The Bloodiest Battle of the Civil War

in July 1863 two armies faced off on a piece of farmland that's come to be known simply as Gettysburg the battle that followed was the deadliest of the Civil War one of only two fought on northern territory and certainly one of the most historic for Civil War reenactors Gettysburg is especially sacred ground these men with their period perfect muskets and blue flannel coats are members of the 150th New York infantry back on July 2nd 1863 members of this same regiment made up of volunteer farmers and mill workers arrived in Gettysburg it was to be their first battle by then the War Between the States had already been devastating the south for more than two years Confederate General Robert E Lee stationed in Virginia had decided it was time for the north to feel some of that pain so in late June he split his men into groups and sent them all north to Pennsylvania to the East Union forces acting as a buffer between the Confederates and the US Capitol in Washington DC were hot on their heels finally on July 1st Lee's units began to converge in the federal forces in the town of Gettysburg the battle that followed raged for three days on the afternoon of July 2nd it arrived here at the Rose family's front door their small farm soon became the center of a nation defining conflict and it was in their wheat field but a key moment in the battle unfolded for two bloody hours 20,000 men charged back and forth across this land as each side tried to claim it as its own their brutal hand-to-hand combat left 6,000 of them dead or wounded survivors would call the wheat field a whirlpool of death more died here at a nearby hill already known as Devil's Den the commanding colonel of the 150th New York infantry later described his troops bravery my men rallied to the front in double-quick time not a man faltered or displayed the least cowardice this regiment was never before under fire and for the coolness and courage displayed on this occasion the men are entitled to the highest praise the Union Army was too powerful for the Confederates on July 4th Independence Day Lee and his rebels retreated back into Virginia the tide of the war had been turned in the union's favor for good the South would never again threaten the north

Channel: Smithsonian Channel

Views: 143,609

Rating: 4.7493186 out of 5

Keywords: landmarks, battles, air, pennsylvania, space, america, Vacation, Travel, lincoln, Gettysburg, aerial, War, vacation

Id: FcGA-JNcpRI

Length: 3min 14sec (194 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 02 2012