Walking Pickett's Charge | History Traveler Episode 144

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One of the greatest thrills of my life was participating in the movie "Gettysburg" and stepping off with 3,000 other reenactors on the actual battlefield. We advanced from Seminary Ridge as far as the Emmitsburg road. Ted Turner pulled some strings, I'm sure, to get permission but it was the lure that brought thousands of us for this once-in-a-life-time event. When the artillery began to fire the realism was awesome. When we advanced I'm sure I wasn't the only man who wondered how anyone truly expected to survive that long march to the small clump of trees.

No one can watch these vids and not appreciate the brilliance of storytelling backed up by deep knowledge.

I walked Pickett's Charge (from Seminary Ridge to Cemetary Ridge) with my daughter's 6th grade class about 15 years ago. It was a warm day in May. I can't imagine what it was like on July 3rd with the heat, smoke and a battle raging. Thanks for doing this entire series, JD -- it has been epic.

My son and I spent 6 days during the 30 June - 5 July 2006 after he graduated from the Air Force Academy. We went to all the local museums, a ghost tour, drove with a ranger for a guided tour and of course watched the battle with re-enactments. Then walked all over the battlefield. We had ancestors that fought on both sides of the conflict. Mostly cousins against cousins. But one instance of brothers fighting each other. I had been several times but this was Stephen’s first time. We spent 2 weeks visiting 7 different battlefields from Vicksburg, all through Virginia to Gettysburg. It was an amazing experience.

They were, both Yankee and Confederate, our countrymen, my bretheren. That so many were sacrificed on this field saddens me deeply. I think of those who have shed blood in service to the United States, and hope they consider my service worthy.

I walked that exact same path in 1996 in full Confederate uniform and as a Carolina man took pictures of me at that NC monument. It is unbelievable how any man could even reach that close to the enemy line with the massive lead pouring into them. The carnage was beyond belief. Their bravery was beyond measure.

As an Australian, to walk the battlefield's of the civil war has been a dream of mine since i was a young fella.

I made this walk about 25 years ago by myself. I felt like I could see the battle all around me. The men that made this "walk" must have been unbelievably brave. To be able to make yourself do what these men did is nothing short of superhuman.

"General Lee, I don't think this is a good idea, I don't want to go." I don't think there would have been anyone that brave. I stood at the top of the wall and thought, 'That's just crazy!" Brave, brave men, enormous sacrifice.

General Armistead had to know he was taking his last breath when he held his hat up and charged. These Gettysburg videos have been very moving. Nice work👍

I've walked that field and after doing so I could understand why Pickett hated General Lee. Pickett's men were sent into a complete massacre. That Hallowed Ground I'll never walk on again. 🙏

I just found your videos today JD. My great grandfather ,Stephen Wilkins ,was in The Iowa 7th regiment. He fought in 180 scrimmages and battles during the 4 years he fought. He was hit in the hand by a musket ball in battle at Corinth. He had 2 fingers shot off but wrapped his handkerchief around his hand and continued to fight on.. He was among the Iowa regiment that did not retreat at Shiloh and defeated the southern troops there that held the line for the union army at Shiloh. Other Union army units fled in fear of a huge attack by Confederate troops that tricked them into thinking they had many more troops than they actually had.. He battled 4 years and returned home. I have his discharge papers. He died at 93 years old but always wore his civil war medal on his suitcoat with such pride. I SUBSCRIBED to you today with hopes of learning so much more about these battles his Iowa unit fought in. You are doing an amazing job gand great service to us.... the surviving members of those civil war soldiers. God bless you. ⚘🙏⚘

I walked that most "IMHO" place.... I broke down in a weeping and sobbing manner. It was 10+ years ago and still as I think of that field.... It sends me too my knees

I can only imagine the feeling of walking out of the trees knowing what is about to happen…I hear Ken back to the movie Gettysburg when Armistead talks to the French ambassador and says these men would make this charge with no officers…true courage

Thank you for showing the 11th Mississippi Infantry statue. I recently discovered that so many soldiers in that unit shared my mother's maiden name which is not a common name (and from the region where she was born). I knew this regiment was at Gettysburg and that there was a statue but I hadn't seen it. When you panned across it at the beginning of the video it certainly caught my attention. Thank you for all you do JD. Always informative and respectful.

Looking forward to it. I have an acquaintance who’s paternal great-great-great grandfather survived Pickett’s Charge (I recall him saying he was with a N.C. Unit) and was captured by Union Cavalry on July 5th while on a foraging party. He was sent to a northern POW camp, for a period of time, until he wrote to President Lincoln for a pardon. His request was eventually granted, he took an oath to the U.S., and he returned to his Swedish immigrant family in Connecticut (where he moved to N.C. from). He never crossed the Mason -Dixon Line for the remainder of his life. Kind of cool story.

I'm glad that the monument to the 11th Mississippi was shown briefly in the beginning of the show. My great-grandfather was in this unit, survived and lived a very long life.

Glad to see this!! My 3d Great Grandfather Jeremiah A Snider was killed during the charge somewhere between Emmittsburg Rd and the stone wall near the angle. He was with the 11th NC Regiment.

You get a weird vibe when you visit these historic battlegrounds, it's like a 6th sense.