If you've watched a few episodes and feel like I've earned it, be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss any new content when it comes out. Click here: ua-cam.com/users/thehistoryunderground Thanks!
Great, work thank you one question after study Gettysburg i would say after day one if Lee pulls back into the mountains and wait for Meade he would have won.. Then he could chase Meade back .. Near to Washington do you agree
Very interesting vids, it’s refreshing to see someone just stay to facts when doing these segments. Especially appreciate the Gettysburg episodes. Thanx and keep up the good work!
Three years ago I took my family to Gettysburg and were fortunate enough to take a horseback tour from Artillery Ridge Campground to the Trostle Farm. Riding horses on to the battlefield was a truly unique way to see the battlefield and a magical experience! Big shout out to National Riding Stables!! Their mission is to rehabilitate abused horses then use them for guided horseback tours.
Having grown up on a Pennsylvania Dairy Farm my heart aches for what the locals returned to find of their homes and farms. To help bury the dead men and livestock. The months of caring for the wounded. The story does not end at the end of the battle. Thank you for another outstanding video. Very wise words about leadership and communication. May we never forget.
Thank you for another great episode. Its amazing how a person can sit and watch these and hear in your mind the gunfire, the screams of the injured, and picture these battles.
I live just a mile or two outside of Gettysburg and have for nearly 40 years and to this day never get tired of visiting this site just to walk the fields and take everything in. I know the battlefield and stories like the back of my hand and is one of my absolute favorite places to visit. As for Sickles when you see everything in person you definitely get a better idea of why he made the choice he did and whether a good one or bad one you understand the decision to move forward much better. Now I look at Sickles decision to move forward to be a blessing in disguise. When he moved forward he put his troops in a spot the Confederates were not expecting him to be blunting and slowing down their attack. I think had he not moved things may have gone much different on the second day for the Confederates.
Absolutely AGREE with your comments ... Inadvertently Sickles moved right into the path of the Confederate line of attack ... Your comment is very insightful and illustrates a more than casual knowledge of the Gettysburg Civil War battle ...
@@TheHistoryUnderground I contemplate the exact same thing.. Had the Confederate artillary moved up into the Peach Orchard , it seems that Sickles and the entire left flank of the Union could have been pulvarized. So very interesting.
I've got to agree. I had previously thought that Sickles' decision was a mistake, a result of his lack of military training and his dislike for Meade. But this video and your comment have convinced me that he actually made the right move.
I firmly believe Sickles moving forward saved the Union Line that day. Whether he intended it or not, it allowed him to conduct a defense in depth, or at least a fighting retreat to slow the Confederates down. If the Confederates were able to put their artillery in the Peach orchard it would have caused major issues all along the Union Center. If the Confederates hit the original line with their artillery in the orchard, the battle may have ended on day 2
Loving this series. I'd say it's good enough to be on the History Channel, but they haven't had something this good and actually focused on history in a decade. Great stuff!
You visit the places I would love to visit...I live vicariously through these videos...lol! Know that you do great work and inspire! Thanks for keeping the Peach Orchard alive for us this Sunday morning!
I agree whole heartedly. I'm not able to travel around much, so I rely on channels like this to take me places far away. This is my favorite channel for adventures in U.S. history.
Thank you so much! I really do appreciate that. That really does mean a lot to me.
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Same here! I'm from Costa Rica and I've always been interested in the American Civil War, and specially on the Gettysburg Battle, and this channel have so much information and are so much interesting! Thank you for your effor!
Taking us to the spot Sickles was assigned, it makes it very clear why he would have been inclined to move his lines. Well done! I have read about the move he made ,but I never understood it until this video. Thanks!
@@TheHistoryUnderground I just watched your video on the Foxholes of E Company, Battle of the Bulge. I can feel your excitement, appreciation and reverence for what took place there. I felt that too when I visited Gettysburg July 1-5, 2018 for the 155th anniversary. I made sure I placed myself in the various locations as the battle would have occurred at the same time of day on the appropriate days. It was very humbling (it was even 100F too!). But getting back to Bastogne, my dad served in the 575th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, 11th Armored Division, 3d Army. He was lucky enough to be mechanized on a half track and not infantry, but he was in the thick of it right through Bastogne, Foy, Houffalize, etc. Right on through to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Austria in May 1945. I would love to talk more with you about your appreciation of military history. We share that fascination. p_albert@hotmail.com
Excellent work! I really like how you focus on terrain features and how that effected the decisions made. I also like how you feature battle damage on the buildings here and how to recognize it. We also want to recognize Dan Sickles as a major driving force for the preservation of the Gettysburg battlefield. Once, when Sickles was visiting Gettysburg later in life, someone asked him if he was upset that there was no monument to him. He responded: “The whole damn battlefield is my monument!”😀
If you ever go to Gettysburg you’ll see the biggest factor about the battle is the terrain! It’s an amazing thing to stand where history was made and Gettysburg doesn’t disappoint!
Terrain is everything, especially at Gettysburg. Go off of the tour route and walk the approach on which Lee wanted Early to push home the attack. You see where the Union artillery is and it doesn't take my dad's artilleryman training to know that it was never going to work.
Eric and Jim's "Battle of Gettysburg" is an absolutely great podcast from two knowledgeable Licensed Guides. They have opened my mind about Dan Sickles and the action around the Peach Orchard. I have stood in that low ground along the Union line and can see why Sickles felt there had to be another choice. Maybe the choice he made wasn't optimal but the assigned position wasn't either.
Sickles was an arrogant and impulsive SOB. What he did by moving his troops forward to the area of the Peach Orchard could have been a disaster for the Union forces.
Yeah, “Devil Dan” was a prominent secret handshaker that was able to obtain the “privilege” of being one. Put his own name in for that Medal of Honor and got it. Imagine my shock. Married a fifteen year old, murdered the son of a Francis Scott Key and got away with it...insanity plea. Imagine my shock. Meh, Meade saw him as a d’ bag and who wouldn’t, was probably forced to have him over his own choice for the promotion. He had experience killing and could spin the story and the “brothers” will soften it up. Not defending Meade’s ability or justification in doing so, Dan may have been right or Meade might have been better than what is portrayed. Just saw an Australia SASR documentary where the operators are complaining about one of their own committing war crimes and getting away with it because he’s a secret handshaker and can’t be touched. Even today the garbage is going on...
Sickles also caught his wife with another man and shot his in Lafayette Square in Washington in 1859. There is a black wrought iron fence that divides Evergreen Cemetery and the National Cemetery. That fence used to stand in Lafayette Square at the time of the shooting. It is called the Witness fence. Sickles used the "not guilty by reason of insanity" and was acquitted. A few years later he is leading troops in battle. Crazy.
I am fortunate enough to live about 2 hours from Gettysburg. I go every year, and every year I still feel the heaviness in the air around that whole place. Incredible
Excellent job young man explaining history in detail and making it interesting and entertaining. As a kid the family would visit relatives near the battlefield and drop me off to roam about and observe and learn. You put it all together like a completed puzzle and I thank you very much.
It’s great that you got the “The Battle of Gettysburg Podcast” co-host Eric Lindblade as your Peach Orchard guide. He is a great resource on Dan Sickles. We’ve taken his tour of the Peach Orchard and was quite informative.
I can’t imagine making any kind of decisions in the heat of a battle during the Civil War. I couldn’t do it. And I commend all our brave service men for keeping our nation free. I hope all Americans realize how fortunate we all are to have our freedom! Wonder video!! Thanks for sharing your love of history, making it possible for more of us to be able to see history more clearly. Looking forward to learning more. Stay safe in your travels. 👍👍🙋♀️
One of the many things that still captures my attention and causes such heartache for these brave men, was that even though on opposite sides of the war knew one another and had such fond memories serving together. Either serving in the Mexican-American war, west point, or elsewhere, these men had developed such deep friendships and relationships. I couldn't imagine having to face those I call a brother in uniform in battle.
Every time I watch your videos. I do learn something I was unaware of. And when I was taken on a driving tour of Gettysburg. He was not mentioned. Cemetery Ridge. Was included. The tour guide was excellent. But, since watching these videos. I have learned a lot more. Thank you for your work and putting this history together. It’s wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
You always describe the things I think about when I visit these places. A lot of these guys were farmers, teachers, blacksmiths, ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situation, forced to make impossible decisions. Brother against brother, friends against friends, neighbors against neighbors. That’s the thought that stands up the hair on your neck or puts a lump in your throat, when you visit these places. The realization that men on both sides possibly faced people they knew on the field of battle and killed or were killed by that same person. The absolute carnage and destruction faced by everyday people after the battles were over. It has always blown my mind that supposedly only one civilian was killed during the entire battle. I’m glad you showed the barn with hole , I’ve always wondered if that was real.
JD, I'm a retired AP English teacher from Dallas and I really enjoy your show. My AP history teacher and I coordinated classes to write books. My regret is we did not do the history and letters of Gettysburg. The kids would have loved it. I wish you had this series back then! At 74, I am still learning. Thank you.
Another excellent video, J. D.. I've visited Gettysburg several times and you were still able to teach me more about the battle, particularly the stories of the civilians and the tragedy of the burning barn. Thanks, keep up the good work.
Very much enjoying the Gettysburg videos. it is worth mentioning that Sickles' decision to move his corps forward at Gettysburg was the result, in part, of his experience at Chancellorsville, where he was ordered to move his corps to a highly exposed position. His corps defended bravely, suffering heavy casualties, but was later ordered by Hooker to abandon the position. At Gettysburg, Sickles feared he was again being ordered to defend an undefendable position and acted accordingly. That said, Sickles is a textbook example of why generals should not be appointed for political reasons. Interesting bit of trivia: Sickles' leg bone was put on display in Washington D.C. and Sickles would visit it for periodically in later years.
As an Australian with a keen interest in the American Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg; I'm loving this series that you've put together and once the international borders open up again, a trip to the States is on my to-do list
Another great video. I find it absolutely wonderful that many of these places (homes n farms) are still standing. I try to visualize the horrific battles of war, men dying n crying out in pain. It gets deep with in me n my soul. I visualize the families living in their homes being scared to death . The fear they must of felt just chills me. It’s so amazing to see the evidence of this war on the houses n so thankful that they never tried to fix it. I’m also thankful that we can still see parts of history through your videos n I can’t seem to get enough of it. Definitely looking forward to next one. ♥️♥️😊👍👍
Sickles often visited GBerg in his chauffeur driven limo. There is film footage of it. His leg is still on display at the Walter Reed Hospital museum where he also often visited.
Being from Canada I have always found history of the Civil War and other parts of American history very interesting , thanks for producing these documentaries.
THANK YOU so much for this excellent video ... Haven't been back to Gettysburg since my childhood in the 60s ... Having read and learned much about the civil war, the battle at Gettysburg, and specifically, the leadership of the third corps at Gettysburg ... and have always wondered about the topography of the area assigned to Dan Sickles ... This video is the only one I've seen that actually "walks the ground" and shows the viewers what was visible on this fateful day ... Love your videos ... and thanks again !!!
Great episode!! I sometimes wish I could sit down and talk to people that fought in this war. Dan Sickles is someone I don’t know a lot about but, I am enjoying learning more about his role.
Amazing insight into our history you have been sharing with us. Thank you. And it’s always easy to criticize someone for their mistakes while sitting in an armchair or living a life far better than what they lived while in battle. God bless.
The southern end of the battlefield is one of my favorite places to visit and learn about Gettysburg! There are so many places of significance that are awesome to learn about! Culps hill and Pickets charge are just as important so I really can’t say I have a “favorite” lol! I just love Gettysburg!
Fantastic video.... awesome. Having not been able to get to the battlefield yet, it was awesome the way you panned around and kept showing us the lay of the land. I like how you kept showing us where the peach orchard was during all your stops. Thank you so much!
I love your videos thank you. Gettysburg has been my favorite battle for 26 years and your videos on it were amazing. I got to visit the battlefield a month after I returned from Iraq and it was such an amazing experience I can’t wait to go back.
Very interesting to hear that Confederates tried to help wounded Union from the barn. Ironically, the union soldiers that were in the barn were the 73rd New York Fire Zouaves, nicknamed as they were firefighters back in the New York.
That’s why I created this channel to begin with. Hopefully people are sharing it with history teachers and students to help them with their education 🙂
@@TheHistoryUnderground And I'm sure that you share your insight gained from these trips in your classroom. I hope your students appreciate just how fortunate they are!
Thank you for your insight into the Sickles position on the second day of the battle. I had heard a lot of bad things about his decisions but seeing the views that you shared of both spots it now makes a lot more sense as to why he moved forward. After the war I understand that he lobbied Congress for the Metal of Honor for his actions that day and actually was issued one! Crazy!!
Thank you for this series!!!! Me an my family live about 2 hrs from Gettysburg. We are planning a trip there thus summer. Find ur videos very informative. Keep up the great work!!!!!
Thank you so much for these videos--now watching them in order and this one in particular has given me a clearer understanding than I have had previously. I really want to go back to Gettysburg again and reexamine the town/battlefield.
@@TheHistoryUnderground it definitely is, super informative and I'm excited to go and see the battlefield and pay my respects to my long gone relatives, keep up the good work love your videos
Well now I have a much clearer understanding of why Sickles chose to move forward! You're absolutely right, you have to see the topography of a battlefield to get the whole picture. I'm one of those scoffers who shook my head at his decision. Now I cant say as I wouldnt have done the same thing myself. Thanx for helping me out JD!
It definitely gave me a different perspective. There's also an argument that I didn't tackle that Sickles moving his line out checked the advance of Longstreet on day 2 of the battle. It was definitely a mess though.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Yup, good point. I thought of those retreating Union boys, with the Rebs now on that high ground shooting at them from up there... All the way back to them woods. It must have seemed like miles away. I wish there was a scale of distance on those maps.
Your Battlefield guide was excellent. He said the most important thing that I don't see many documentaries or UA-cam vlogs ever mention. The unsung heroes... The civilians who suffered. That is the worst casualty of every single military conflict on planet Earth. There's an old saying... War is nothing but old men talking and young men dying. From what I've read and seen on other documentaries Dan sickles deserves to be given harsh treatment for his decision. He probably agreed with Meade when they were around the table but out on the battlefield he was only concerned with himself. He almost cost the union not only the battle but possibly the war. As usual great job thanks a lot man have a good one and be safe out there. See you later!
This is a great channel. You do a brilliant job. I'm from Australia, and I never imagined the US history was so interesting, and at times so very sad. I really appreciate how you present this excellent content. Cheers.
You give us so much to think about in these videos, just thinking about all the civilians who had to go through this, is horrible. They came home to there land ravaged, and homes stripped, no food, no animals. War is horrible any where, but being in your own country, and sometimes fighting against your own kin, it makes it more horrible. I have no doubt there are ghosts who walk that land, who are lost in time. Thanks J.D.
Thanks for these walk throughs! I've never been to Gettysburg battlefield, but have spent a lot of time watching these videos and exploring on google earth. I don't know exactly why...but in the last few years I have been transforming slowly into a (civil war) Gettysburg geek lol. I caught the 'gettysburg virus"...no turning back! Who knows what that Dan Sickles was thinking? He wanted a nice peach orchard to bivouac in? A farmyard to have late night whiskey parties and card games? I heard that Bufords cavalry was camped there when Sickles 3rd Corps arrived up the Emmitsburg Road, but then Buford got orders to vacate that position. The only thing I can say in defense or sympathy with Sickles is that maybe there was strategic value in holding access to the Emmitsburg Road. But that point was visible and in firing line with both union and rebel artillery.
i was here today. i loved it. tried to see everything in 1 day for the battle field. ran into a group tour at the NC monument and learned a lot in that few mins. i saw the cannon in the barn near the peach orchard, interesting that it never went off.
It is fascinating to imagine, had the Civil War been recorded with Drones, GoPro’s and walkie talkies 🤔🤔🤔🇺🇸Thank You for sharing 🇺🇸 I always enjoy my visits to Gettysburg along with a professional historian 🇺🇸
ANOTHER. GREAT. Video than k you very much , With all the good videos you do , GOD will bless you for teaching all people about history thank you very much ,,, Frank from montana..
Excellent job on your videos! I just discovered your channel and it really has me excited for the American Civil War again. I started reenacting with I was 18, I am now 51. I haven't reenacted for quite a few years now but my love of the history of it all still is inside me and you helped ignite it again. Keep up the phenomenal work and I will keep tuning in.
I I love your videos and always learn something from them. I just finished and highly recommend reading ‘ Meade at Gettysburg’ - this whole episode is explained in detail. Sickles was told at least three times and conferred with Meade in person and was told to stay where he was. He thought he knew better.
Keep em coming! Another great Gettysburg doc! You can just stay there for awhile and pick apart each area of battle. We wont mind ...lol...you might be there a while! Great job
Another great episode. I was lucky enough to score tickets so I'm making a few days of it. I'm just starting to plan things out, but you have given some excellent resources. See you in the next one 👍.
Great episode! I am really enjoying this series as I have always been keenly interested in Gettysburg. I am looking forward to the Devils Den episode and, hopefully, the Round Tops.
Well youve helped me understand why Sickles moved forward but it did allow for a flank and cost the Union many casualties. Great narration and wonderful series JD. 👍🏻😎
And also if he didnt move and stymie Longstreets plans, the south might have broken through the union line, and possibly made a worse situation for the north. Research what happened to Sickles Corps at Chancellorsville and you will understand even more why he chose his action that day. Definitely a highly debatable subject for sure
My great grandfather was wounded in Pickett's charge. He was about 17 years old with the confederate army. He laid on the battlefield for about 13 days while everyone within earshot of him died. He said that a girl from a nearby farm brought him water and helped him. I never understood how a girl would be on the battlefield, but you really showed me in this video how it happened. He wound up being in a neighborhood!
My Great Grand pop, Joseph Benton was with Brooks Light Artillery. They charged with The Kershaw Brigade and turned to engage the Union Cannons in the Peach Orchard. Sickles lost his leg from cannon fire that day.
Another fantastic episode! On all my trips up there I’ve focused on Culp’s Hill, The Round Tops, The Angle. My next trip I’m definitely going to walk the Peach Orchard and dive into a good book on the subject. Thanks for the inspiration !
Thank you for a informative video to a strategic Union movement that I did not know hardly anything about that was overlooked in a particular movie as I remember. I also followed your suggestion and found the American Battlefield Trust UA-cam Channel and watched a couple of videos on there. I look forward to more from you about Gettysburg in the near future and as time permits the new channel that I just subscribed to too farther down the road. Excellent!!!
Hi, really enjoying your work. If you read The Second Day at Gettysburg: Essays on Confederate and Union Leadership'', you will see Sickles attempted to communicate his new position to Meade repeatedly over many hours before the attack on his position.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
If you've watched a few episodes and feel like I've earned it, be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss any new content when it comes out. Click here: ua-cam.com/users/thehistoryunderground
Thanks!
Great, work thank you one question after study Gettysburg i would say after day one if Lee pulls back into the mountains and wait for Meade he would have won..
Then he could chase Meade back .. Near to Washington do you agree
Very interesting vids, it’s refreshing to see someone just stay to facts when doing these segments. Especially appreciate the Gettysburg episodes. Thanx and keep up the good work!
After being acquitted for shooting his wife’s lover to death.
@@lostpapertown "
Have you ever done a video on the battle of shiloh?
Three years ago I took my family to Gettysburg and were fortunate enough to take a horseback tour from Artillery Ridge Campground to the Trostle Farm. Riding horses on to the battlefield was a truly unique way to see the battlefield and a magical experience! Big shout out to National Riding Stables!! Their mission is to rehabilitate abused horses then use them for guided horseback tours.
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Having grown up on a Pennsylvania Dairy Farm my heart aches for what the locals returned to find of their homes and farms. To help bury the dead men and livestock. The months of caring for the wounded. The story does not end at the end of the battle. Thank you for another outstanding video. Very wise words about leadership and communication. May we never forget.
Thanks! Crazy to imagine what the locals went through.
Thank you for another great episode. Its amazing how a person can sit and watch these and hear in your mind the gunfire, the screams of the injured, and picture these battles.
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I live just a mile or two outside of Gettysburg and have for nearly 40 years and to this day never get tired of visiting this site just to walk the fields and take everything in. I know the battlefield and stories like the back of my hand and is one of my absolute favorite places to visit.
As for Sickles when you see everything in person you definitely get a better idea of why he made the choice he did and whether a good one or bad one you understand the decision to move forward much better.
Now I look at Sickles decision to move forward to be a blessing in disguise. When he moved forward he put his troops in a spot the Confederates were not expecting him to be blunting and slowing down their attack. I think had he not moved things may have gone much different on the second day for the Confederates.
Absolutely AGREE with your comments ... Inadvertently Sickles moved right into the path of the Confederate line of attack ... Your comment is very insightful and illustrates a more than casual knowledge of the Gettysburg Civil War battle ...
Definitely. It cost a lot of men and cost him his leg, but it's interesting to think about what would've happened had he stayed back.
@@TheHistoryUnderground I contemplate the exact same thing.. Had the Confederate artillary moved up into the Peach Orchard , it seems that Sickles and the entire left flank of the Union could have been pulvarized. So very interesting.
I've got to agree. I had previously thought that Sickles' decision was a mistake, a result of his lack of military training and his dislike for Meade. But this video and your comment have convinced me that he actually made the right move.
I firmly believe Sickles moving forward saved the Union Line that day. Whether he intended it or not, it allowed him to conduct a defense in depth, or at least a fighting retreat to slow the Confederates down. If the Confederates were able to put their artillery in the Peach orchard it would have caused major issues all along the Union Center. If the Confederates hit the original line with their artillery in the orchard, the battle may have ended on day 2
As I read some of the posts before mine, it is comforting to realize those that sacrificed everything are appreciated to this day. Thank you, again.
Well said!
Except by Liberals.
Loving this series. I'd say it's good enough to be on the History Channel, but they haven't had something this good and actually focused on history in a decade. Great stuff!
Ha! Thanks. I’m guess that you aren’t a fan of Ancient Aliens 😂
CSPAN has interesting talks about the civil war but I’d rather be taken there than sit in an academic type setting.
Love him or hate him Sickles is definitely a character to read about not only at Gettysburg but in his private life also. Another great video JD.
You visit the places I would love to visit...I live vicariously through these videos...lol! Know that you do great work and inspire! Thanks for keeping the Peach Orchard alive for us this Sunday morning!
I agree whole heartedly. I'm not able to travel around much, so I rely on channels like this to take me places far away. This is my favorite channel for adventures in U.S. history.
Thank you so much! I really do appreciate that. That really does mean a lot to me.
Same here! I'm from Costa Rica and I've always been interested in the American Civil War, and specially on the Gettysburg Battle, and this channel have so much information and are so much interesting! Thank you for your effor!
Tonka should watch Ranger Matt Atkinson’s Peach Orchard video he gives a great explaination and picture of where Daniel Sickles was coming from.
Taking us to the spot Sickles was assigned, it makes it very clear why he would have been inclined to move his lines. Well done! I have read about the move he made ,but I never understood it until this video. Thanks!
Nice work. Thank you. Better than most docs on TV
Wow, thanks! I appreciate that. Feel free to share the channel out with a few people :)
@@TheHistoryUnderground I just watched your video on the Foxholes of E Company, Battle of the Bulge. I can feel your excitement, appreciation and reverence for what took place there. I felt that too when I visited Gettysburg July 1-5, 2018 for the 155th anniversary. I made sure I placed myself in the various locations as the battle would have occurred at the same time of day on the appropriate days. It was very humbling (it was even 100F too!). But getting back to Bastogne, my dad served in the 575th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, 11th Armored Division, 3d Army. He was lucky enough to be mechanized on a half track and not infantry, but he was in the thick of it right through Bastogne, Foy, Houffalize, etc. Right on through to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Austria in May 1945. I would love to talk more with you about your appreciation of military history. We share that fascination. p_albert@hotmail.com
Excellent work! I really like how you focus on terrain features and how that effected the decisions made. I also like how you feature battle damage on the buildings here and how to recognize it. We also want to recognize Dan Sickles as a major driving force for the preservation of the Gettysburg battlefield. Once, when Sickles was visiting Gettysburg later in life, someone asked him if he was upset that there was no monument to him. He responded: “The whole damn battlefield is my monument!”😀
If you ever go to Gettysburg you’ll see the biggest factor about the battle is the terrain! It’s an amazing thing to stand where history was made and Gettysburg doesn’t disappoint!
@@americanschweitzer45 - I live in Gettysburg, but I agree with your assessment!👍🏼
Terrain is everything, especially at Gettysburg. Go off of the tour route and walk the approach on which Lee wanted Early to push home the attack. You see where the Union artillery is and it doesn't take my dad's artilleryman training to know that it was never going to work.
Thanks for another great video! Eric and Jim's Battle of Gettysburg podcast is an absolute must listen!
Eric and Jim's "Battle of Gettysburg" is an absolutely great podcast from two knowledgeable Licensed Guides. They have opened my mind about Dan Sickles and the action around the Peach Orchard. I have stood in that low ground along the Union line and can see why Sickles felt there had to be another choice. Maybe the choice he made wasn't optimal but the assigned position wasn't either.
Thanks! And I 100% agree about the podcast. Top notch stuff.
Imagine receiving the Medal of Honor AND being court-martialed for the same day. That's Dan Sickles in a nutshell.
Definitely an interesting guy.
Sickles was an arrogant and impulsive SOB. What he did by moving his troops forward to the area of the Peach Orchard could have been a disaster for the Union forces.
Yeah, “Devil Dan” was a prominent secret handshaker that was able to obtain the “privilege” of being one. Put his own name in for that Medal of Honor and got it. Imagine my shock. Married a fifteen year old, murdered the son of a Francis Scott Key and got away with it...insanity plea. Imagine my shock. Meh, Meade saw him as a d’ bag and who wouldn’t, was probably forced to have him over his own choice for the promotion. He had experience killing and could spin the story and the “brothers” will soften it up. Not defending Meade’s ability or justification in doing so, Dan may have been right or Meade might have been better than what is portrayed. Just saw an Australia SASR documentary where the operators are complaining about one of their own committing war crimes and getting away with it because he’s a secret handshaker and can’t be touched. Even today the garbage is going on...
Sickles also caught his wife with another man and shot his in Lafayette Square in Washington in 1859. There is a black wrought iron fence that divides Evergreen Cemetery and the National Cemetery. That fence used to stand in Lafayette Square at the time of the shooting. It is called the Witness fence. Sickles used the "not guilty by reason of insanity" and was acquitted. A few years later he is leading troops in battle. Crazy.
@@marcuslaker5876
You mean the guy who was screwing his wife?
"most notably the 1859 homicide of his wife's lover, U.S. Attorney Philip Barton Key II"
I am fortunate enough to live about 2 hours from Gettysburg. I go every year, and every year I still feel the heaviness in the air around that whole place. Incredible
Would be so sobering to see where so many died😰😰
Thanks, I enjoy your “takes” as you walk us through history.
Thank you!
Thanks you Eric and J.D. Have a blessed Sunday. See you Wednesday J.D. for another awesome video.
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How can anyone give a thumbs down to such an amazing historical event. My bucket list is to travel one day to visit these grounds. Thx for sharing.
Dan sickels was a very controversial character during the battle.
Excellent job young man explaining history in detail and making it interesting and entertaining. As a kid the family would visit relatives near the battlefield and drop me off to roam about and observe and learn.
You put it all together like a completed puzzle and I thank you very much.
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October 2024 and walking the Battlefield here now! What a beautiful place, and sacred and solemn as well!
It’s great that you got the “The Battle of Gettysburg Podcast” co-host Eric Lindblade as your Peach Orchard guide. He is a great resource on Dan Sickles. We’ve taken his tour of the Peach Orchard and was quite informative.
I can’t imagine making any kind of decisions in the heat of a battle during the Civil War. I couldn’t do it. And I commend all our brave service men for keeping our nation free. I hope all Americans realize how fortunate we all are to have our freedom!
Wonder video!! Thanks for sharing your love of history, making it possible for more of us to be able to see history more clearly. Looking forward to learning more. Stay safe in your travels. 👍👍🙋♀️
So glad I found your channel! Thank you for sharing your love of history!
Another great episode. So much too learn and not enough time.
Thanks! And yes, I feel your pain.
One of the many things that still captures my attention and causes such heartache for these brave men, was that even though on opposite sides of the war knew one another and had such fond memories serving together. Either serving in the Mexican-American war, west point, or elsewhere, these men had developed such deep friendships and relationships.
I couldn't imagine having to face those I call a brother in uniform in battle.
Every time I watch your videos. I do learn something I was unaware of. And when I was taken on a driving tour of Gettysburg. He was not mentioned. Cemetery Ridge. Was included. The tour guide was excellent. But, since watching these videos. I have learned a lot more. Thank you for your work and putting this history together. It’s wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
You always describe the things I think about when I visit these places. A lot of these guys were farmers, teachers, blacksmiths, ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situation, forced to make impossible decisions. Brother against brother, friends against friends, neighbors against neighbors. That’s the thought that stands up the hair on your neck or puts a lump in your throat, when you visit these places. The realization that men on both sides possibly faced people they knew on the field of battle and killed or were killed by that same person. The absolute carnage and destruction faced by everyday people after the battles were over. It has always blown my mind that supposedly only one civilian was killed during the entire battle. I’m glad you showed the barn with hole , I’ve always wondered if that was real.
Yeah, that element always fascinates me as much as the fighting itself.
JD, I'm a retired AP English teacher from Dallas and I really enjoy your show. My AP history teacher and I coordinated classes to write books. My regret is we did not do the history and letters of Gettysburg. The kids would have loved it. I wish you had this series back then! At 74, I am still learning. Thank you.
Another excellent video, J. D.. I've visited Gettysburg several times and you were still able to teach me more about the battle, particularly the stories of the civilians and the tragedy of the burning barn. Thanks, keep up the good work.
Thanks! So glad that you're enjoying it! I've been learning a lot as well :)
Very much enjoying the Gettysburg videos. it is worth mentioning that Sickles' decision to move his corps forward at Gettysburg was the result, in part, of his experience at Chancellorsville, where he was ordered to move his corps to a highly exposed position. His corps defended bravely, suffering heavy casualties, but was later ordered by Hooker to abandon the position. At Gettysburg, Sickles feared he was again being ordered to defend an undefendable position and acted accordingly. That said, Sickles is a textbook example of why generals should not be appointed for political reasons. Interesting bit of trivia: Sickles' leg bone was put on display in Washington D.C. and Sickles would visit it for periodically in later years.
Thanks for the extra info!
As an Australian with a keen interest in the American Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg; I'm loving this series that you've put together and once the international borders open up again, a trip to the States is on my to-do list
Another great video. I find it absolutely wonderful that many of these places (homes n farms) are still standing. I try to visualize the horrific battles of war, men dying n crying out in pain. It gets deep with in me n my soul. I visualize the families living in their homes being scared to death . The fear they must of felt just chills me. It’s so amazing to see the evidence of this war on the houses n so thankful that they never tried to fix it. I’m also thankful that we can still see parts of history through your videos n I can’t seem to get enough of it. Definitely looking forward to next one. ♥️♥️😊👍👍
Thanks! I'm pretty excited about the next one.
Sickles often visited GBerg in his chauffeur driven limo. There is film footage of it. His leg is still on display at the Walter Reed Hospital museum where he also often visited.
Definitely an interesting guy.
He was a murderous coward. 😎
@@richardea4223 There's a reason his biography is titled "Scoundrel".
I'm really surprised The History Underground does not have have 1,000,000 or more subscribers. So glad I found this channel.
Perhaps if the host wasn't so ugly, the channel would have more. Glad that you like it though!
Being from Canada I have always found history of the Civil War and other parts of American history very interesting , thanks for producing these documentaries.
My pleasure! Got A LOT more on the way. Thanks for watching!
I really appreciate all of your work to put this fantastic series together!
Glad you enjoy it!
THANK YOU so much for this excellent video ... Haven't been back to Gettysburg since my childhood in the 60s ... Having read and learned much about the civil war, the battle at Gettysburg, and specifically, the leadership of the third corps at Gettysburg ... and have always wondered about the topography of the area assigned to Dan Sickles ... This video is the only one I've seen that actually "walks the ground" and shows the viewers what was visible on this fateful day ... Love your videos ... and thanks again !!!
Thanks! I'm so glad that you are enjoying it. Got a lot more to come!
I had a driven tour twice through Gettysburg over the years and the first guide had Dan Sickles as her favorite character of the battle.
Sickles was a favorite of our guide also. He said he could talk all day just about Sickles
Definitely a lot to talk about there.
Great episode!! I sometimes wish I could sit down and talk to people that fought in this war. Dan Sickles is someone I don’t know a lot about but, I am enjoying learning more about his role.
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Sickles was a poor leader who depended upon his friendship with lincoln to stay in command.
Amazing insight into our history you have been sharing with us. Thank you. And it’s always easy to criticize someone for their mistakes while sitting in an armchair or living a life far better than what they lived while in battle.
God bless.
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Thanks for another wonderful video. The logistics and movement from point of view were wonderful. Loved the stories.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The southern end of the battlefield is one of my favorite places to visit and learn about Gettysburg! There are so many places of significance that are awesome to learn about! Culps hill and Pickets charge are just as important so I really can’t say I have a “favorite” lol! I just love Gettysburg!
I hear you! Gonna hit some lesser known parts of Gettysburg in this ridiculously long series :)
@@TheHistoryUnderground that’s awesome I can’t wait to watch them!!
Another "Thumbs Up" video, JD. Keep up the great work!!!
I appreciate that!
Fantastic video.... awesome. Having not been able to get to the battlefield yet, it was awesome the way you panned around and kept showing us the lay of the land. I like how you kept showing us where the peach orchard was during all your stops. Thank you so much!
As usual tons of great information and delivered in a fine manner. Really enjoy the work.
I love your videos thank you. Gettysburg has been my favorite battle for 26 years and your videos on it were amazing. I got to visit the battlefield a month after I returned from Iraq and it was such an amazing experience I can’t wait to go back.
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Very interesting to hear that Confederates tried to help wounded Union from the barn. Ironically, the union soldiers that were in the barn were the 73rd New York Fire Zouaves, nicknamed as they were firefighters back in the New York.
Dang. Hadn't even thought of that.
Wow. Amazing! I have learned so much from what you do. They should show your work in schools. Thank you so much for all your efforts.
That’s why I created this channel to begin with. Hopefully people are sharing it with history teachers and students to help them with their education 🙂
@@TheHistoryUnderground And I'm sure that you share your insight gained from these trips in your classroom. I hope your students appreciate just how fortunate they are!
This has been a great series. Thank you.
Glad you enjoy it!
Thank you for your insight into the Sickles position on the second day of the battle. I had heard a lot of bad things about his decisions but seeing the views that you shared of both spots it now makes a lot more sense as to why he moved forward. After the war I understand that he lobbied Congress for the Metal of Honor for his actions that day and actually was issued one! Crazy!!
The dude was an interesting figure, for sure.
I was here as a kid ... so glad you are doing Gettysburg ..
Thank you for this series!!!! Me an my family live about 2 hrs from Gettysburg. We are planning a trip there thus summer. Find ur videos very informative. Keep up the great work!!!!!
Awesome! Hope that this series helps with the planning a bit.
Thank you so much for these videos--now watching them in order and this one in particular has given me a clearer understanding than I have had previously. I really want to go back to Gettysburg again and reexamine the town/battlefield.
Another great video. Still cool to see you in my hometown and visiting places I drive past all the time.
Thanks! Certainly a lot to see there :)
I'm going to Gettysburg in July, a relative of mine fought in the 111th NY and going to see their monument.
Awesome! Hope this series is helping to prepare a bit.
@@TheHistoryUnderground it definitely is, super informative and I'm excited to go and see the battlefield and pay my respects to my long gone relatives, keep up the good work love your videos
Your relative and his band of brothers were the true heroes. 😎
Thanks, JD! Another fantastic video! Love your thoughts on leadership! Next video will not come soon enough!
Thanks! Pretty excited about the next one. Maybe one of my favorite spots on the battlefield.
Another great Sunday morning history lesson!
Thanks again! Got another one coming up on Wednesday :)
Thank you as always for your wonderful videos Always fascinating
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Very good lessons to be learned. Have a good week and thank u for all u do.
Thank you! You too!
Well now I have a much clearer understanding of why Sickles chose to move forward! You're absolutely right, you have to see the topography of a battlefield to get the whole picture. I'm one of those scoffers who shook my head at his decision. Now I cant say as I wouldnt have done the same thing myself. Thanx for helping me out JD!
It definitely gave me a different perspective. There's also an argument that I didn't tackle that Sickles moving his line out checked the advance of Longstreet on day 2 of the battle. It was definitely a mess though.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Yup, good point. I thought of those retreating Union boys, with the Rebs now on that high ground shooting at them from up there... All the way back to them woods. It must have seemed like miles away. I wish there was a scale of distance on those maps.
Your Battlefield guide was excellent. He said the most important thing that I don't see many documentaries or UA-cam vlogs ever mention. The unsung heroes... The civilians who suffered. That is the worst casualty of every single military conflict on planet Earth. There's an old saying... War is nothing but old men talking and young men dying.
From what I've read and seen on other documentaries Dan sickles deserves to be given harsh treatment for his decision. He probably agreed with Meade when they were around the table but out on the battlefield he was only concerned with himself. He almost cost the union not only the battle but possibly the war. As usual great job thanks a lot man have a good one and be safe out there. See you later!
Love this Gettysburg series,Thank You
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Very well done! Thanks for the new prospective on Dan Sickles.
Thank you Eric for the educational and historical information. You are correct, communication is a wonderful thing. Such a fantastic series Vlog!
Great video. You’re giving us a good feel for the place, looking forward to visiting one day.
Awesome! that's good to hear. Thanks!
This has always been one of the places I would love to have visited, thanks to your videos. I have at least been able to see it this way.
This is a great channel. You do a brilliant job. I'm from Australia, and I never imagined the US history was so interesting, and at times so very sad. I really appreciate how you present this excellent content. Cheers.
You give us so much to think about in these videos, just thinking about all the civilians who had to go through this, is horrible. They came home to there land ravaged, and homes stripped, no food, no animals. War is horrible any where, but being in your own country, and sometimes fighting against your own kin, it makes it more horrible. I have no doubt there are ghosts who walk that land, who are lost in time. Thanks J.D.
Thanks for these walk throughs! I've never been to Gettysburg battlefield, but have spent a lot of time watching these videos and exploring on google earth. I don't know exactly why...but in the last few years I have been transforming slowly into a (civil war) Gettysburg geek lol.
I caught the 'gettysburg virus"...no turning back!
Who knows what that Dan Sickles was thinking? He wanted a nice peach orchard to bivouac in? A farmyard to have late night whiskey parties and card games? I heard that Bufords cavalry was camped there when Sickles 3rd Corps arrived up the Emmitsburg Road, but then Buford got orders to vacate that position. The only thing I can say in defense or sympathy with Sickles is that maybe there was strategic value in holding access to the Emmitsburg Road. But that point was visible and in firing line with both union and rebel artillery.
i was here today. i loved it. tried to see everything in 1 day for the battle field. ran into a group tour at the NC monument and learned a lot in that few mins. i saw the cannon in the barn near the peach orchard, interesting that it never went off.
It is fascinating to imagine, had the Civil War been recorded with Drones, GoPro’s and walkie talkies 🤔🤔🤔🇺🇸Thank You for sharing 🇺🇸 I always enjoy my visits to Gettysburg along with a professional historian 🇺🇸
I've always wondered what a recording of the battle would actually look like.
My all time favorite place, been there 19 times. Great video
Thanks! I really love it there too.
ANOTHER. GREAT. Video than k you very much , With all the good videos you do , GOD will bless you for teaching all people about history thank you very much ,,, Frank from montana..
Thanks!
I am loving this series
Thanks! I've been having a lot of fun with this one.
Excellent job on your videos! I just discovered your channel and it really has me excited for the American Civil War again. I started reenacting with I was 18, I am now 51. I haven't reenacted for quite a few years now but my love of the history of it all still is inside me and you helped ignite it again. Keep up the phenomenal work and I will keep tuning in.
Thanks! Appreciate that. Feel free to share it out with a few others!
@@TheHistoryUnderground Will do!
I I love your videos and always learn something from them. I just finished and highly recommend reading ‘ Meade at Gettysburg’ - this whole episode is explained in detail. Sickles was told at least three times and conferred with Meade in person and was told to stay where he was. He thought he knew better.
I keep coming back and watching these videos. This my favorite so far
Keep em coming! Another great Gettysburg doc! You can just stay there for awhile and pick apart each area of battle. We wont mind ...lol...you might be there a while! Great job
Ha! That's good to know because we're going to be here for awhile. Pretty excited for the next one. Probably my favorite part of the battlefield.
Look forward to it greatly. I've spent alot of time on that battlefield and your vidz make it all the more interesting
Great episode Devils den after sunset gets a little spooky highly recommend
Thanks!
Another great episode. I was lucky enough to score tickets so I'm making a few days of it. I'm just starting to plan things out, but you have given some excellent resources. See you in the next one 👍.
Awesome!
Great episode! I am really enjoying this series as I have always been keenly interested in Gettysburg. I am looking forward to the Devils Den episode and, hopefully, the Round Tops.
We've got a lot coming up. Hope you enjoy it!
Well youve helped me understand why Sickles moved forward but it did allow for a flank and cost the Union many casualties. Great narration and wonderful series JD. 👍🏻😎
Oh yeah. It definitely wasted a lot of men. Glad you're enjoying the series!
And also if he didnt move and stymie Longstreets plans, the south might have broken through the union line, and possibly made a worse situation for the north. Research what happened to Sickles Corps at Chancellorsville and you will understand even more why he chose his action that day. Definitely a highly debatable subject for sure
I love watching 👀 this program it is a very history channel and the host is very good about telling the history
My great grandfather was wounded in Pickett's charge. He was about 17 years old with the confederate army. He laid on the battlefield for about 13 days while everyone within earshot of him died. He said that a girl from a nearby farm brought him water and helped him. I never understood how a girl would be on the battlefield, but you really showed me in this video how it happened. He wound up being in a neighborhood!
Hi Lynda. You nailed it. Look up, Jenny Wade.
My Great Grand pop, Joseph Benton was with Brooks Light Artillery. They charged with The Kershaw Brigade and turned to engage the Union Cannons in the Peach Orchard. Sickles lost his leg from cannon fire that day.
Excellent observation about General Sickles. True. Very true.
Totally agree with your opinion on Meads responsibility to help Sickle more. You on the other hand are doing a great job with this story. Thank you.
Thanks! Appreciate that.
Another fantastic episode! On all my trips up there I’ve focused on Culp’s Hill, The Round Tops, The Angle. My next trip I’m definitely going to walk the Peach Orchard and dive into a good book on the subject. Thanks for the inspiration !
Love all of those spots. One of my favorites will be in the next episode.
Very much enjoying your videos, I can’t wait to get back to Gettysburg and do some plein air paintings of the battlefield
This episode makes me want to go to Gettysburg even more than before! Some day I will make it there.
Hope that these videos hold you over until you do!
@@TheHistoryUnderground oh they will! I wish I could get down there for the meet up, but I was told I’m not going on vacation by myself! Lol
This is a great series, I hope it's not the 'end'. I see the date is recent, so hoping more to come!
Thanks. And yes, there will be A LOT more in this series. Be sure to subscribe to catch the new ones when they come out (Sundays and Wednesdays) 🙂
Very nice! Thanks!
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Thank you for a informative video to a strategic Union movement that I did not know hardly anything about that was overlooked in a particular movie as I remember. I also followed your suggestion and found the American Battlefield Trust UA-cam Channel and watched a couple of videos on there. I look forward to more from you about Gettysburg in the near future and as time permits the new channel that I just subscribed to too farther down the road. Excellent!!!
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You’re a very talented host. I wish the History Channel would give you a show. Love your videos.
Too ugly for tv, but thanks!
A great way to start the day with another video yahooo
Awesome!
Another great one
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching.
I think the best video on Gettysburg by far is the animated battle map on American Battlefield Trust.
Always informative and well presented...good job JD....God Bless
Thanks 👍
My favorite channel on UA-cam and another great video I've always wanted to go to Gettysburg! Post more!
Believe me. There’s going to be A LOT more in this series 😅.
Thanks for the kind words. That made my day.
My uncle was a very proud tour guide at Gettysburg for many years.
Hi, really enjoying your work. If you read The Second Day at Gettysburg: Essays on Confederate and Union Leadership'', you will see Sickles attempted to communicate his new position to Meade repeatedly over many hours before the attack on his position.