenced by the fact that she is a woman. IE: Do men and women have fundamentally different viewpoints when presenting and/or analyzing historical conflicts? 2. What can we take away as a commentary on human nature from the deeply personal violence of the two opposing civil war forces to the much similar politically violent American struggles in 2021 which are also so very much personal? 3. This related to #2. After all is finished was the Civil War just a meaningless waste of life when you consider that we are still fighting and killing each other (albeit with differently charged words) because of our basic fears of loss of both political power and personal preogratives. IE caucasian giving way to black/brown in the US. Listen to her brief summary of 'Cronin' s (not sure I got his spelling right) questioning.

[@royschalk6554]

Great talk, very talented Ranger!

[@bigdaddy062565]

Thank you for a great presentation. Work your craft young lady.

[@jimkelley1000]

Another great presentation in the Winter Lecture Series. All of the Rangers provide insight and are extremely well informed. Ranger Parnicza is certainly an expert - providing an entertaining and very interesting lecture. She is also the prettiest of the fine staff of presenters who work at the GNMP. Let's hear more from the lady Rangers!

[@leoren2685]

Do we always have to comment upon women's looks? Let's focus on her wonderful presentation and the research she's done to put it together. Would you comment on who is the handsomest "gentleman Ranger"??

[@ihatecorporatedatacollecti6609]

While I think most men probably wouldn’t mind that being commented on, that was my first thought as well. She made a great presentation and commenting on her looks seems like it belittles that somehow.

[@jimkelley1000]

@@ihatecorporatedatacollecti6609 Mea culpa, you are correct. ALL the rangers are well informed and I apologize.

[@willoutlaw4971]

@@leoren2685 Sexism and racism always bubble just beneath the surface at these lectures.

[@kidhammer2567]

Most marvelous presentation, quite thorough and informative, ma'am. Thank you, Ranger Parnicza.

[@NovemberJoseph]

What a thoughtful lecture that touches your heart and soul. Thanks for your hard work and for posting.

[@terryhall3907]

A wonderful lecture presented by a very beautiful lady Thanks I enjoyed it very much

[@johnwayneeverett6263]

BETH YOU DID GREAT MATT IS PROUD OF YOU AS WE ALL ARE ..THANK YOU

[@johnferguson7235]

Civil War veterans also suffered from PTSD. They had many of the same symptoms that veterans of modern wars experience.

[@randysurline4651]

My parents talked badly about my grandfather who fought across Germany in WWII. I told them he had PTSD from fighting

[@henrivanbemmel]

My father was displaced into Germany from Holland in 1943. For the next 2 years as indentured civilian he suffered through all the Allied air raids in Bremen. In the 1980's he was still having nightmares. While he made a fine middle class life for himself, like for so many of that time, alcohol was the primary mental and physical pain killer

[@travisclack4734]

Agreed the things these men saw was horrible I heard on a pod cast most men saw red after Gettysburg. That was due to such high blood pressure it would pop blood vessels and the men would be like that till death

[@J.F.R.1]

My great-grandfather was on the U.S.S Princeton when it was bombed in Leyte during ww2, when he came home from the war it has been said by my family members that he was a "cruel, abusive, alcoholic man". Though as I come to research the after-effects of severe combat stress, I see now just how badly his service affected him in his waning years.

[@sashek8451]

My 3rd ggfather was in many of the bloodiest battles and campaigns. He struggled with alcohol the rest of his life. I will always wonder if it was..the war

[@cwb0051]

Very Well Done Beth..Bravo..

[@sgriffett541]

fantastic addition to an already amazing series... thank you for all of your hard work and dedication

[@kevinahern7818]

Ranger Parnicza has done an absolutely fantastic job and is a credit to the United States Ranger Service.

[@marymoriarity2555]

Very well done lecture. Thank you to the lady for her knowledge.

[@greenriverviews6819]

Commander Beth rocks! More, please.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

I read on another website a few weeks ago that the unofficial estimate of soldiers' deaths (both sides) has now been upped to between 750 and 800,000 by a team of CW historians and forensic historical experts. They included accounts of unrecorded skirmishes, the 1870 census record (vs 1860 and 1850), immigration records, and those who died from wounds or wartime diseases in the first two years after the war.

[@ASE_Avenue]

Correct

[@natedog1619]

I will try to memorize that figure: 750,000. Always went by 600k before. The most important aspect to remember when analyzing civil war deaths is that disease killed more soldiers than weapons did, by far.

[@avenaoat]

The too many wrong Northern generals untill finding the big fourth Gant, Sherman, Thomas and Sheridan! However I think Sherman was not good Army leader untill 1864 against Grant! Thomas was suspected not too loyal for his Virginian origine, so he became leader at Nashvile only too late.

[@michaeljoyce2096]

No lecture can capture the horrors of war.

[@Baskerville22]

She speaks so well and knows her stuff. Isn't hard on the eyes, either

[@southerne5575]

Great talk! Well done. Very insightful. Thank you. Took my mind away from the worries of the world we are in today.

[@dennismurphy2144]

what a wonderful speaker

[@garneroutlaw1]

No lecture can ever capture the true horrors of this war. Even post-battle photographs were staged to appear less than appalling. One of the greatest tragedies of this war was that the massive loss of life wasn't documented like it should have been. The more I learn about the war, the more I respect McClellan who knew what he was sending his soldiers into. Does anyone know if McClellan ever visited the battlefields again? I think there was a reason Lee never visited the battlefields again. I can only imagine the massive amount of guilt and anxiety he felt over sending those thousands of poor souls into a hail of lead to their deaths. I can only imagine it weighed on him heavily.

[@jackericsson2141]

I don't believe the deaths of his soldiers weighed too heavily on Lee unless they were entirely preventable like Pickett's Charge and Fort Stedman. He was a soldier and he understood that war meant killing.

[@paulmicheldenverco1]

Lee could have ended the war in January 1865 when the writing was on the wall. In my mind, the deaths that followed were on him and Jefferson Davis. As far as McClellan, had he pressed on the peninsula, he could have ended the war in 1862. It's sad how close he was, only go give up the fight and start from square one. Had he (McClellan) pressed, Lee may have been a footnote to history, as Johnston was the theatre commander until sent out of service from wounds.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

I think you can put it all on Davis and Lee from several different points. One, the beginning of the Petersburg siege; Lee knew it was "only a matter of time." Two, the fall of Atlanta pretty much assured Lincoln's reelection and that the war would continue. Three, the day after the '64 election for the same reason as #2 above. Most of the destruction in GA and SC could've been avoided along with the prolonged suffering of soldiers on both sides, all on Davis and Lee, especially Lee's infernal *duty.*

[@nora22000]

@@indy_go_blue6048 Lee's "duty" almost translates to undifferentiated bloodlust; he was calling for the draft of 15 and 16 year olds in the early weeks of 1865. I think Davis knew better and should have surrendered after Gettysburg and Vicksburg. Even the British observer left and refused to allow individual citizens to enlist in the confederates' armies. They kept fighting long after they had lost the war.

[@carywest9256]

@@indy_go_blue6048 You and these other armchair historians are sadly mistaken about the federal government's army.They let loose their hordes on civilians intentionally.A lot of y'all don't have a clue where they started their pillaging and ransacking folks places.Well I will clue you in.Missouri first,then Louisiana.

[@Cathytown222]

Exceptional presentation! Thank you so much.

[@Jess-bs2jw]

Excellent. Thanks

[@chancevonfreund1156]

Well done ! Thank you so much .

[@joijaxx]

Excellent presentation, thank you.

[@susiepittman601]

Great topic and excellent presentation. Thank you.

[@chuckmcmenamy5634]

Great presentation. I especially liked the way the presenter restated the questions as you cannot hear them. Others do not do that. Again super job.

[@recabitejehonadab2654]

Our group at Gettysburg had a lady park ranger. She was phenomenal ! All the rangers are so passionate about history and they love what they do. They are huge history nuts.

[@Goffas_and_gumpys]

Very interesting presentation. Well delivered.

[@MarkCartret]

Excellent presentation.

[@JohnnyRebKy]

Very good young lady! Bravo

[@craigc3040]

Outstanding. Thank you.

[@valarieatkinson4928]

She did a wonderful job

[@carlmannino6360]

Very Nice Lecture.

[@silverstar4289]

Bear in mind this lecture covers those who came back to visit. This is a perspective of just that group of veterans who chose to come. It shouldn't represent any other group. What about the thousands who chose to never return? There are varied reasons, but I am sure a majority opted to put the war behind them, or did not have a desire to reminisce.

[@LeGrosB]

or lived far away from the theatre and did not have the means to travel.

[@piescespiesces602]

Great lecture !

[@JamesBray-qm8gr-q3w]

I remember when I was a kid in the 70s and there was so much land in Virginia to build houses. But they let them build on the Wilderness battlefield when so much of the battles should have been preserved and there was so much land elsewhere to build on!! Now developments have taken all over the battlefields in the Fredericksburg area!!

[@maryjeanes6535]

TV

[@bonsaibiker5378]

very interesting stuff, ive enjoyed all these talks

[@EvangelistNickGarrett]

Great talk. I have a different perspective on the narrative describing nature having a role in the battle. I'm not sure it's fair to say that the writer "gets weird." I suspect that every soldier that fought there knew exactly what he was saying. Maybe it's not for us to understand unless we were there. I picture many soldiers in line shooting at each other, and men falling to the left and right- while from time to time one catches a beautiful patch of purple flowers on the Periphery and mentally tries to reconcile the beauty of nature in the killing field in which they are standing. Yet in all, a split second before firing again. The writing from the era could be flowery anyway, good talk though.

[@MarktheMole]

In addition to the actual death toll one might also add the huge number of future children who would have been born but were not - due to the death of their soldier father. Families in those days used to have at least four children - so the total of the unborn is around 2.4 million. Think of that.

[@kathrynludrick4821]

Great lecture! I couldn't understand the name of the Yankee soldier who survived Chancellorsville. It sounded like Rice Bowl? Anyone know?... I found the name: Rice Bull.

[@kidmohair8151]

this cannot be stated too many times... the confederacy lost the war, but was allowed to win the peace

[@Ville-en4kj]

Go Mountaineers!!!

[@nokomarie1963]

So interesting and so many unexpected flights of literature. Interesting in comparison to the relative silence of the the two world wars. Style? Expectations?

[@andrewevans5750]

So Matt, the guy who retired, and this woman (Beth). Maybe the History Channel should just hire park rangers or something.

[@stevestringer7351]

Matt retired?

[@warrencraig6948]

is the rock where Stonewall jackson fell still there I've tried googling it and it dose'nt even show the monument they erected.

[@thomasblim2894]

No way would I ever return to Iraq...

[@deborahw0]

Thank you for your service Thomas Blim! May God bless you mightily.

[@stevestringer7351]

God Bless You. Thank you for your service

[@OldHeathen1963]

@Thomas Blim I don't blame you one bit dude. ✌

[@barrymcclaughry9229]

Too bad those dead veterans have more respect than the living combat vets.

[@johndada6497]

superb job

[@mecallahan1]

I wonder, was Mrs. Jackson at the dedication?

[@johnwayneeverett6263]

HOLLOWED GROUND ...

[@liamniew2806]

what would these men....think of our nation....now....huh..?????

[@PONGERR]

WVU!!! GO EERS!!

[@philipwolf3619]

Girl

[@craigmignone2863]

I don't know if you want a fantastic historian I'll go for knowledgeable historian

[@mattshackelford6624]

Asking what else Robert E Lee was there to fight for (other than slavery) is an inexcusably silly question...

[@grahamleigo8842]

An interesting subject however this presentation seems to meander too much.

[@SocratesTheWiseOne-tr3uf]

A lot of brave and honorable racists died on those fields

[@monumentstosuffering2995]

Eugenicists.

[@beulahwest6042]

The selective makeup globally program because gram proximately snore at a moaning alto. glamorous, puny skate

[@Ville-en4kj]

Go Mountaineers!!!