Gettysburg: The Program That Changed the Battle

I finally got around to watching the Military Channel's special "Gettysburg: The Battle that Changed America".

Needless to say, the two weeks of anticipation I felt leading up to this were sorely mispent. I've seen inaccurate history documentaries; in this day and age, receiving a truly accurate lesson in history is a rare thing. But this is one of the more blatant episodes of historical revisionism I've ever seen. Not only were facts misrepresented, but the makers of this show saw fit to simply create events that never happened.

I could rant for paragraphs on end, but in my internet quest to find those of like mind, I stumbled upon a thoroughly incensed writer who seems to agree with me point for point. Thus, I'll save myself the time, effort, and negative energy, and simply post that here.

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"Gettysburg - The Battle That Changed America"

Just got done watching it. "The Program That Changed the Battle" might
have been a better title.

This was one of those shows you watch not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
If I had to come up with a short description, the words "horrifyingly
awful" come to mind. Or may, just plain sad. Not to mention, all too
predictable.

I counted at least one howler every three to five minutes. There were
probably more, but I started to loose count. Just as a sample of some of
the ones I can remember::

1. The battle starts when Union infantry comes running around a bend in
the road and start shooting up Confederate troops sitting by the roadside,
writing letters to Mother and talking about how they need those shoes in
town.

2. News of the battle is delivered to Meade by a Brigadier General (didn't
say which one), who immediately asks him "Do you want to fall back toward
Washington?"

3. Lee learns of the battle while he's eight miles away. First thing he
does is pull out his binoculars and start looking that way.

4. The second day consisted of the Confederate attack on Culp's Hill,
followed by the Confederate attack on Little Round Top.

5. By the end of the fighting on the second day, there were 25,000 dead.

6. The next day, Meade pointed to the Copse of Trees, and said that's
where the attack would be.

7. Stuart's mission on the third day was to ride into the rear of the
Union line on Cemetery Ridge, at the same time Pickett's Charge hit it
from the front. The two big arrows on the diagram showing how this was
supposed to take place meet perfectly, right by the Copse of Trees.

8. Custer and a small band of Michigan cavalry (or words to that effect)
are patrolling off the Union flank, and spot Stuart's column riding down
the road toward the Union rear.

9. Custer shouts "Come on, you Wolverines!", and they go charging into
the front of Stuart's column, which gets backed up along the road like a
train (or words to that effect), after which Stuart retreats. Computer
graphics show exactly how it happened. Them poor rebels never stood a
change, all stacked up on the road like that.

(This nonsense in numbers 7, 8, and 9, BTW, is straight from the Tom
Carhart playbook, not surprising since Tom Carhart himself is there to
explain it all in person.)

10. Lee personally orders the cannonade to start, while, in fact, the
fighting at Culp's Hill is still going strong.

11. Wesley Culp is killed on Culp's hill.

12. The Union troops on Cemetery Ridge all flee in a panic when Pickett's
men break through.

13. The Confederates are forced to retreat when Stuart doesn't show up,
like the diagram referred to in # 7 says he was supposed to. Thanks again
Tom. Also for pointing out that Meade was scared during the entire
battle.

14. Despite 25,000 men being dead by the end of the second day, by the
end of the third day the death toll is down to 10,000. Maybe the other
15,000 got better.

The program itself was built around what might for lack of a better term
be called "reenactor based dramatization", which I've become convinced is
a very mixed blessing. Good, in that people show up in realistic looking
uniforms, with proper weapons and equipment. Bad, in that too many of
them are middle aged, overweight, and have gray hair. But I suppose they
work cheap. This is supplemented by computer annimation, of such things
as Cuters's patrolling band waylaying Stuart's maurauding column along
that road to the Union rear - it's just shocking how old Jeb let himself
be surprised out in the open like that - and Picket's troops breaking
through and driving off the panic stricken Yankees.

There was one special effect that was worth the price of admission all by
itself, though. Some poor Reb is standing there on Culp's Hill on the
morning of July 3, chatting with the soon to be dearly departed Wesley
while they get ready to storm the hill again. Which shouldn't have been
too much of a chore, since as I recall from Carhart's book (it got left
out of the program somehow, maybe he didn't have time to explain that part
of the plan), part of Stuart's job was to drop off some men to help
capture the hill while he was on the way to help Pickett. Since they
would have had "Enfield rifles with sword bayonets", it would have bene
practically a done deal. But anyway, they're just standing there BS'ing
with each other, just minding there own business, when the Union artillery
opens up and blows poor Wesley's friend away. And I mean, literally! Damm
shell comes flying in looking like one of those special effects meteors
from "Deep Impact" or "Armageddon" that take out the Chrysler Building,
or half of Paris, catches the guy right about in
the belt buckle, and he's just [i]gone[/i]. Looked like he was standing
in front of an 18" shell from the Yamato or something. All they needed to
really do it up right was to have just his shoes sitting there, with some
wisps of smoke coming out of them.

Frank Haskell was featured in the program, with a number of "quotations"
from his account of the battle. I say "quotations", because the program
writers alter and embellish what he wrote, when and where needed, to fit
the plot.

All in all, about as poor, and unfortunately, about as typical, as
anything I've seen lately.

The frightening part is, this sort of thing makes you wonder how much
mis-information and nonsense you're being fed, without even realizing it,
when the program is about a battle or event you may not have as much
personal knowledge of.

~Jim Cameron

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Well said, Jim. As for you, Military Channel...for shame.

ps - Did I mention that despite the abundance of reenactors and living historians featured in the show, President Lincoln was represented by CGI. Awful CGI at that. Why, oh why?

...far beyond our poor power to add or detract

"In great deeds, something abides. On great fields, something stays. Forms change and pass; bodies disappear; but spirits linger, to consecrate ground for the vision-place of souls. And reverent men and women from afar, and generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them, shall come to this deathless field, to ponder and dream; and lo! the shadow of a mighty presence shall wrap them in its bosom, and the power of the vision pass into their souls."

~Major General Joshua L. Chamberlain
October 3, 1888
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Only we can stop this

Many other blog readers will by now already be aware of the recent vandalism at Gettysburg National Military Park. I'll avoid rehashing the same protests in the name of brevity and simply ask what we, as historians, are attempting to do to curb this blatant disrespect toward the sites we cherish.

71 years ago, President Franklin Roosevelt lit the Eternal Light Peace Memorial to celebrate "Peace Eternal in a Nation United". Now, almost two weeks ago, vandals and thugs have seen it as their sacred duty to exercise their free speech in a crude, immature, and hateful way so that others may suffer the lack of this important piece of history until restoration efforts can begin when the weather warms.

The monument was unguarded, apparently, long enough for whoever did this to complete their task. And even then, it was not checked on by anyone who cared about enough to report the damage until nearly a full day after the vandalism took place.

There are daylight-only rules at the park for a reason: to prevent this kind of act from happening. But what is the threat but an empty one if there is to be no possibility of capture for those who see fit to impose their selfish will on others? I will admit to having lost track of time last December when visiting the southern end of the field one night; I found myself atop Houck's Ridge after the sun had set. Standing there, in the inky black silence, I was quite aware of the rule against nighttime visitation yet I also knew why the rule had been imposed. If I had had the urge to topple Smith's guns into Triangular Field, I easily could have. If I'd wanted to deface or destroy the Sharpshooter's Den, I could have. If I'd wanted to set the Wheatfield ablaze, I could have. There was no one, not a soul, around. Just me and the ghosts.

Luckily for the park, I'm one of those individuals who appreciates, honors, and cherishes our history. Reader, I'm certain that you are too. But what if I wasn't?

We have to take it upon ourselves to not only educate the public about our mutual past, but ensure that that past remains available for all to see and appreciate. We need to accept that the money is never going to be there for everything to get accomplished, and that we must shoulder the burden ourselves.

Another blogger writing about this topic mentioned the idea of authorized citizen patrols that volunteer their time to walk the grounds at night. Even leaving Gettysburg locals out of the equation, there are surely several hundred of us out there who would offer up a week of our time to guarantee the safety of a given portion of the field. 7 days in a week, 52 weeks in a year...the math isn't impossible. And I for one would jump at the chance to walk the field in an environment empty of obnoxious tourists and rowdy children who think that climbing on the guns of Cushing's Battery is a good idea.

Or please, if you have other ideas, let them be known! But this defilement of our past simply must be stopped.

We've lost the opportunity to stand at the Peace Light and look out over the First Day field without feeling the stinging burn of obscenities etching their hateful intent into our backs, at least for a little while.

What will we lose next?

They say one should make goals...

So then...whats the plan?

The obvious first step is to determine what I'm going to have to read and study before December 2010. That may seem like a long time away, but here, in January 2009, I can already see it coming.

Clyde Bell of the National Park Service has provided an exhaustive list of recommended readings for those desiring a chance at becoming a Licensed Battlefield Guide. To be fair and realistic, I have to take into consideration the fact that I'm both a full-time student at Georgia State and am pursuing full-time employment outside of school. Therefore, to burden myself with a nigh-impossible list of duties would be counterproductive. Instead, I'm going to triage the learnings with what I think I need more as opposed to that which I'm already comfortable with. With that in mind, I present my reading list (in alphabetical order by author's last name):

Gettysburg
Busey, John W & Martin, David S: Regimental Strengths and Losses at Gettysburg
Busey, John W: These Honored Dead: The Union Casualties at Gettysburg
Coco, Gregory A: A Strange and Blighted Land: The Aftermath of Battle
Coco, Gregory A: A Vast Sea of Misery: A History and Guide to the Union and Confederate Field Hospitals at Gettysburg
Coco, Gregory A: Gettysburg Confederate Dead
Dicorfano, Ken: They Saved The Union At Little Round Top: Gettysburg July 2, 1863
Frampton, Roy: Lincoln and the Human Interest Stories of the Gettysburg National Cemetery
Freeman, Douglas S.: Lee’s Lieutenants, Volume III
Gallagher, Gary (ed.): The First Day at Gettysburg: Essays on Confederate and Union Leadership
Gallagher, Gary (ed.): The Second Day at Gettysburg: Essays on Confederate and Union Leadership
Gallagher, Gary (ed.): The Third Day at Gettysburg: Gettysburg and Beyond
Gottfried, Bradlley: Brigades of Gettysburg
Hartwig, D. Scott & Ann Marie: Gettysburg: The Complete Pictorial of Battlefield Monuments
Hawthorne, Frederick W: Gettysburg: Stories of Men and Monuments
Longacre, Edward G.: The Cavalry at Gettysburg
Patterson, Gerald A.: Debris of Battle: The Wounded of Gettysburg
Pfanz, Harry W.: Gettysburg: The First Day
Pfanz, Harry W.: Gettysburg: The Second Day (re-read)
Pfanz, Harry W.: Gettysburg: Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill (re-read)
Stewart, George: Pickett’s Charge: A Micro History of the Final Attack At Gettysburg July 3, 1863

General War Knowledge
Catton, Bruce : Mr. Lincoln's Army
Catton, Bruce: Glory Road
Catton, Bruce: A Stillness at Appomattox
Warner, Ezra J.: Generals in Blue
Warner, Ezra J.: Generals in Gray
Wiley, Bell I.: The Life of Billy Yank
Wiley, Bell I.: The Life of Johnny Reb

Memoirs
Berekely, Henry L.: Four Years in the Confederate Army (W.H. Runge. ed)
Carter, Robert G.: Four Brothers in Blue
Casler, John O.: Four Years in the Stonewall Brigade (J.I. Robertson, Jr., ed)
Chamberlain, Joshua L.: The Passing of the Armies
Douglas, Henry Kidd: I Rode with Stonewall
Fletcher, William A.: Rebel Private: Front and Rear (Bell I. Wiley, ed)
Gordon, John T.: Reminiscences of the Civil War
Haley, John W.: The Rebel Yell and The Yankee Hurrah (R.L. Silliker, ed)
Livermore, Thomas L.: Days and Events
Stearns, Austin C.: Three Years with Company K (R.L. Silliker, ed)
Wainwright, Charles: A Dairy of Battle (Allan Nevins, ed.)
Watkins, Sam: Company Aytch: Or, A Side Show of the Big Show

So....as you can see, I have my work cut out for me. I'm not sure what order I'll be working on these, but I know my critical points of improvement are monument and portrait identification; thus I plan to work on those two the longest.

Also, I'll be making at least two sojourns to Gettysburg this year, hopefully in the spring and summer. The much-anticipated full battlefield hike will take place then. On a side note, perhaps I can revisit the Antietam battlefield while I'm in the area.

As I complete this reading list I'll also be posting a review and summary of the work both as a reference and to stretch my mental muscles.

As a final note, don't expect this blog to be solely a progress report on one man's quest to become a Licensed Battlefield Guide. No, it will also be used to report and share general history knowledge and findings with any readers whose eyes peruse these pages. I am a man of many interests, though...I plan on posting a plethora of political articles as well as discussions of current events, and even - perhaps - the occasional personal diatribe. Don't expect too many of those, though: this isn't Xanga.com.

Well then...on that note, I'm obliged to call this post complete. Safe travels.

A Beginning

Tonight, the United States Postal Service brought me the results of my attempt to become a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park. It was a good try: for sixteen months naught but discourses on that singular event in American history crossed my desk. I went over the recommended reading list, I pored over flashcards and battle maps, I immersed myself in Steven Recker's Virtual Gettysburg. Three times this past year I have made the trek from Georgia to Pennsylvania to see the ground that our forebears fought - and died - for .

And after all that, it all came down to tonight's letter.

No, I didn't get it: in fact, I fell far short of the goal I'd set for myself. Granted, I didn't expect to be issued a pass to wear the hallowed blue blazer, but I did expect to come closer to the mark than I did.

Where did I go wrong? I honestly don't know. I have the option to review my answers against the score sheet, but that would require another expensive trip to Pennsylvania. I fully intend to call the park to see if I have other options. I'll let you know.

So where do I go from here? Should I desire, I can have another go at the test in 2010. Or I can lick my wounds and, like Lee on July 5, retreat from the scene of the defeat.

Prior to being elected to this nation's highest office (twice), Abraham Lincoln was defeated in seven different electoral contests, in addition to losing his job, his sweetheart, and at one point, his sanity. And yet he persevered through the years to attain his ultimate goal at last - and not a moment too soon.

If he can face the odds he did and come out on top...well then, who's to say I can't try too?
(We're just going to disregard that whole "assassination" thing for a moment here...)

My next go at the test is in two years. I'll be posting the list of what I've got to get under my belt by then in a short while. If you stumble upon this blog, feel free to add what you will.

On May 10, 1863, at 3:15 PM, Thomas Jonathan 'Stonewall" Jackson passed from this world to the next. Though his last hours were filled with myriad utterances and orders to men who were not there, the final moment of his life was revealed with simple stark clarity to be one of peace and beauty: as his eyes became focused and his breathing steadied, he calmly ordered "Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees."

Those were his last words.

This is my blog.