Bristoe Station with Matt Atkinson

actually and it's a awfully cute how's that sound up there in the back sound southern boring Bristow actually yeah we had ever seats in the back in Patrick I'll stand in there you got midway through the through the concert you know audience a little older than he needs to be so I'm standing there and all of a sudden is his guitar securing the guitars knows that while this dude comes out out of the darkness and all of a sudden spotlights are on and he's playing this guitar solo like 10 yards and you know if you've ever had that epiphany at a rock concert I mean I can see the sweat coming off raise your hand you got a few seat beside you I think like 180 we got plenty of going to sit down no that's it a lot of tickets I got three or five seats open but you're probably wondering what the heck is where the heck is Briscoe station which if you know where Manassas Virginia is that's going to be Briscoe station so that's what we're going to stay a couple housekeeping things a couple of people already been in the bookstore me flinging them out but basically if you want to study Bristow station I have from the books that work Bradley Godfrey's book on the maps if you're familiar with this Gettysburg laughs this is his Bristow station of mine run so you get an extra attic campaign in there that's Purcell in there and then the one that I wrote the program off though with this little booklet right here this is called a wolf of Walt of vigilance and this is by Rob Morris and although that name and Bill Bacchus who was his co-worker and the nice thing about this is his priced to sell 14.95 and the great thing about this book is in the back since all these little books that you comes with a driving tour when you take you to all these little places like James City Auburn places I'm going mention you have a little stage and stuff like that this is the emergence of more series and they all have very much have tours in the back of it the bad thing is is that we started out with five and I'm holding the only remaining topic you'd like to come up back to the program take it all over an honor system humans you can have it go back to the bookstore produce is that totally bring it back so you see raw horse when you tell them I mentioned this book look I got what has happened since that last saw y'all we all know there's people came up to me and if some of you were in the crowd I sincerely appreciate all the text and the messages of them and the welfare good wishes and all that people are asking to have people more than one person offering loans very sincere about that in my particular case which is just my particular case I'm renting a house from from the park so when the government shut down really donate more to Amy Miller and the sake James daycare what else happening with robert e lee's birthday and lexington on january 19 it would start more jackson the spoke down there well I actually marched at the end of the parade the infamous parade is it's known right now is on my bucket list really nothing to report I will say that that the people that were at the little seminar where I spoke about we were very kind sons of Kuvera better my daughter's my twin daughters were supposed to accompany me and they ended up not going at the last minute and I the people there had a one of the ladies there had a basket way with pork rinds Cheerwine was the last time you saw sure ones you know chocolate in there and everything had it all tied up and that's what you get you know I go to these big cities and everybody's very nice but you go to Lexington we can't get there they're truly kind there's so a good time there other mint though I'm learning about housekeeping that's about all right so I'm sure we'll talk about over so I gave you a flag do something with that so we're going to cover we're going to cover Briscoe station and you know we're going to be talking about October of 1863 which I like doing sort of like doing some of these programs because y'all don't know anything about so wasn't an answer period very brief but most if you've never heard of it that my run are two of them and so we're going to start out and if Matt usually does or wants to do I want you to wipe the if you know anything about I want you to wipe the grease boards clean and I want you to just take the story that unfolds in other words the one thing I can't do is keep you from looking to the map that shows you the whole campaign you know you can easily follow it there but if you let it unfold as its unfolding and you have to make the decision when you study history it's easy to look back on people what they did in the past the judgment for what they did the decisions that they made at work but do you ever put yourself in the moment of when they had to make the decision and you have that all across the broad spectrum of history and so that's the way I like to do these programs done this how Paul Freeman called it the fog of war technique so we'll see how that goes so we're going to start with something that you're very familiar with and this picture believe they're not this abstract art is Leafs retreat across the Potomac and yes we probably would go for a high-dollar right now but the Confederate defeat in Gettysburg if you can well imagine left both the Confederate and Union armies in the batter condition and me catches Lee's forces pinned against the Potomac he's unable to cross Lee is unable to cross because they're swollen rivers one of the more controversial decisions of the war they decided against attack and leave retreated across the Potomac on the evening of July 13th and 14th the reason I'm telling you this is Lincoln was furious at me and you're going to see this sort of if you take Bristow you take mine run you take everything you can start seeing if you follow the Army in the coma Corps George Meade's career you can see why it's going to start to steadily decline so put yourself in the mindset of George me so which links crosses across the Potomac the two armies are eventually going to settle in their original positions near Fredericksburg Virginia where they were before the Gettysburg Campaign ever began the dividing line between the two armies will be the Rapidan and Rappahannock rivers I'll give you a geography lesson in just a minimal agreement map of the two armies of course have been reduced from their losses at Gettysburg however by the end of August Robert II leads effective fighting force had returned to around 60,000 a number that he interpreted Lainey was around 72,000 he got a lot of convalescence backs and conscripts at cetera meetings army how I heard the time stood at 94 thousand so you got ninety four thousand versus sixty thousand almost his tentative strength we have before Gettysburg as with any theater yet a war right here sorry about the blurry cognition events are going to change rapidly so what's going to end up happening is we're up here in the top corner Lee's Army is in this area and in September of 1863 Jefferson Davis is going to come to robert e lee it's going to say we're going to plan a counter-offensive up here Chattanooga and could you spare any men from the Confederate Army in Virginia that's going to set up out to one of the longest routes and really turn an agrarian based nation right here not to bad feet long streets entire four hundred thousand man corps is going to take this security's route through the railroads all the way to chat about them so the first thing you need to know about is I know the sixty thousand men that Robert elite has after the in August of 1863 he's now down what forty six thousand an entire Corps from the Army of Northern Virginia knows they're detached he only has to record so he's down forty six thousand nationals now how many men did I say George Meade had instead of being what you agree to - odds now it's two to one which is a which is a entirely different ball of wax however you get a spreader folks put this in here for you they're gonna fight the Battle of Chickamauga as you know which I'm bill would it be wounded again as a result of the Union defeated Chattanooga or Chickamauga the Union Administration Abraham Lincoln decides to dispatch a portion of the Army of the Potomac to Chattanooga and you guess where buster familiar with the 11th and 12th for this is when they leave the Virginia theater they are taken by rental down in Tennessee and they are merged together lot of people don't know that 11th and 12th Corps cease to exist and combined together they become via the court under hooker that's right good old fighting Joe hooker so once they dispatched the 11th and 12th Corps you're keeping up with the number Center nice effective force went down to 76 thousand so when we start the Bristow campaign you're talking about 76,000 versus 46,000 all right army organization real fast Jenny let's change when I started talking about this stuff right-oh Newton he was not a sir actually discover for the start time of my southern accent that you know to show you you think you know everything once you've been here gets a little I do know I've been misspelling I was with the governor if I know his nickname Blakey tarney George slow trot Sikes this is nicknamed the wind bars he was that up I was at Spotsylvania one time when we toured he doesn't have to be there I just have to be there while he was there's a better state so I'm standing there way everybody my group went to the bathroom I can't do it very well um only a the conference that they may not be able to hit an elephant but they most certainly could hit a major channel Henry hunt Ricola I guess Sikeston is a memo under the picture what you need to know if meat was under pressure from Washington to the launch of all offensive Lincoln is still mad at me over the Gettysburg without letting Lee away after Gettysburg Union intelligence estimates though as to over estimated leave strength you have to understand the meats make the decision what was his information and what was his mindset when he's making these decisions you know that is 76 verses 46 he doesn't know that you know it's like watching that poker game only SP they're pretty good poker player when you see those personal car all right me believe that leaves army numbers 70,000 minutes which is approximately 25,000 or minimally actually had therefore meat was not wanting to take the offensive didn't want to do it you think he could do on the Confederate side you can still say Confederate sure this guy from the line robert e lee right there who's this guy Ambrose pow he'll lose no it's not me Oh Brendan oh you all right so we got the army commander here I told you that Wall Street scores going to be dispatched to Tennessee and October they're still in Tennessee and so what's left robert e lee and the Army of Northern Virginia is a big meal and the corps commander Richard Ewell's the corps commander and Jeff Stewart as the cavalry commander so that's what he's got to undertake the offensive I might add that me thinks that AP Hill's Corps still down it's also down in Tennessee - huh so you see how this all goes now these two forces you're going to understand the Bristow campaign you're gonna have to understand in this segment of Virginia if you don't know anything about peacetime armies if that's not an oxymoron right here in warfare is that when the two armies are fighting in Virginia the dividing line between the two armies is the Rappahannock River and the Rapidan river that's the dividing line and the reason for that ladies and gentlemen is is basically supply and logistics there's also natural barriers it is very hard to get you know 70,000 men across the river and it's very it's a very dicey proposition across the river because why when you cross the river you are vulnerable because half your artery is only one side and have your other so what you have right here need to pay attention is especially the first part the Rappahannock the Rapidan are going to be very key here robert e lee and his forces the army of going through junior here at orange courthouse the Union Army is up here called pepper the dividing line in here is the Rapidan and what you don't want to hear about what you must understand the reason that these armies are there and the moment they are there is because robert e lee's lifeline is from this railroad bound at the bottom left corner and the Confederate quartermaster system is failing you know Confederates the lost cause is getting hammered and all this I don't understand the part about their work shoeless and starving confettis if you will see in this campaign the quartermaster system of the Confederate Army is just father Robert III can't advance any burger because you can't resupply his army the rail system just can't bring in that many tonnage of supplies in point on this lake of war now maybe it on the other hand and this ties into bridge though here's bristow up here it is artery his main artery of supplies is this little baby right here this is the orange and alexandria railroad that's where he's boning and if any of you who have ever studied the second Manassas campaign then you're familiar with this because it's basically the same setup is when John Pope and Robert elite went against each other in 1862 right you know I'll just keep an eye on your head I'll keep all the other so robert e lee wants to get at the despite being outnumbered Lee determined to seize the initiative and overcome the odds and manpower by outwitting his adversary never heard of that before his first problem lay in getting meat off the rapid and river line in order to accomplish this Lee resorted to a similar strategy employed during the second Manassas campaign he would flank the AOP to the west in other words we don't want to cross that rapid m4 the reason I just gave you the needle counter-attack while it's crossing the river so in order to get around to get at me he has to go around the river so what Lee wants to do is go this way he wants to get around because where as far as the horse is saying where is the tender spot for George meat is that railroad you get a Strad that railroad meets in the pickle right there same as John POTUS I can't live with long without a spotter as the Union Army retreated to zola remember if Lee has the initiative this is the secret to robert e lee he always wants the initiative whether he's at he's always outnumbered but he wants the initial he wants his opponent to react to him that's the key when you're outnumbered and so in order to do that blazing John it assumes the offensive in order to have the initiative what his plan is is he thinks once he threatens this railroad right here that George Meade here Culpepper will be forced to retreat and moving army in motion is a lot easier to attack the Hitman spread apart in the piecemeal fashion you might make a mistake there might be a course sitting out there by itself and then you wipe out a core maybe to Union Corp and July 1st here at the battle and all of a sudden those wild odds aren't so long anymore if you can pick them all piecemeal that's what they taught about West Point that's what Napoleon did and then the Polian expert but that's what he was known for so anyway leaves go swing out here so in order to do that on October 8th Leo ordered as quartermasters to prepare for the advance Jeb Stuart's cavalry screamed Army's movements the two remaining Confederate course you will and Hills receive orders to march also with you all having the most direct route and he'll taking the outside arch leave wood right with you because fuel is closest to go ahead and hit in people Lee is riding around the outside it's riding with you'll because you always closest to the enemy and he'll is on the outside are ok the next day on October 9th Lee positions his troops along the rapid and river forts in the army ready to move over here in this area Liberty meals and so forth he's were getting ready to go forward he wished lead in to maintain the element of surprise but already the Richmond papers were announcing his advance in addition three federal signal stations dotted the landscape and were advantageous Lee positioned to see any Confederate movement if the Federals needed any more advantage they have broken the Confederates public in this rice single or semaphore code which is basically the flag you know the flags where they happen those and all this stuff they tighten it up you kind of come where they broke the code once you break the code you can do what what was that German thing the Enigma grabbed off that so despite all this information though meat still did not know where Lee was going he knew the Confederate Army was moving but where do they go if Lee does put yourself in the position of George Meade he doesn't have a crystal ball Robert Lincoln's going to the West that's true but we're good to be going what did he do during the Gettysburg Campaign yes he could cross over the Blue Ridge into the Shenandoah Valley and it could easily do once again what he had done at Gettysburg use that Avenue as a conduit up into the door so meat is kind of hedging here he doesn't know exactly what leaves intentions are and so he's got it figured out so me decided to cross the Rapidan and find out so he's gonna be moving his army down through here all right sending him out Union cavalry and signal stations were able to ascertain that Lee was moving around the right flank the Union right Franklin main had no choice but to fall back across the Rapidan and abandoned Culpepper why because when leaves even would meet went south when Meade went south toward orange right in here there were no Confederates to find Lee's army is already over here in this area see what he's gonna do he's going around now meets got to get back across the Rapidan which is not as easy as just driving across the bridge people we're probably talking about I don't know four or five thousand wagons something like that maybe who knows a lot so he falls back across the Rapidan and sends his cavalry out he stands an October Union cavalry is going to October 10th Union cavalry come here for 4th river they met little opposition because League was already moving to the west and the way through federal forces further to the west another Cavalry Division under Judson kill pattern was already under attack from Stuart's cavalry Joe Patrick fell back toward a city called Oh reinforcements in the form of the 120th New York poor souls got some infantry out there in support over and the 211 Empire State been deployed to meet stewards two Confederate brigades cavalry brigades but second Manassas I need to do a second Manassas program I get but if you ever studied second Manassas John Polk's Army was in this area and if you look at the fingers where the rapid hand and the Rappahannock are right here what leaves original plan before there was the second Manassas campaign was to attack the Union Army this way from west to east and what's he going to do he's going to drive that Union army back into this into these two fingers right here and crush them well when Meade and the Bristow campaign crosses over the Rappahannock that's unbelievable to happen he wanted to bring in the battle and those fingers right there but that didn't happen made was to sweat on of course this is not sitting well and Washington though to say the least so October 11 meet his ordered orders the Ottomans were tumbling back across the Rappahannock the withdrawal of the Union forces freed the town of Culpepper from occupation and Lee himself inadvertently entered town playing the role of liberating GDP one holder later reportedly in front of generally chided the younger ladies of the town for hanging around with you in general job and at Union General John Sedgwick's headquarters he reportedly responded when the when the older lady called out the younger ladies is solely after believe it he said young ladies if the music is good go in here as often as you can and enjoy yourselves you will find the general sentiment will have none but agreeable a gentleman about I was just there too by the way when I went down to Lexington I got a guy was sitting there thinking that said I always go singly summer home hopping that they didn't know where it was he said right cross street mile I think next day I jumped in the car went out to little your Springs or somewhere like that and that's where just paint I don't know the exact site of this picture was today we had to get Gary attendant here but I got to see the house we live across the street he was Lycett I would hope we get in here you go I'm sorry go over there they had hangar while the tall beverly stared into the fact that me to escape across the compare chiefdom was now faced a lot of poor people was now faced with three choices he could remain in place where he was to the west of meetings army he could take up position south of the Rappahannock River which is basically a called pepper where means arm it was or he could retreat back across the Rapidan and closer to his supply bases but you basically where he Li was originally or he could keep going what do you think he did he kept going because he can't what people he had the initiative forward forward forward in a nutshell meanwhile meet still cannot discern what these intentions are Washington was hollering at him on the Telegraph to find out how it urged attack and wrote quote Lee is unquestionably bully Alec also wrote of instead of if you want to find out where to leave why don't you go and attack I'm sure you'll find out there's nothing like that and you gotta read this I wish I'd written it out for you meeting snaps back at him that he needed he appreciated his unsolicited impatient and the Halleck is in a bad position because if he orders preemptively if it does this before is being poured in something happens to me whose fault is it however Lincoln whoever does it the only problem though is lead what how I wants me to do and not be done because lead was not between the Rapidan and the Rappahannock Lee's army by the time these messages are sent between how underneath the Confederate Army is all the way up here towards so you can see that now Rappahannock River hears Meade's army at this point here's robert e lee who has the longer route the Confederates have the longer route all right but look at this look at this the Confederates at this point or behind the Union Army there's your opportunity right there me did not realize this predicament until Cal cavalry commander David Gregg sent a tardy note during the evening the instantly reversed course again but could he out March lead to Washington that's the key things meanwhile the Confederate side young mules corps coalesced around warriors you'll score only marched eight miles on October 13th before entering Warrenton and 9 a.m. in the morning it probably got up at 2 something like that of course he could have marched much further you see what a main look at warranted look at that railroad where their objective is what if you'll keeps marching all right but he doesn't here was the golden opportunity these forces were in a prime position to attack means flank or move between the Union Army and Washington but at this point some people argue this is the crux of the whole Bristow campaign the Confederate quartermaster Department failed the army lead allows the army to go into camp because he had to resupply the wagon trains couldn't keep up with the demand and the railroads come bringing up supplies down to orange to supply the wagons to get them up the warrant and to keep his army moving and you may ask why didn't he live off the land all of this land in here yeah I wouldn't say uninhabitable but you it is it is unfeasible for an army to occupy northern Northern Virginia because of what it's already been stripped it's already been stripped probably they had eaten up a lot of well I always say you know if you're a farmer well if I was a farmer why would I would would be why would I want to go replant some corn in the middle of no man's land you know what's gonna happen to it I mean I wouldn't waste the time so it's just desolate so Lee has to stop this would not be second Manassas all over least stopped instead of marching on the Union front he didn't know the exact location of Lee's forces but he was wise enough to know the lead was on this flank and that's not good me who ordered the Union Army to make the forced march through the night the union's army axis of advance was the orange notes and rear railroad we needed more information so here's the two on the left of the map here's the two Confederate Corps right here here is infantry quarters and say here's this Calvary Corps under Jeff's story in this area and so if in the Civil War if you're an army commander you want information than you have to do what you send out the cavalry and so eat order Jeff Stewart or riot east behind the Union Army and return with intelligence Stewart took a division of cavalry Plus once for Lomax's Brigade we entered itíd the orange and Alexandria Kappa stations remember Catholic status right that's where it's you lead capture John Pope's of headquarters and Clyde right remember that Stewart's laying on the ground and Fitzhugh goes behind the big oak tree he comes back out but John Polk dress-code Oh storefront of Richmond Stewart's it backward to leave that he felt the Army of Northern Virginia had a good chance to get an army of Atomics rear if AP Hill's Corps was up after sending the message Stuart Road further eastward so roughly approximately Stuart is going to be in this area he gets down to here in this general area he sees the opportunity he sees Union infantry up here he sees a wagon train running through here well there it is right there he sees the wagon train running through here and he's like okay boss you here's your opportunity so Stuart continues to ride further eastward as man soon came to the important crossroads of Arbor Stuart detached loans Lomax's Brigade to watch this here while he pushed further east with the rest of his division consumed Lomax sedan disturbing message back that blinky fridge his 3rd Corps had come up and pushed Lomax's command away from our Stuart didn't received even more startling news warned second Corps was coming up also Stuart didn't see them initially and so what basically has happened here legs is that Stewart comes through here through Oliver before the Union infantry come through and once he gets on the other side of all word the Union the second and third floor come up through here and when the 2nd and 3rd Corps come up behind me and Lomax is pushed away from Auburn the Stewart is effectively what he's cut off the Robert II link we've literally cut off the robbery yeah yeah when the 3rd Corps came up Lomax fell back from Auburn the road is secured his route to get back early Stewart was still trapped with his two remaining brigades he decided to return west toward offer and quote until my whereabouts impossible from the enemy so I don't know if you're in the arcane Civil War places but my friend that wrote the book Rob Morrison we did all these draft when he was writing that book we were out riding through here obeying the law of course and we're driving down and we went out we took this picture here's the ravine I said I'm sorriest but all I get for you how many pictures of grass that you have to your house don't stop so if you think about it in the remain Stewart is literally don't put two Confederate cavalry brigades in here and he's gonna he's gonna hide it there Stewart did sent out you can imagine the pressure that's on Jeff Stewart he sends out five riders in the night to find robert e lee to tell him what's happened to him Stewart's men settled in for a long night and the Federals in some cases were less than a hundred fifty yards away when they had with a you know Stewart had a few wagons with him I guess where the blue didn't supplies they positioned a man at the head of every team of mules that he had with him and the Confederate soldiers would write about no it's hard to keep quiet I don't know if you've ever dealt with you before no I will say that Joe but if you now if you think about it you can't keep them you'll quiet so every brain by that mule in the middle of the night the Confederates are sitting there and they're just pucker up because any you know any one person fine to them cook their toast because I don't know if you realize this but Stewart can't get away from here because he's stuck here he stuck between both oh man in here all right so we can't go this way they can't go this way one of those five riders gets through to robert e lee and he comes in and you can imagine that that scout coming up to robert e lee's hateful words and he was i don't know who he spoke to first probably chief of staff walker Taylor but usually how to work a marshal and anyway he was once he has said he got an urgent message for the general from Stewart he was shot right into the leaves tent and Lee hurt him out four o'clock in the morning and he's telling to leave this imagine leaf sitting on the edge of his fully dressed he's sitting there and the courier delivers this message and Lee is like you know can you imagine get woke up at 4:00 in the morning little active campaign to tell you that your entire core division and I should say of competitor calories cut off from your army Lee that's not that's not good news the Scout proceeds to go outside and Lee didn't say anything to count was that surprising we've talked about Robert Elia thousand times Lee doesn't discuss army intelligence with Scouts or spies Harrison for offenders doesn't doesn't will not talk to you talk to him doing a scallop those outside and the scallops impression was that Lee was not taking his message seriously and he goes outside and scarves discussing Stewart's predicament with someone leaves staff officers and robert e lee hit the roof he came out as reading up a picture everything he came out of his tent and dressed down that scout for revealing army intelligence even though it was to his own staff off now you know Lee Lee could have a quick temper on him but he puts the recovered his equilibrium and he eventually apologized to the Scout and decided for dinner his name gentlemen would the personal toll of the campaign though was beginning to show at least a meter all right how we're gonna get Jeff Stewart out of here Lee's going to dispatch you'll score in order to bail out Jeff Stewart so here's to do it and here's the Romanian he's trapped here this is known as coffee hill I don't think it's labeled right here but the Union Army has to come through here so I don't know how to describe it to you but where you see Stewart this is it just seems like it's a big going it's hard to see because there's a lot of woods in there so it's hard to get a sense of the terrain but it's a very low ground where's where Stewart is in this area what you'll wants to do what Lee won't you is to come here and create a diversion or a demonstration to attract the federal attention to allow an opportunity for Jeff Stewart to get out of there unfortunately for Richard you'll win and Jeff Stewart you'll and Stewart weren't on the same page when you'll starts his demonstration bang-bang-bang starts make the noise and so forth the Confederates start shooting Stewart doesn't sense an escape he instead it senses a trap a potential trap for the Union forces and so literally if you can imagine this that Union forces is literally half their fighting Ewell's infantry and all of a sudden seven of Stewart's horse artillery pieces open up behind them in some cases within 300 yards and had no idea they were there and literally Union soldiers would face about start shooting behind them at that point well the problem with the whole plan attracting the Union forces here is that you'll doesn't know he's supposed to be tracking everybody only Stewart knows that you see a lot of couples you ever had that Stuart therefore is not Jules not gonna push it Stuart's not gonna get any support and Stuart is going to have to ride out of there the important thing you need to know about this action oh it's just like Gettysburg you want to know what Bristow station is going to happen it's going to happen because of this moment right here when Jeff Stewart escapes ladies and gentlemen he can't ride to the north and to the west to go directly to robert e lee he has to ride turn around and ride to the south which takes it back the cross and completely in the opposite direction from lee's army and although you've never heard this story before but what does robert e lee not have in front of him now who doesn't have the cavalry the eyes and the ears though so the lead is effectively like Gettysburg he's blinding him a Stewart gets out of touch with his commanders all right Stewart's actions were L well intended but you know they took him out of action for his part Luther K Warren thought it was time to get the second corn is 225 wagon train the heck out of Dodge he later recorded quote to hawk was to awaken annihilation therefore he had the second Corps mark east and the rest of along with to join the rest of the army the Potomac now Wharton oh I'm over here if here's captain station here's all over there yet right there see how you'll is going to come down here he's going to break off the two divisions are going to come down here they're going to create the demonstration at Harbor right here and then Jeff Stewart doesn't have it on this map it's going to ride this way all the way around effectively out of there well Lauren is going to do is he was on the outside what Warren is afraid of with the Union second Corps is that hill and you'll are going to count them what did that say earlier you're going to beat a superior enemy yes did what you had to destroy the piecemeal okay so he's thinking Warren is thinking he's vulnerable to that so what Warren does is he takes this road and he entered I see you can see it right here the inner dikes the our genetics and rear railroad and he starting to bring up the rear the army in the deponent he swung further to the east away from the Confederacy ordered is saving now he successfully makes it that with their to the owene but the second Corps literally marching on the frost eyes were made good time crossing cattle run about two miles south of Brisco station should be at the right hand side of your map you cross there about two miles south about 1:30 on the afternoon of October 14 Lee's pursuit continued if hill could reach the ona railroad first in other words the Union Army is crossing over here their goal is here's Manassas Junction on the far right of the map leads objective is to get to the heights of central which is right north of Manassas I don't know if you go there and study that terrain but it's a higher the Union already had earthworms built right there pretty neat area if you can duck and dodge around all the development there's some pretty cool sights it's what you're not going up to the duck and dodge around the developer leaves objective is to get astride this rare Rover for Warren care because they couldn't ride the railroad if he cuts off more from the rest of the army at the time but what can he do that becomes the new objective look at how the campaign is going on mobile all right AP Hill's Corps let the advanced or bristow on the warrants and Turnpike hills men soon turned on the Greenwich Rhode Hill border his wagon train to remain behind the pace quickened even further nearing Bristow Hills men gathering up a hundred fifty stragglers from the from the third quarter and saw a much dead tree dentists from the retreating Union Army should put words in their camp for them Hills perception the Union Army what does he think he just grabbed some stragglers he's saying all this trash what do you see from a fleeing army [Music] right I left the place in Oxford one night ahead lighten the load then run fast well I didn't run fast I like I said though we had a friend the Union Army was hard pressed and lean out have a chance to catch them in motion about a mile west of Bristow Gillis five and sprawling Union encampment before him and it was George Sykes fifth Corps can sing that one now what you need to know is fifth Corps second chord fifth chord is in front of the second Corps all right neither thing I need a demonstration Jules bomb you know Mon there stand right there just face that way all right now his face that way so I'm a sec before she's fit for this is what means orders are in order to keep the army from getting spread out if she is at point B and I'm the point aide that what's supposed to happen is she cannot move until I reach point B once the head of my column reaches point B then she can move forward but what it does what mean is doing is keeping his course with in supporting distance of each other does that make sense he doesn't want to spread out thank you the tardy George he not like because there is going to be invariably gaps between the two lines Sykes is sitting at Bristow stations and she'll see him with math in just a second and he's in camp waiting on Warren to come up with the second quarter Sykes had several messages warning Warren to hurry up whoa the longer you delay the more they can bring against you and if Lee's army is on your left to core are little better than one soon after a group of horsemen appeared on the ona railroaded one staff officer recorded Sykes was happy as Christmas morning without verifying if Warren had arrived Sykes gave the order for the fifth Corps to take up the march basically leaving in the second core out to dry he took off too early William Howe who shows Confederate artillery battalion soon arrived and gave the fifth force and parting shots which led to some confusion in the Union ranks whereas ap Hill do you'll decides to attack with each division at once here we go battle briefs no station basic geography writing here here's the fifth Corps up at the top of the map that's where they're in camps the Confederates objected this bristow station which is right here to the center of the map the Confederates are coming down any Hill scores I said earlier is coming down the grand road they inspire the fifth Corps right here these are just think my work or if there's higher ground right here good core is a lower ground they sit up here I think this is a us nails place now they start shelling the fifth Corps and Sykes is going to move on halt well guess what here comes Hill here comes the second Corps this is not happening these Union troops are not here yet if the Confederates moves fast enough what are they going to be able to do mammal to cross right here that sets up Bristow so the 5th chord moving away now heat the point along the milford road facing the fifth quarry sent John an hour coax Brigade south of the road William W kirklands north carolinians north of the road Andrew Walker small Brigade extended or attempted to extend the line to the left of Kirkland dick Anderson's division stood in reserve Cook's Brigade and only recently joined the Army of Northern Virginia and was the largest Brigade in the Army as a result of missing the Gettysburg Campaign Kirkland's command was the former brigade of Jake Johnson Pettigrew you came to that winter lecture what was it after Gettysburg or some point I shouldn't have to tell you all of it I don't need to go into the horrific losses suffered here by Pettigrew of Gettysburg however Pettigrew's over again here's contributed for y'all have been augmented by the 44th North Carolina a regiment that was an immigrant aid here at Gettysburg so that's how they repealed the numbers that had loosed regiment they put it in the new game they bolsters a North Carolinians numbers back up this edition made up for some of the losses Walker's Brigade was the remnants of I finally I'm happy to report that I finally know how to pronounce having gone to Lexington Virginia there is a family a lot of as I used to say broken rows there and I said how do you pronounce his name I say rock the brown bro etc he says no I don't even know what you're talking about the uh he said the Logan was pronounced that this southern Elsa don't like he says it's pronounced broken burger you slur the last part of making two R's broken burger we don't go to Rosenberg house now that's a that's a valid interpretation I talk north carolinians pronounced the way but that's the way they do it Rosenberg so anyway walkers brigade is the remnants of broken burrs and find myself right here alexander webs division ever heard al is hander web Union soldiers couldn't seek the confederates but they could definitely hear them went was nervous so we deployed the first Minnesota 59th the gorges seven Michigan from Francis he's how do you say a happy I think the Yankees pronounce that he he's Brigade in skirmish formation parallel to the railroad and it's Brad the flank of cooks Brigade meanwhile the rest of the regiment's double-quick that's the sketch of it to leave the Confederates to the railroad cut ladies and gentlemen its back closed literally the second Corps is marching up the railroad itself and these Confederates are over to their left and they start running to try to get ahead of them that's how hip and tuck it is at this point it's a matter of seconds now as they're double quickened the arrival obviously the arrival of these unexpected Yankees quickly went up the chain of command Nathan Hill ordered pair heat to change the axis of his advance and their results right here see that's why he's turning the original orders this is where he's at fancy he's gonna use the Milford Road is his axis of advance that's not labeled right there and that is why I started wheel because he's got a new rent on the right flank all right upon receiving the order brigade commander Cooke was dumbfounded he sent multiple couriers to be prepared verification instead of one of stand one of Hills staff officers layered and demanded immediate compliance by God I will carry my men in Cooke explained that when I when I am flanked that will face them about and cut my way out Hill's perception is all about perception was that the Union force was the same one the one that was the second chord is threatening his flight now is the same Union force that was retreating in front of him the fifth Corps he thinks they're one people so he thinks this is a routed portion you know arms that make sense he doesn't know what he's going up against a 90 degree we all went as well as could be expected especially on short notice cookin Kirkland made the maneuver but Walker's if he Brigade rockin Berg didn't make it Heath Harry Heath was derelict in this manner because no evidence exists that he did anything to supervise Walker and his new command which he should have been as its weakest commander John our cook bears mentioned this gentleman right here is going to a syrup as george ii used to say all right no political humor born in Missouri raised in Virginia cooks father was Philip st. George cook never had another kid with st. George well they don't retire be all right cooks brother ball this guy's brother-in-law is different order and Phillips st. George cook is going to do what even though he's from Virginia what's unusual to simply review he stayed with the Union Army right and what the Stewart's say about that that's right people regret it but once and that will be continuously this gentleman the Confederate right here John Cooke was not a West one bracket but he finished at Harvard he entered the US military though prior to the war and resigned upon Virginia secession the other brigade commander Kirkland we've done in Kirkland Hill from North Carolina he did attend West Point but dropped out you might ask what do you do when you flunk out of West Point you become an officer in the United States Marine Corps Kirkland came from the 20-person or Carolina that's where he's bumped up it and wounded at first Winchester that's going to be Stonewall Jackson and incapacitated for several months however didn't keep him from acting as the chief of staff from none other than PAC flavor to the Battle of Stones River well he's convalescing after Gettysburg he received the brigade commander now back to the battle once again Kirkland is going to deploy to the north side of the Princeville Road and cook is going to deploy to the south they're using their Road another roads an accident of advance now in rehab Warren is marching up to ona he hears the firing to his left he deploys skirmishers from east Brigade the Confederates react and Heath wills his two brigades to attack him now one of the popular misconceptions of the fight or the Battle of Brisco station is that ap Hill attacked the entire Union second Corps that is not true only the bank guard of the second Corps was on the field at that point so you talk about being in a pickle warren is literally just arriving upon the field and the Confederates are ahead of you they have big nning to the spot in Sykes his left him out to dry okay Webster vision consisting of Heath and James E Milan are going to deploy first seaspar game was deployed the large gap loomed on there right between them and the stream right there Malone's Brigade was in danger of being outflanked by the advancing Carolinians on the left on their left time was of the essence that he'd move fast enough they go Webster brigades before haze division the next one in line is going to come up to support them they must move quickly in order to get this done he's skirmishers were already he even has I don't know how to differentiate that you and I'll say this Union skirmishers were already slowing the red button at all though if they were treated to the railroad cut survivors recalled Union soldiers are called puffs of dirt going up in front of them is their running back toward the railroad in other words the bullets are missing them and hitting the ground in front of them and they can see the money to add to the growing defensive line Warren had three batteries of artillery disposal see if Jove ever heard of this you get smart folks might recognize a few of the names Fred brown and his for Napoleon Bruce rickets and its three inch rifles and William Arnold's three-inch battery also all told where you see this artillery over here at the against the bottom center of the map right here Union SEC the courts going to line up 14 pieces of artillery to oppose these two brigades it's already not good for the Confederacy it was this fire that probably hit brigade commander John cook in the shin bone shattering it into a thousand pieces command of all of them Colonel Hall from the 46 North Carolina but things didn't get any better on the other side of the road either Micro fire took out brigade commander Kirkland too so not only did you lose one you lose both brigade commanders before the onset of the assault and he just can't teach experience can not in a thousand years command and control these super gages by the wayside from the federal perception excuse me from the Confederate perception they were suing the retreating Yankees skirmish line they could not see Webb's two brigades behind the railroad cutter and artillery firing at them appeared to be right for the taking therefore the Confederate line advanced while firing simultaneously one better recall his comrade shouting kill the horses damn you shoot damn you give them hell kill the Gunners kill kill kill I like Apocalypse Now the railroad embankment right here it's hard for me it was explained that the the embankment is deeper on the other side so this perception is if you not understanding the picture the Union artillery is on the hill the Union infantry is behind this embankment is that deep hmm is what I'm trying to convey the Confederates can't see them and so if you can't see any support for the Union artillery worry what are they going to do naturally going to do they're going to go forth and that's what's driving this thing this attack is it goes forward right oh well I had some of those that y'all probably need a little interlude right now my friend Rob and wrote that book he's up you know obviously the he interacts with the rare roses was right by that Martin risk of stating that a railroad man well we have people that I don't know if you've ever seen it but there some people maybe one in here that's sit around on the side of the road and they watch trains you know about people that go to airports now watch the planes well you call them bombers with the railroad men do because every time they come back with the unusual you know rigor engine or whatever they start what you learn when you come to Fresno State sorry that need to be looking right here here come's taste of it at this moment Alexander Hays division says March appeared marching along the railroad his brigades of Owen and Smike again double-quick from the 300 yards of over ground to get to cover the railroad cut the Carolinians shifted their fire to these new targets over was the Lee Brigade and he suffered 80 casualties in the short run across that open space to get to the railroaders bang what's the position he's now for Union brigades quote scented to the forces of the advancing yelling rebels a perfect hurricane of shop at a distance of 200 yards he cooks for game look where cook is he only to the south of the road all right that's the field show you what I'm about to bring to you right here this tree line right here is the railroad Union artillery would have been up here in this general area right back behind it so Confederates are literally charging down through those fences toward their toward that railroad up in cooks Brigade the new brigade commander Colonel Hall was approached by Colonel George Whitfield for the 27th North Carolina Whitfield was asking for orders Hall stated they would have to charge a quick bill set about to execute the orders unfortunately whitfill didn't wait on the rest of the brigade and recklessly charged the head with his loan reg attack they made it to about 70 yards of the federal line and it was a slaughter the rest of cooks Brigade attempted to advance but they were also pinned down shortly after starting and out of 2600 men that started that assault they lost in that field 700 and that advanced right through there to the north of the road switch over here to Kirkland right here Kirkland spur gain had better success the ground was more undulating undulating nobody's impressed also he's forgiving every game right flank does not anchor on broad run so what they've got right here is doesn't show up very well but there's a gap in the line between the stream and them in Kirkland is going to find that gap you don't already see it coming there was a gap between there was a gap in the 11th and 52nd North Carolina founder as Confederates Porter to the railroad cut Browns battery which was on the other side of the street turn their guns upon us a sketch done of Browns battery at the Battle of Bristow now the 19th banging on the other flank turn and open on the door so in other words they get into the gap and here's the North Carolinians and they're getting hammered from across the string by Browns battery and then the 19th Maine about phases and now they're getting hammered here you can't stay there you can't go forward so you can only go backwards so they can't get through there with no cover at the 11th and 52nd North Carolina quickly retreated the 26th North Carolina also had some initial successes over the other you have ever heard of them this Barnard Regiment hit the Union line where the Rope crossed the railroad tracks and the railroad embankment was non-existent in the area all right the 42nd New York or ii ii ii hear you sing that mine what go ahead can watch that what stake dammit right what is what is the what is the distinctness of that mine belly money who said that that's right it's the only three hours to get here by god the 42nd New York and recently defending this area and recently been restocked with conscripts and recruits before the rabble all slop reached in the blue lab broker we'll see that on the monument out there brigade commander Malone feverishly worked to stem the damage and soon a heavy return fire stop the North Carolinians in their tracks and they were really on the north side of the road Princeville Road kirklands Brigade 160 casualties along with the loss of three Confederate battle flag when the fighting died down alone that's him right there wood in search of his good friend Henry Abbott from the 20th Massachusetts Lee despite them his staff protesting Malone insisted on openly walking along the tracks down to the 20th Massachusetts position well guess what happened he got shot a bullet slammed into his stomach and it morally wounded him Malone was the highest-ranking Union officer to die at Christo from the time he'll wheel he's division to the assault to the repulse the elapsed time was around 45 minutes the aftermath reveal quote a slope of the plain over which the hitter recharged cover with killed and wounded and the cries and groans of the ladder or distressing I need to say one thing though before we leave the sketch before this was a part before this it was a battlefield park or everything my friend and I went out here and we uh we took the book out we had this I think's seed of your PT remember that Civil War preservation trust publish this map of all that I have one crystal apparel we went out there we were all hot to trot man we done found a battlefield no well years later we came to realize that when we went out there we had the book he was still in the process of boarding up rig more reinforcements is that surprising you know he wants to do it again when the assault was repulsed you know order for david mcintosh that's him right there battalion of artillery to within six hundred yards of the railroad to cover the assault McIntosh family protested moving his guns up that Plus what is his worst case scenario lose the gun he doesn't have the infantry support he protested he orders a minute anyway upon deploying the Union artillery hammered his new position and when that assault the Kochs infantry retreated through the area that his guns were deployed they swept up Mackintosh's cannoneers with them so now seven Confederate cannons are sitting on top of the hill unmanned and unguarded and this was not I'm sure that the may be on the lower echelon there was no higher ranking officers that were these men but you know the attack is over it was at the stage here the Union soldiers and small squads start leading the railroad embankment and marching up the field making their way up the hill to where those seven guns are and they're going to take the guns and small squads and start rolling them back down where they can get so out of seven Confederate cannons it would be a good time if y'all accordion you gonna pay that go is it that cold in here yes it won't be cold we're going out of the seven guns that are up there they get five of them out of there why didn't they get all seven two of them couldn't be rolled wheels were damaged so they couldn't get them off the field but literally if you can imagine Union infantry dragging these cannons then that's exactly what's happening right there now Hill at this time is bringing upright Anderson's division we say Anderson coming up here my home Saunders and right mighty obviously are familiar with that karna poses Mississippians ever perish Floridians exchange long-range fire with Smith's Union brigade that had advanced slightly forward in pursuit of the retreating Confederates Smith soon retreated back to the railroad the long-range artillery duel opened at this point in the battle related here to Gettysburg karna Posey and his men lie down to avoid this Union counterbattery fire but it was not enough to say Posey personal and Union shell exploded in the piece of shrapnel went into his left thigh although characterized is a minor wound that soon became affected and Posey would die as a result he was the highest-ranking Confederate officer killed that day and he wasn't even in the assault he is now buried at these Terry at UVA don't tell the film fell silent until around six o'clock in the evening when you'll score began to come on the field with Lee's army United there warns entire second corps up the two sides now had approximately 40,000 40,000 and FedEx versus 11,000 for the Union however by the time Early's division of you'll score had deployed at right-angles early awaited Gordon's Brigade the Sun was setting in the attack was called off in the darkness Warren is going to withdraw the second Corps and the Union Army is able to reunite around the central heights in conclusion our up here right here the morning of October 15 1863 found Lee with limited options none of them good he could attack me in central fortifications he does attack the say attacks what does he gain alright so you lose all this blood driving made out of several where's me gonna retreat to Washington what's in Washington defenses so what does he have a game second option Lee could march north again sort of like the Antietam campaign however his supply line was the ona railroad and he was near it doesn't make good resupplies and switch the supply line to the Shenandoah would take time and time is what Lee did not have why it's combined in the third option to leave standing pat in northern virginia the short answer is that a northern virginia couldn't support lee's army it had been too rounded lee did not have the luxury of time to stay in northern virginia they're morally chose to retrieve them across the Rappahannock again and the Bristow campaign comes to the end before we leave here though probably the most famous incident for the Battle of Brisco station is going to occur on the day after the battle have waited for here before leaping bristow robert e lee and AP hill are going to ride the field together well there are several different accounts of the conversation beyond a doubt Lee was not happy the earliest account of what happened one-time account is from William Seymore of Louisiana who recorded this in his diary on October 16th of 1863 quote the general seemed to be in no good humor and casting a glance over the field thickly screwed with dead Confederates sharply rebuking general Hill to send immediately for his Pioneer Corps to bury his unfortunate dad what does the quote usually attributed right there come now general Hill bury these poor men and let us say no more about it general Hill recognized a rebuke in the tone and manner of his commander and Hill Robert E Liz man that he'll never backs down from you ever noticed during the Civil War you did not cross the old man right there you know he'll file court-martial charges as fast as anybody ever did but he doesn't take on the boss dinner he won't recognize the rebuking the tone of manner of his commander and reply quote this is my fault General Lee responded yes it is your fault you committed a great blunder yesterday your line of battle was too short too thin and your reserves were too far behind poor he'll see more finished he appeared deeply humiliated by this speech the Union Army had escaped lead again and all they had to show for it were 560 men lost at Kirkland Brigade and 760 in kids Brigade what did he gain he temporarily through the Union Army back a few miles for a month till they resettle back at November and I guess you could say he relieved central Virginia for a short period of time the opportunity to destroy the Union Army though has slipped through his hands again the proportion about this is where I want you to leave from here I want to go think about it my friend at Bristow says argues which I'm not saying it's right or wrong but he may be right Billy Joel right the Bristow campaign he argues marks last please last offensive now when I was at Petersburg when I started out the Park Service shoot the cannon head hair we had a toga party I was always taller for Stefan that Petersburg was leagues last difference right when lead this is I'm getting off in the weeds but a week before a climatic end of the civil war Lee law launches a counter-offensive my friend argues that Risto the Bristow campaign is the last offensive because this is not an assault he would argue the Petersburg was an assault or diversion this is the last time in the American Civil War that robert e lee's army will march north in an offensive maneuver for the rest he told me there emphasize this and drill it in your head for the rest of the war robert e lee will be reacting to his opponent and that is what he says according in his opinion he gives the importance of the Bristow campaign i am happy to report in in true northern virginia manner they were slated to make the Bristow battlefield pictures I showed you into a develop what they worked out in Prince William County where this battlefield exists Manassas and so forth and I'm not saying his picture perfect but and I would love to have the whole battle but what they did was they they swapped the developer x-amount cooks for charge where kirklands brigade was on the north side of the road is actually in good shape sort of kind of it is owned by a church which has a cemetery on I'm not saying it covers the whole plain though whatever the church is willing to to sell possible if they can relocate but it can I don't know where it stands but can the secret Civil War Trust come up with the money that's going to be there on some prime real estate but a lot of houses on that right there is undeveloped right there so actually you know where the where the Confederates momentarily broke through the claim is still there is good or bad but it's now a forest where it was the plane back in 1863 hopefully one day that will be uncovered I have never walked to the north side road so when you go to the Risto station you only see the south side these are one more if you will ladies and gentlemen one more cheap in the story as we cover robert e lee's career and hopefully i think i got our figure enough of 47 I think I'll be oh will I be with him girls graduate that's who the Dukes be one thank you whoever said that I think by the time I think we've got 15 more years together so hopefully by that time we can probably finish the American civil [Applause] [Applause] versus the compare losses for the battle itself there they're about equal actually but most of the Confederate excuse me that most of the Union cavities are coming from prisoners because you could imagine how many when Jordan me makes you do a horse March at night you remember that and you have to double-click up a bunch of railroad ties you're barely going to have stragglers and when you have the straggling going on then the competitors are going to what it will sweep them up yes 560 and 712 hundred right there no I wouldn't say I would imagine the unions were probably about 1200 I'd say they're probably lost maybe two three hundred members yes I die based on nothing I'm just saying you know attacking versus defending forces and you know the comparators just they can they your questions very good but let me tell you what I don't know I don't know what exactly the message was that the Scout deliberately the discount for instance say I want you I won't general I want you to create a diversion so I didn't escape or did he say did you just send a message saying I'm trapped and it was left to lead the design in the plan I mean I have to I have to figure that that Stuart did not send the message saying okay you hit him from the front now hit her from the rear I just can't imagine that you could ever try to for me with something he tried to do off Spurr phone I'll say this because only the hardcore people are left now but if you ever look at if you ever look at Jeff Stewart that's really that's pulling up to seven guns that Auburn is his MO Stewart Stewart heaven has a lot of great qualities to it but he he consistently throughout the war jumps the gun if you go to seven days campaign and you look at Edmondson Heights which is when McClellan reaches the James River here the Confederates had a position where they overlooked McClellan's supply Cameron what's he do Stewart gets up there first he just can't help himself he opens up with a couple guns goes off and what does Jeff still do he gets up there the Confederates are almost ready to enter by him and cut off a portion of John Polk's retreating army after second Manassas no one gets there first off the way he does it again at Auburn here where he alerts them and so but that's what he does I think he's Oh gasps Burt what's he do it's a bear start banging away people think signals it may have been a signal I don't know whatever but his demo it fits his MO to get up here just start banging away with Arthur yeah that would've liked Warren Warren has good reason to be born as a pessimist I know we well-beloved here guess bourbon he know weird dude you get outside of Gettysburg hug if you think Jeff Stewart is not out fun and because the Confederate cavalry is not out front that's what's going to make Bristow station roll all right that's what's gonna make it happen constants and what is AP Hill's emmos aggressiveness and so when he wills each division into the attack then that's then then you know it's part of course he's reacting quickly you know can you imagine being AP hill the poor bloke and he gets I don't know he's figured it out yeah what he's heard about Gettysburg but he gets up here he's blamed for precipitating a battle being too aggressive and so forth not waiting on the rest of the army and so forth and then he gets up here to Bristow he doesn't darn same thing again you know he just pitches right on in there and gets it done or doesn't get it done it's a lot of people killed yes sir one strike and my question is have had the Union military intelligence decline since Gettysburg and they served very well well it may be a different answer I don't know this I'm brainstorming off my head if I remember correctly he thought he had leave had 100,000 didn't think he was 50/50 here at Gettysburg so if he leaves if he reads the newspapers and he says he sees that the Richmond newspapers reporting the Confederates are saying 23,000 casualties during the during the Gettysburg Campaign you take a hundred verses 23 probably the Union intelligence doing and you're getting down to the 70s whatever strictly putting it so we probably subtracted the Gettysburg numbers and then you know I don't know why he had that street though if he had those figures of mind still doesn't really the Mack them work out because he hadn't know Longstreet was play from there and that's what Halleck and Lincoln they're saying lisa has weakened his army by 1/3 you're sitting there now is the opportunity to strike and meat is like oh you know no i yeah you're always fighting the battle with it yes yes right and you have been trying to do something been distracted you know have you ever really seriously wanted to accomplish something really seriously had somebody chirping in your ear the whole she tried that hair if you if you think about it I think George Meade would like to launch an offensive but when you go up against property when you're doing what you're constantly thinking about what he's going to do because that's the type generally remember we ran that scene in the wilderness where grant is frustrated for that Union General did his name rides up to him and says I know what Lee's gonna do he's gonna come storming in our rear any second now grant turns around said why don't we worry about what we're gonna do you know indeed bless his hardest is thrust into a situation where Lee knows I don't think I said it's Lee knows from the northern newspapers that the Union Army has had two years into the war a lot of enlistments that run up and leads smart enough to know that those lists they're gonna be back the old conscripts or better yet they're not gonna be backfield at all but regardless the quality of the soldier is going to go down which is true for both sides the longer the war goes on the worse the quality as a whole on that same you still going to give one or two now Pinkerton wasn't I didn't mention his name but they still have the same basically the same cavalry set up that they did here it get against force of Pleasanton is in charge and Pleasanton is just not as we know it sharp we all hatred but yeah well Pinkerton was you know I mean if you have the same basic people give you the same information they're gonna have let me say it a different way I don't want to head ahead to take insane this so don't walk out of here saying that this is the gospel true but I'm just just a what if for you right here what means just afraid of it I mean if you look at the past history going up against though Bob's not good for your career well that's true I don't think he wasn't wanted I'm not saying he's a coward whatever if you step into a ring with somebody you're worried about intent that you probably shouldn't be in there maybe I'll do this next winter okay how about I take how about it don't remind me I'll do the second half of this which is I don't know what I'll do if I because there's no real battle in it but make that a little new mine run me actually does assume the offensive after the two armies retreat back to where nowhere aren't you in Orange County our courthouses and on cocoa and so me renews the offensive again and tries to get around we much like you did I might add this I didn't throw this into the lecture because I already had enough but need before all this started in Lincoln was own need to to get an offensive poem may need actually petitioned white this is the problem with Washington's controlled everything me petitioned Washington to swing his supply line from the armed Adele is Andrea over to Fredericksburg further to the east which is you know from the desert war history have been done several times Burnside in the biggest example when granny doesn't grant takes command he advances in Virginia Fredericksburg will become his basis he doesn't use though a day like that it's ironic that grant gets what he wanted in the first place but me what I don't know what needs plan was agree every got that far but that's what he wanted to do with himself he felt the handicapped or hogtied by the by the by the bureaucracy up there it's around this time though the blinking stars figure now he should about yes approximately you know and this relates to it when the 12th and 11th Corps were moved okay so he sees lose you know a lot of true there what is the time frame that is that like over after a few weeks every because they're going down to relieve Thomason yes and they ended up staying there for the rest of the war the the 11th and 12th Corps are dispatched at the end of September beginning of October okay right before the Bristow campaign they arrived in time I have to check my chat Anu I'm not up on my chat in the battlefield Booker took Lookout Mountain sheared in the share Sherman what is that that no but talk about the end oh he'll the purpose let me back up a little bit I don't know if I have to see don't know Italy knew that the 11th or 12th Corps had left but part of this movement north if they haven't led or it is if they left or not left part of the purpose of him moving like this is to keep anybody else with Lee okay regardless of that you know because he doesn't want any more reinforcements down he actually tried if you think about it it's not only 1862 campaign but if you want Bristow in there was a small Confederate command in West Virginia you've got brag but seeking the army the Union Army in Chattanooga Lee is trying to do 62 again where you get fall a full plethora of Confederate offensive across a broad spectrum like he did in 62 it's just not as well orchestrated as 62 and then time out it's the same time of the year more questions I'll get you one set and I'll click seat so we said or during the lecture you said that lead was left essentially line by being crap did the same thing happen in Gettysburg but we know we had other cavalry many of you didn't have other cavalry that he could use that is a good question apparently not I would point out in this specific instance of Bristow station that if you recall we're getting to the lecture ap Hill is on that it's on the outside of the arc is come in and you'll has it aside all right so if you wonder if your cavalry would be over here what cavalry have will be with you because fuel is in theory for mom the campaign will not ears but for most of the campaign he is the one closest to the Union Army all right so you take away the three grenades that are lost in our or run out of the theater of operations and then what he had left is probably not in front of Hill because he'll in lady's eyes is following you'll but for whatever reason probably Robert isin this you have to look at it closer I have to look at it close the Calvary is not not not advancing in front of him but did he'll ever worry about that I'm gonna go back to Gettysburg London Paul what's a beginner yes in your description of Lee and his I kill at the end of the battle yeah it seemed like it was not just maybe angry at the battle but then he had kind of a larger view that this was going to be maybe one of his last chances to fight an offensive war going northward was there somebody in the north at the same time who was also able to kind of perceive this I mean or you mean you mean perceived that this was leaves last offensive yeah no no I think I think - I don't want this mist upon you no ma'am robert e lee obviously knows how many many gasps he's got a better ballpark figure of the Union Army than the Union Army does of his forces we've already been over the thing I like about Bristow or if you go into this I mean Robert leaves out a number about 30,000 and hesitated you know a lot of people you know they think of how many generals from both sides will create an excuse that it couldn't live and what does robert e lee do that's pure audacity right there I won't like you saying that but that's the pure audacity whichever side you're on here I guess better on the grant has around 120,000 men and robert e lee on may 5th has around for me and because Longstreet is not with the army yet he's got around 60 but 20 years field attack and grants coming through the wilderness trying to get past those mines run fortifications that Lee's in without getting bogged down in that bar right there and Robert II lead with three to one odd goes straight down Turnpike the arch plank road nails right in the middle of the wood and start fighting with right there oh you'll come out of the moment man they fit them mules coming down the road staff officer rides up you will go I don't know what are yours I can't do you'll spit squeaky voice because it's just the orders I like to advance down this road find the enemy and attack them I mean that's that's how I was this order to myself there you go you know it's just when it said to Rory at least yes oh yeah the most famous account I can't quote it to you all the top surface the most famous account and I've told people that I've used this in the home life you talk about how Abraham Lincoln impacts you with the modern world this is how it impact me Lincoln wrote a letter to me and after he was assassinated it was found in his desk and it said something on it like unsent that was after Gettysburg and for this battle Oh laughter I thought you were safe Esther oh yes he does say a lot but by this time he's translating through Halleck and so what ends up happening is after Bristow the Bristow campaign me basically is forced into going on that offensive based upon you know his own personal how would you say it career is at stake because the bureaucracy in Washington is tired of Lincoln just hired and he receives a predatory yes sir during the Gainsbourg campaign it seemed that link was under a lot of political pressure yeah because I know we wanted to capitalize on destroying the Union Army and you have a decisive victory in the North post Gettysburg is leaking freed up a little bit more after the victory there and you know is he under the same pressure they went through him to surrender or so you want to know if Lincoln is or is he's still under pressure from yeah like because well the North does not know cannot foresee they can win the war because I know it so Gettysburg it is generally known as the turning point but we know that and I say that as a hindsight is twenty-twenty thing sure you know Gettysburg becomes important in them I think it was important at the time and then was definitely important to them because the first big victory they had things but on the other hand it was they still can't see it in cycle because latest games across the Potomac right and that's pretty green and that's when linking his frustrate he brings grant east because you can't get the army to attack and we all know I don't need to go into Lee versus grant but needless to say grant gets them to attack but in the in Grant's I don't know this is defense or but in defense of every other Union general for grant grant can't get him to attack in unison either you know I don't know how you blow an order say we're all going to attack at 10 o'clock okay I mean your watch might be 5 10 minutes off I mean we don't have to start on the same second but you know if we're attacking at 10 o'clock that's hard to do the hard to mess up you would think but they they just cannot get the Army of the Potomac is just an unwieldy animal never is narrator but the Machine that didn't run very well just want to do that kind of like the Confederate Army in the West yes how fast was Sykes going north but even if you don't wear it well I didn't had this the Sykes actually is ordered by me to backtrack I didn't get into that but Fox gets up there he says you know meet up in Central contains guns going off the Bristow and it needs like you know it's not verbatim but he's like st. George what are you doing here you know shouldn't you be helping him and then Sykes is a sports to return but by the time finish back in total darkness he heat home Lee had an opportunity you know crystal ball and everybody knew everything you know like the poker analogy I gave you last night he knew what he do when he know it or he knew what an angry so Sykes is not is not going to be destined for this morning much longer for whatever reason I've never stated I've never you know he's not a prominent character but he himself personally tonight so I've never really looked into Sykes Hermes well meat was neither you know if you take away the letters of leads wife which we have but we didn't have that I mean and thank God for the relationship they had meeting his wife or hit with her name with margarita they had such a tight a sort of reminds me of John Adams and Abigail you know he was table good lesson for you too they were and he was they were able to openly express as producers their opinions at one time and may be riding her saying well you know Bobby Lee you literally wrote this to the white consider Bobby got the best of me mister about the Bristow you know he'll pour out his actual with his natural feelings it's real food and white the iron demeanor you see up on yeah I think it's made me son writes a book about the life and letters of Germany a lot of that with a great incentive moment the all-star talking you know much about hold an intelligent conversation hey sincerely I want to thank y'all for coming out for such an [Applause]

Channel: Chris Walters

Views: 26,835

Keywords: Matt Atkinson, Gettysburg National Military Park, Bristoe Station, Civil War

Id: 4NB7k_Ymt28

Length: 118min 53sec (7133 seconds)

Published: Mon Feb 11 2019