Podcast appearances and mentions of George Meade

This week on Behind The Battles, we cover the most successful General of the Army Of The Potomac, George Meade. Perhaps best known as commanding the army during the victory at Gettysburg, he did not have a good reputation with his higher ups and Grant stationed himself with Meade for the remainder of the war to keep an eye on him. We will cover his pre war life, his war time contributions and of course his later life and death.  Subscribe to our YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@bangdangnetwork

Welcome to Your History Your Story! In this episode, we have a truly remarkable guest: George Meade. George was a Vietnam helicopter pilot, a man who faced the perils of combat from the cockpit and witnessed history from above. But his flying career didn't end with the war. George went on to become the voice from the sky as a helicopter traffic pilot for WOR radio, guiding countless New Yorkers through their morning commutes. Join us as George takes us from the perilous missions he flew in Vietnam to the daily challenges of navigating the skies over New York City. Get ready to hear about a journey filled with courage, focus and dedication. Music: "With Loved Ones" Jay Man Photo(s): Courtesy of George Meade To Support Your History Your Story: Please consider becoming a Patron or making a one time donation via PayPal. - THANK YOU!!! YHYS Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YHYS PayPal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YHYS: Social Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YHYS: Join our mailing list: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #yhys #yourhistoryyourstory #history #storytelling #podcast #njpodcast #youhaveastorytoo #jamesgardner #historian #storyteller

ABC051-1 George Gordon Meade Easby, a wealthy and eccentric character named after his great grandfather, lived in a Chestnut Hill mansion called Baleroy for most of his 87 years.  He didn't mind sharing the space with phantom apparitions, which included his younger brother, his mother, Thomas Jefferson, and a malevolent spirit named “Amanda”, along with several others.  

Don't forget to delight your coffee-loving tastebuds with our first coffee brand "Little Ground Top". Grab a bag next time you're in town at Bantam Roasters (82 Steinwehr Ave) or have some sent to your home or office by ordering at www.addressinggettysburg.com/cafe   Also, I almost died making these in a week and a half, but our studio computer's hard drive actually did die in the process. RIP. So, become a Patron! www.patreon.com/addressinggettysburg   As Dawn approached on July 3, Robert E. Lee considered his options. The attacks of the day before had achieved limited success, with the capture of ground, the wrecking of the Federal Third Corps and the bloodying of two others. Yet, the Confederates had not accomplished their objective of driving the Union soldiers off of Cemetery Hill. It had been touch-and-go many times, but every breakthrough had been met with Union reinforcements. But, in war, even limited success could be considered something to build on to achieve victory.   According to his after-battle report, Lee wrote that the plan had remained unchanged from the day before. Reinforcing their gains on Culp's Hill from the night before and renewing the attack on the Union Right would be Richard Ewell's Corps.   During the growing darkness of the night before, the Confederates had captured some vacant Union fortifications. A renewal of the attacks on the Union position could threaten the Army of the Potomac and their avenue of resupply along the Baltimore Pike. At the same time, reinforced with a fresh division of Virginians under George Pickett, James Longstreet was to renew his attack from the day before on the southern end of the battlefield on the Union Left. While such a plan was indicated in his report after the battle, Longstreet would contend that he did not receive orders to that effect the night before when he had visited with Lee. It was a confusion of orders that would ultimately lead to inaction on the southern end of the battlefield on the morning of July 3.   The same could not be said about what occurred on the Union Right.   The Union forces would initiate an attack for the first time since the battle began. Union 12th Corps soldiers returning from being sent to reinforce the southern end of the battlefield would find in the darkness of the morning that the fortifications they had built were now occupied by some squatters with unfriendly dispositions.   When informed of this, Union 12th Corps commander Henry Slocum declared that the men of the 12th Corps would drive them out in the morning. At around 4 in the morning, the Union artillery opened fire. A Union artillerist would later write, "We poured shot and shell into them." These missiles of death and destruction would splinter trees and send branches careening to the earth and on top of Rebel soldiers.   This morning, the fighting on Culp's Hill foreshadowed what the war would become. It was not the pageantry of bayonets gleaming in the sunlight, banners fluttering in the air, or officers leading their men with their hats on the tips of their swords across open fields. Instead, wave upon wave of Rebel soldiers, including the vaunted Stonewall Brigade, would throw themselves into the hellfire sent their way by the enemy in relative safety behind breastworks or in trenches.   Some Union soldiers reported that they fired as many as 200 rounds.   Still, the Confederates came on as reinforcements arrived. Every attack was futile and found limited or no success.   But the futile attacks were not restricted to the Confederates that morning.   The 2nd Massachusetts and the 27th Indiana were ordered to charge across Spangler's Meadow toward Confederates behind a stone wall. Lt. Colonel Mudge, upon receiving the order, stated, "It is murder, but it is the order." Then, to his men, he yelled, "Up, men, over the works! Forward, double quick !" Both regiments would attack and were bloodily repulsed. Mudge, who had been a sparring partner of Robert E. Lee's son at Harvard before the war, would be killed in the attempt.     By late morning, the last Confederate attacks from Maryland and Virginia units were repulsed, and the fighting died down. No ground was gained, and the Union forces still held the critical high ground covering the Baltimore Pike.   There had been no attack on the southern end of the battlefield. Still, Lee had one final option: the division under George Pickett.   Lee, now, turned his attention to the Union Center. Lee had often asked his men to do the unthinkable before the Battle of Gettysburg. Almost every time, they had delivered him victory. So long as there was a chance for victory with these men, Lee would take it.   The plan was a simple one. It called for the massing of just under 150 cannons to bombard the Union Center, softening its defenses to provide an infantry assault with a better chance of success. Collecting this many cannons to bombard a position during a land battle had not been attempted before during the war and, on paper, was enough to accomplish the task. Once the position was adequately softened, the Confederate infantry was to step off and cross the field. George Pickett and his division would be reinforced by the division under James J. Pettigrew and by two brigades under Isaac Trimble. The brigades of Cadmus Wilcox and David Lang were added late in the planning. In all, 12,500 men. The evening before, Wright's Brigade of Georgians had managed to pierce the Union Center along the same ground as this proposed attack. With adequate preparation, three divisions would have a better chance of success.   The Confederates got into position. Some even inched forward to get a peek at the situation. More than a few compared it to the battle of Malvern Hill. Veteran soldiers knew what was in store for them.   The Union soldiers were not wholly unaware of what was going on. Some of the regiments in the center had collected muskets from the night before, providing men with multiple muskets near them, loaded and ready to fire. After the Council of War had disbanded the night before, Meade would turn to John Gibbon, the Union commander in this area, and say to Gibbon that the fighting would be along his front. Gibbon would soon find out how correct Meade was.   According to Lt. Colonel E.P. Alexander, around 1:00 in the afternoon, the Confederate artillery opened fire.   A Union colonel on the receiving end of the barrage would write in his diary that day that "The air was filled with shot and shell and the earth groaned and trembled under the terrible concussions."   The Union artillery would open fire in response.   It was such a cacophony of noise with such cataclysmic suddenness that soldiers miles away would stop what they were doing to glance in the direction of the sudden eruption.   If the Confederate infantry were to have any chance in their assault, Confederate artillery would have to silence the Union artillery in preparation. As minutes turned into an hour, the smoke from the deadly exchange would fill the area.   Understanding what this artillery barrage meant, Union artillery commander Henry Hunt ordered his batteries to stop their fire to conserve ammunition. Winfield Scott Hancock, the man who had been crucial to the Union effort so far in the battle, disagreed with this decision, arguing that having the Union artillery fire back would give a morale boost to his men. Hunt was not moved. As a result, only Hancock's cannons of the Second Corps Artillery Brigade continued to fire.   On the Confederate side, interactions between infantry commanders and artillery commanders would also dictate the course of events. James Longstreet, in charge of the assault, had charged Confederate artillery commander E.P. Alexander with sending the order for the infantry to commence the assault when Alexander determined that the Confederate artillery had made enough of an impact. It was a strange situation as, typically, an assault order did not come from an artillery commander. When Hunt ordered his guns to be silent on the Union side, the fire slackened; when Alexander could see through the smoke, he saw that a Union battery was being withdrawn. It was at this time that Alexander sent the message to commence the attack. With the area filled with smoke, the only way to determine whether the fire from the Confederate side had any effect would be in the return fire from the Union side. With a reduction in the return fire, and based on what he saw and could hear, Alexander advised that if the Confederate infantry assault were to occur, it had to happen then. James Longstreet could only nod his consent.   The Confederate artillery slackened its fire.   Union artillerists manning cannons on Cemetery Hill in the Evergreen Cemetery among damaged headstones would start exclaiming, "Here comes the infantry!' as they serviced their pieces.   The Confederate infantry now rose to their feet, with many sinking right back down to the ground or not rising at all, having laid in the hot July sun all afternoon under artillery bombardment. As if on parade, the remaining mass of men and metal lurched forward to cross what would become the most famous mile in American History.   A gentle wind typical of Pennsylvania summers blew in and lifted the smoke like a curtain was being raised. The Union defenders could now see a nearly mile-wide, almost irresistible, wave of men in butternut and gray, their red flags fluttering in the breeze advanced toward them.   Then, the Union artillery opened fire.   Cannons from Little Round Top to Cemetery Hill found the range, tearing gaping voids in the Confederate lines.   With every step, new gaps formed and would be closed by the Confederate foot soldiers as orders were given to close up by their file closers. The intense artillery fire and a flanking maneuver by an Ohio regiment caused Brockenbrough's brigade of Virginians to break and run back to the safety of their lines. Despite that setback, the Confederates pushed on. With every yard, casualties mounted, causing the lines to condense and start funneling towards an angle in the stone wall along the Union lines. The major obstacle to the advance was the Emmitsburg Road, which ran across the Rebel's path. In some places, a post and rail fence prevented a smooth advance, hindering the cohesion of the attack. Even so, thousands of men still found their way across the road but found themselves under short-range artillery fire and musket fire. One Union artillery battery commander ordered his battery to fire double canister at 10 yards as the Confederate infantry neared the stone wall.  Brigadier General Lewis Armistead, at the head of his brigade, started to lead who was left of the Confederate attack over the wall. They made it a short way into the lines before Armistead was mortally wounded. Union soldiers rushed to the breakthrough to close up the gap.  12,500 men started the attack; by the time the advance reached the ridge, maybe a couple thousand had made it to the wall; some estimated that perhaps only a few hundred men had crossed the wall. This handful that made it over were either killed, wounded, or captured. Armistead would be taken to a Union field hospital at the George Spangler Farm, where he would pass away from his wounds.   Union Second Corps Commander Winfield Scott Hancock would also be wounded. As he was starting to organize the advance of a brigade of men from Vermont, a bullet ripped through the pummel in his saddle and lodged itself in his groin. It was a wound, even with the bullet being taken out, that would plague him for the rest of his life.   With the plugging of the breakthrough at the Angle and the repulse of the assault, the last card that Robert E. Lee had to play was spent. It had been a calamity for his army. Casualty figures are difficult to estimate with absolute accuracy. Pettigrew's and Trimble's men had seen action on July 1, and battle casualties that are tallied factor in both days for those commands. Moreover, Robert E. Lee had a habit of underreporting his casualties. Even so, from what we do know, it was devastating. Pickett's Division of Virginians suffered over 2,600 casualties in the assault, just about half of that command at Gettysburg. In the field between the Stone Wall and the Emmittsburg Road, 522 dead Confederates were buried in a mass grave.    The casualties among the officer corps were also appalling. Three Brigade commanders, Armistead, Garnett, and Marshall, would be killed or mortally wounded; generals James Kemper and Isaac Trimble would be wounded and captured. Pettigrew's Brigade, which had started the battle under the command of Pettigrew, would end the charge on July 3 under the command of Major John Jones, who had been the third in command of his regiment when the battle started.  The Union defenders did not have a bloodless experience either. Historians James Hessler and Wayne Motts estimate that between the divisions of Hays and Gibbon, the Union defenders suffered just over 1,900 casualties repelling the assault. The Second Corps Artillery Brigade was all but wrecked, with two battery commanders, Alonzo Cushing and George Woodruff, losing their lives in defense of the position. General Hancock was severely wounded but survived.   The great Confederate charge was a failure, something the Southern boys were unaccustomed to. But for the Union defenders, it was a victory that felt like a victory. Not a triumph declared to the men by a flowery circular from headquarters, but as witnessed by the wreckage of the enemy force, lying lifeless in the fields before them, writhing in pain with ghastly wounds or missing limbs or streaming to their rear, hundreds of Johnny-Reb prisoners. There was no ambiguity in the outcome of the Pickett's Charge.   The charge was not the only fighting that occurred that afternoon. There was fighting elsewhere on the field that day; the skirmishing that was going on in the southern portions of the town continued to simmer, a sharp cavalry fight to the east near the Low Dutch Road and Hanover Road intersection, where a young Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer blunted a Confederate cavalry charge exhorting his men with "Come on you Wolverines!' and a hopeless Union cavalry charge on the southern end of the field meant to capitalize on the failure of the Confederate infantry assault, only resulted in more death including that of Brigadier General Elon Farnsworth who led the charge. Even the Pennsylvania Reserves would drive out Georgia forces from the Devil's Den area during the evening hours. Despite all these actions, Meade, the commander of the Union forces, ordered no great counterattack.   Following the failure, all Lee could do was gather the pieces of his bloodied army and prepare for a counterattack that never happened. He made preparations to coalesce his army to prepare for a retreat.   Both armies were tired. Both armies were bloody, and then it started to rain.   The great hell-on-Earth that was the Battle of Gettysburg ended in a torrential downpour as the heavens opened up on the night of July 3, cleansing the earth of the gallons of blood spilled in order to save a nation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Start your day RIGHT with our new coffee brand Little Ground Top by ordering your bags here www.addressinggettysburg.com/cafe Help us hire a staff for these labor-intensive episodes. It'll only take a few thousand of ye! ;-) Become a Patron and learn more about the Civil War with over 300 episodes just for you. www.patreon.com/addressinggettysburg   During the early morning hours of July 2, an already sleep-deprived Union Army of the Potomac commander, George Gordon Meade, arrived at Gettysburg to find fresh Federal soldiers reinforcing the battered elements of the army from the previous day's battle. After conferring with his subordinates, Meade rode out to look at the ground. He decided to stay and fight.    The Union position was a strong one.   Cemetery Hill dominated the surrounding landscape and offered the Union defenders a strong artillery position. Two key roads that led into Gettysburg from Maryland intersected just north of the hill. Those two roads were crucial avenues of resupply and, if necessary, retreat for the Union Army. The side controlling the hill controlled the field, but the position had one weakness. When he arrived the previous day to act in Meade's stead, Union Second Corps Commander Winfield Scott Hancock assessed the position and reported to Meade that it was strong, but the Confederates could turn its left flank. This fact didn't escape Robert E. Lee's experienced eye, either. He astutely turned his attention to planning the action for July 2, devising a strategy that would test the mettle of the Union Army.   With Meade deciding to stay, Lee needed to determine the best way to knock the Federals off their strong position. A direct assault on Cemetery Hill could prove devastating for Lee's infantry as they would have to cross open farm fields to attack the hill. Subordinate commanders convinced Lee not to attack the Union Right near Culp's Hill. Just before dawn, Lee dispatched reconnaissance parties to determine the terrain on the Union left and the dispositions of the Army of the Potomac. One such party returned and reported no Union soldiers in the area of Little Round Top. After conferring with his commanders, Lee made his decision. James Longstreet, his trusted second-in-command, his "old warhorse," would take two divisions and, under concealment, get into position to attack the flank of the Union Line. Once Longstreet was in position. His orders directed him to attack north, along the Emmitsburg Road, and roll up the Union left. While Longstreet was executing this move [getting into position?], Ewell's Second Corps would demonstrate on the Union Right to prevent reinforcements from being sent to meet Longstreet. Ewell's demonstration would become an attack if Ewell thought it feasible. [Chas Fennell on this part of the plan]   It was a bold plan. One that Confederate General James Longstreet did not care for, but, ever the consummate soldier, he followed orders.   Longstreet's Corps, consisting of three divisions under Generals McLaws, Pickett, and Hood, was initially delayed due to the absence of Pickett's division, which was still over 20 miles away. Despite Longstreet's request to wait for Pickett, Lee urged action but acquiesced to Longstreet's request to wait for one of the brigades from Hood's division before commencing the attack. It would be nearly One in the afternoon before Longstreet's march began.   While Lee dealt with the logistics of implementing his plans, Meade had his own difficulties with Daniel Sickles, a New York politician-turned-general and Meade's Third Corps Commander.   Meade had assigned defensive positions to all of his commands in what is now known as the Fish Hook line. The reason for Sickles' assigned position was either not made apparent to him or was certainly not to his liking. Throughout the morning, Sickles tried to get Meade's permission to redeploy his Corps to what he thought was a better position on higher ground along the Emmitsburg Road. Sickles believed that if the Confederates occupied that ground, they could use it as an artillery platform and make Sickles' position, and much of the rest of the Union line, vulnerable.     Every time Sickles tried, Meade brushed him off until he eventually reiterated his original order. Still nervous, Sickles ordered a reconnaissance into a stand of woods just west of the Emmitsburg Road. The reconnaissance discovered Rebels extending the Confederate lines along Seminary Ridge. This information convinced Sickles to take his entire Corps and occupy the ground he desired.   However, Sickles' decision to advance detached his Corps from the rest of the army, leaving his command exposed on neutral ground. This decision would prove to be a turning point, almost leading to the destruction of his Corps and having severe consequences for the Army of the Potomac. But it also had the effect of confounding Lee's plans that day. [Jim Hessler on Sickles' thinking] It was nearly one in the afternoon when Longstreet's Corps began its march to the south. During the march, fears of having been discovered by a signal station on Little Round Top led him to order a countermarch to remain concealed. [Jim Hessler on Countermarch] This countermarch had eaten up precious time, and by the time Longstreet's men were in position, they discovered that the Union Army had changed its position since Lee conceived the plans. Instead of finding nothing on the Emmitsburg Road, Longstreet found the entire Third Corps blocking his attack path. This unexpected turn of events forced Longstreet to modify the plan and position of his troops on the spot. [read the following, but you probably won't need it] Longstreet determined to attack with the division of John Bell Hood first, finding and attacking the new Federal left flank. When that attack developed, McLaws' Division was to crash through whatever was in its front. Longstreet's Corps' objective was still Cemetery Hill, but Sickles' new position ensured Longstreet wouldn't get there without a fight.   Around 4 in the afternoon, the Confederates launched their attack, forever immortalizing places like the otherworldly place called Devil's Den and Little Round Top. [Licensed Battlefield Guide Tracy Baer]   The pastoral landscape of Gettysburg was transformed into a battleground, with ranks of Butternut and Gray clashing among the rocks and hills. The ferocity of the fighting was such that the air was thick with the sounds of gunfire and the cries of the wounded, creating a scene of intense drama and tension.     Meade, realizing almost too late the danger the army was in, rushed reinforcements to the scene. Each new reinforcing command escalated the desperate fighting.   One Union officer in the Wheatfield remembered, "The men were firing as fast as they could load. The din was almost deafening."   By 6 in the evening, Hood's attack had stalled; Hood himself had been wounded early in the fighting.  That was when Longstreet ordered McLaws forward.    Barksdale's brigade of Mississippians crashed through the Union position at the Peach Orchard at the intersection of the Emmitsburg and Millerstown Roads, plunging the Union defense into a chaotic and intense struggle for survival, a scene that was both overwhelming and terrifying.    [Licensed Battlefield Guide Ralph Siegel]   The Confederate attacks, cascading from South to North, shattered the Third Corps. Longstreet's Corps fought fiercely, pursuing the remnants of the Federal commands. AP Hill's Corps joined the attack over the Codori Farm, including one small brigade from Florida.   [LBG Paul Bailey] Wright's brigade briefly broke through the Second Corps line near a copse of trees on Cemetery Ridge.     In previous battles, a situation like this might have unnerved the Army of the Potomac, leading to a defeat. But this time, the soldiers stood their ground, their determination and courage preventing a potential disaster.   [Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Rupert]   Timely reinforcements, brave counterattacks from the Pennsylvania Reserves, and men from Maine, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont would stem the Confederate tide as darkness fell across the battlefield.    Longstreet would claim that it was the best three hours of fighting that his men had experienced during the war. They had captured some ground and, in the process, had badly mauled elements of three Union Corps. The Third Corps alone would suffer over 4,000 casualties-- some 40%--  including the wounding of their commander, Dan Sickles.  The Federals could also rightly claim this was their "best three hours of fighting." They had fought desperately and had not yielded. The shank of the Fish Hook line had held.   Though daylight began to wane, the fighting had not, and one New York brigade was about to fight for its life. To bolster the Union left, George Meade had ordered the entire Twelfth Corps to abandon its position on Culp's Hill. But he was soon convinced to allow one brigade to remain. That brigade was that of 62-year-old Brigadier General George Sears Greene.   As darkness descended, Confederate Second Corps commander Richard Ewell decided to turn the demonstration into an attack.   [Chas Fennel on Greene's Brigade]   [RECORD ALL CULP'S HILL STUFF, BUT IT PROBABLY WON'T BE NEEDED IN THE EDIT] Confederates would attack Culp's Hill and East Cemetery Hill, sometimes using the muzzle flashes to locate their target.    On Culp's Hill, a Union brigade of New Yorkers under the command of 62-year-old George Sears Greene would be successful in repulsing or halting an entire Confederate division. Greene's little brigade was not enough to cover the whole of the position, and the Confederates did capture some fortifications, but timely reinforcements and the tenacity of Greene's men staved off disaster.   At East Cemetery Hill, Louisianans and North Carolinians would brave the incline of the hill and almost make it to the Baltimore Pike before the timely arrival of the Gibraltar Brigade from the 2nd Corps, featuring the 7th West Virginia which, as legend has it, had attached a star "borrowed" from the colors of another regiment to its flag to represent the recently inducted state, pushed back the vaunted Louisiana Tigers. Here again, on this side of the field, the Confederates had some success. However, the tenacity of the Union defenders and the oncoming darkness meant the Union position had bent but was far from broken. [Jessie Wheedleton]   General Meade called a Council of War for that night. Corps commanders arrived at his headquarters even as they could hear the dying din of battle in the distant darkness.   Meade had received information from his Bureau of Military Information that, up to this point, they had engaged all of Lee's Army except for Pickett's Division. The Army of the Potomac had been bloodied that day, but fresh soldiers from the 6th Corps had arrived after a forced march of over 30 miles that day.   In a room of the Lydia Leister House, Meade asked the opinion of his subordinates on what they should do next. The Union commanders decided that they would stay and fight.    General Lee did not call a similar Council of War. Instead, in his official report, he claimed the plan for the next day remained unchanged, and the attack would renew on the flanks of the Union Army.   July 2, 1863, was a costly day. In intense fighting, both armies combined would sustain over 21,000 casualties. As a point of comparison, The Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American military history, had 23,000 casualties. And still, some of the more dramatic scenes of the war were yet to come.

INTRODUCTING! Our first coffee brand LITTLE GROUND TOP, expertly roasted by our friends at Bantam Roaster. Order your bags at https://www.addressinggettysburg.com/cafe THIS EPISODE was made possible by our generous Patrons. Become one today and get more than you bargain for! www.patreon.com/addressinggettysburg On the first day of July, they arrived shrouded in a foreboding misty rain. The Confederate infantry division of Major General Henry Heth from A.P. Hill's Third Corps advanced towards Gettysburg under a veil of uncertainty. While crossing a bridge over Marsh Creek, the head of Heth's column was halted by the familiar "pop" of enemy small arms some 700 yards away. It was a shot from the carbine of the 8th Illinois Cavalry's Lieutenant Marcellus Jones.  The ball had begun; The Battle of Gettysburg was underway.  The gray soldiers, anticipating a militia, were surprised by Union cavalry. This surprise, however, did not deter them. Instead, it spurred them into a cautious advance, moving from column into skirmish lines in the fields north and south of the Chambersburg Pike.  John Buford, the Union Cavalry commander, was tactically maneuvering to buy time—time that the Union left-wing commander, John Reynolds, needed to rush his infantry up to Gettysburg. Buford had gathered intelligence that Confederate soldiers were to the north and west of Gettysburg. Armed with this crucial information, Buford strategically positioned his men to cover every major road coming in from the west, north, and east of Gettysburg. The shots fired indicated that the first Confederates were approaching from the west, a testament to Buford's strategic foresight. Upon being fired upon, the Confederates, seemingly undeterred by the presence of Union Cavalry, began a slow and methodical advance. Like a grey bank of storm clouds, they pushed back Buford's men from Knoxlyn Ridge to  Herr's Ridge and, finally, to McPherson's Ridge, where Buford intended to hold until the infantry arrived. At Willoughby's Run, in the valley between Herr's and McPherson's Ridges, the veteran Confederate infantry briefly halted and organized themselves before pressing onward up the slope against Buford's brigades under Colonel Gamble and Devin.  Just as the Confederates were gaining ground, the emergence of Union infantry, a complete shock to them, marked a significant turning point in the morning's battle. The unexpected arrival of the Union infantry changed the dynamics of the fight, and what started as a skirmish between cavalry and infantry was about to become a full-throated battle.    Brigadier General Joseph Davis's Brigade of Mississippi and North Carolina men rapidly approached Cutler's right-two regiments, the 76th N.Y. and 56th P.A., from the west. The 56th Pennsylvania opened fire first with the command, 'Ready, right oblique! Aim! Fire!' The 2nd Mississippi and 55th North Carolina returned fire. Some of these shots raked the 76th New York as they got into position to the Pennsylvania men's right. At first, the 76th's commander didn't realize that these shots were from the enemy as he could not see any. He urged his men to hold their fire. Then a second volley came in, and still they held their fire. Finally, the 2nd Mississippi came into sight, and Major Grover, the 76th's commander, ordered his men to fire.  After about a half-an-hour of fighting, three of Cutler's regiments, the 56th P.A. and the 76th and 147th N.Y., withdrew to Oak Ridge, having lost half of their men.  Davis's men pursued Cutler's shattered regiments to Oak Ridge.  Cutler had left two regiments on the south side of the Chambersburg Pike at the McPherson Farm. They had skirmished with Archer's brigade as it approached from the west. Cutler's sister brigade, the Iron Brigade under Solomon Meredith, had arrived on the field and was pushing into McPherson's Woods, thereby freeing up Cutler's remaining two regiments, the 84th and 95th N.Y., to turn and face the threat posed by Davis's men.  Acting Corps commander Major General Abner Doubleday ordered the only reserve he had, the 6th Wisconsin, to leave its reserve position and "Go like Hell" toward Davis. Rufus Dawes, the 6th's commander, put his men in line to the right of the 95th N.Y. Aiming into Davis's flank, the New York and Wisconsin men opened fire, stopping Davis's pursuit. Then, suddenly, the Confederates appeared to vanish into the earth. They had taken refuge in an unfinished railroad cut that paralleled the Chambersburg Pike.  What seemed a safe haven had proved to be a trap, and the Wisconsin and New York boys were ready to take advantage of it.     Meanwhile, acting left-wing commander Major General John F. Reynolds was personally feeding units of the Iron Brigade into McPherson's Woods, something a man in his position should not do. While doing this, a Confederate bullet struck him in the head. Within 30 minutes of being on the field, the man who was leading the Union effort that morning was dead.  The Iron Brigade pushed into McPherson's Woods. After a series of bloody fights, Archer's Confederates were repulsed. Archer, himself, became a Union prisoner.    As Confederates reeled from their sudden repulse, a lull in the fighting followed as commanders decided what to do next, and reinforcements filtered in from directions north and south.  That is when, in the early afternoon, Lieutenant General Richard S Ewell's Confederate Second Corps, coming in from the north, suddenly attacked. Seeing the vulnerability of the Union position and the increasing Union reinforcements, Ewell decided to attack without orders to do so. One of his divisions, under Robert Rodes, attacked the Union First Corps' position in an ill-coordinated series of assaults. This attack, too, was repulsed. Confederate Army Commander Robert E. Lee, lacking detailed information, was initially hesitant to attack. Lee reached the battlefield around noon and gathered what information he could. Finally, he decided to capitalize on the actions of his subordinates and arriving reinforcements. Lee issued the order to attack. By now, the Union First Corps and Oliver Otis Howard's Eleventh Corps were up in full. Howard deployed his men on the plane north of Gettysburg, near Pennsylvania College. This was not the position Howard had initially wanted to hold, but the appearance of Rodes' division on Oak Hill left him little other choice.   The Union soldiers on the ridges west of town and on the plane north of town would soon find themselves overwhelmed by lines and lines of Butternut and Gray. Fierce firefights erupted, indicated by plumes of smoke and the rattle of musketry along the two-and-a-half-mile line. Union soldiers tried to hang on to their positions desperately. Despite their best efforts to hold back this Confederate tide, the Union's position crumbled as each Confederate attack landed like a sledgehammer blow.  The disorganized remnants of Union regiments streamed through the streets of Gettysburg, finally stopping on a hill south of town crowned by a cemetery. There, they found Eleventh Corps Commander O.O. Howard and his reserve. The First and Eleventh Corps' shattered elements rallied on this formidable position.  When Union army commander George Meade learned of General Reynolds's death, he dispatched Major General Winfield Scott Hancock, made commander of the Second Corps after the Battle of Chancellorsville, to ride to Gettysburg and act in his stead. Hancock traveled in an ambulance, studying maps of the area. After conferring with Howard and relaying Meade's orders, Hancock and Howard began organizing defenses. The tired and sweat-stained men rallied and built fortifications, bracing themselves for the attack they were sure would follow. A wooded prominence to the right of Cemetery Hill caught Hancock's eye, compelling him to send the newly-arrived regiment from Cutler's Brigade, the 7th Indiana, to occupy it. This hill was Culp's Hill. The Confederates were just as disorganized in victory as the Union soldiers had been in defeat. Daylight was fading fast, progress through the streets of Gettysburg was painfully slow for the Confederates, and rumors of Union reinforcements coming in from the east caused delays. Moreover, ambiguous discretionary orders left the decision to subordinate Confederate commanders to continue pressing the attack. Each commander assessed their situation and decided not to attack. The first day bore witness to some of the bloodiest fighting of the American Civil War, with a combined total of 16,000 killed, wounded, and captured. It was a stunning tactical success for Robert E Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, leaving two Union corps driven from their positions and wrecked to a fraction of what they once were. Still, the price had been high for the Confederates. The 26th North Carolina of Pettigrew's Brigade entered the battle with over 800 men. By the end of the battle, they will have lost over five hundred, with most of them sustained in the fighting on July 1st.  One question that plagued General Lee was, "Where is General Stuart?" JEB Stuart, acting on orders from Lee, had ridden around the Union Army, managing to cut himself off from communication with Lee. Lee did have cavalry at his disposal. His need, however, was not for cavalry units but for JEB Stuart's ability to analyze military intelligence.  Seeing the Union forces streaming back to Cemetery Hill, Lee made a fateful decision.  Pointing in the direction of the Army of the Potomac, Lee turned to his "Old War Horse," James Longstreet, and said, "If He is there in the morning, I will attack Him." The attitude behind these words would lead to the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War.    Battle of Gettysburg 161st Anniversary Special- July 1, 1863 Featuring Licensed Battlefield Guides Larry Korcheck, Jim Pangburn, Charlie Fennell and Rob Abbott Summary written by Michael "Six Questions" Lentz Script written by Matt Callery Narration, direction and editing by Matt Callery Some Sound Effects Provided by QuantumEra Other Sound Effects synthesized, found in the public domain or recorded by Matt Callery or Ty DeWitt Music found on Epidemic Sound dot com Copyright 2024. Addressing Gettysburg LLC. All rights reserved.   

It was the bloodiest battle ever in the Western Hemisphere. For 3 days in July 1863 Americans slaughtered each other on a terrible scale around a small town in Pennsylvania, where the honored dead "gave the last full measure of devotion".Find out why Robert E. Lee invaded the north, and why he failed so terribly; why the civil war dragged on for almost two more years after this union victory; and how this conflict inspired one of the greatest speeches ever in the English language. 

Andy Waskie of the General Meade Society joins the Emerging Civil War Podcast to talk about the Union army's famous "goggle-eyed snapping turtle," George Gordon Meade, the victor of the battle of Gettysburg. This episode of the Emerging Civil War Podcast is brought to you by Civil War Trails, the world's largest open-air museum, offering more than 1,500 sites across six states. Request a brochure at civilwartrails.org to start planning your trip today.

On this episode we are joined by Historian and National Park Service Ranger Matt Borders.  Matt provides a wonderful breakdown of the American Civil War.  He takes us step by step providing a clear detailed breakdown of the issues that led to the war.  Matt then takes us on the journey starting in 1860 where South Carolina secedes from the Union, followed by additional Southern States secession at the start of 1861, to the Confederates firing upon Fort Sumter, kicking off the Civil War.  He then goes year by year breaking down some of the key battles during the Civil War, key figures during the war including Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, George Meade, and the spy network that existed on both the Union and Confederate sides.  He then takes us to the Battle of Appomattox ultimately leading to Robert E. Lee's signing the document of surrender.  From there he covers the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the post-war.   We then talked to Matt about several books he co-authored including Faces of Union Soldiers at Antietam, Faces of Union Soldiers at Culp's Hill, and Faces of Union Soldiers at South Mountain and Harpers Ferry.   Matt Borders is a historian, author, National Park Service Ranger, and the co-host of  @thehistorythingspodcast. Matt Borders Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbordersbooks/@thehistorythingspodcast- A conversational approach to interpreting history. Hosts Patrick and Matt aim to connect you to some of your favorite stories from the past as well as ones you might not have ever heard before! To Purchase Matt's Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Matthew-Borders/author/B084P6QS6Z?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true***Please note all opinions expressed on The Three Guys Podcast do not represent any Group, Company or Organization***Episode Produced by The Three Guys ProductionsInstagram: The Three Guys Podcast (@the_three_guys_podcast_) • Instagram photos and videosTwitter: The Three Guys Podcast (@TheThreeGuysPo1) / TwitterYouTube: Three Guys Podcast - YouTubeLinkedIn the-three-guys-podcastDerek: Derek DePetrillo (@derekd0518) • Instagram photos and videosBrian: Brian Nazarian (@the_real_brian_nazarian) • Instagram photos and videosBrett: Brett J. DePetrillo (@78brettzky

On this episode we are joined by Historian and National Park Service Ranger Matt Borders.  Matt provides a wonderful breakdown of the American Civil War.  He takes us step by step providing a clear detailed breakdown of the issues that led to the war.  Matt then takes us on the journey starting in 1860 where South Carolina secedes from the Union, followed by additional Southern States secession at the start of 1861, to the Confederates firing upon Fort Sumter, kicking off the Civil War.  He then goes year by year breaking down some of the key battles during the Civil War, key figures during the war including Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, George Meade, and the spy network that existed on both the Union and Confederate sides.  He then takes us to the Battle of Appomattox ultimately leading to Robert E. Lee's signing the document of surrender.  From there he covers the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the post-war.   We then talked to Matt about several books he co-authored including Faces of Union Soldiers at Antietam, Faces of Union Soldiers at Culp's Hill, and Faces of Union Soldiers at South Mountain and Harpers Ferry.   Matt Borders is a historian, author, National Park Service Ranger, and the co-host of  @thehistorythingspodcast. Matt Borders Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbordersbooks/@thehistorythingspodcast- A conversational approach to interpreting history. Hosts Patrick and Matt aim to connect you to some of your favorite stories from the past as well as ones you might not have ever heard before! To Purchase Matt's Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Matthew-Borders/author/B084P6QS6Z?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true***Please note all opinions expressed on The Three Guys Podcast do not represent any Group, Company or Organization***Episode Produced by The Three Guys ProductionsInstagram: The Three Guys Podcast (@the_three_guys_podcast_) • Instagram photos and videosTwitter: The Three Guys Podcast (@TheThreeGuysPo1) / TwitterYouTube: Three Guys Podcast - YouTubeLinkedIn the-three-guys-podcastDerek: Derek DePetrillo (@derekd0518) • Instagram photos and videosBrian: Brian Nazarian (@the_real_brian_nazarian) • Instagram photos and videosBrett: Brett J. DePetrillo (@78brettzky

Absecon Lighthouse in Atlantic City, New Jersey, has the distinction of being New Jersey's tallest lighthouse and the nation's third tallest masonry lighthouse at 171 feet. The tower was designed by George Meade, who later commanded the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. The light went into service in early 1857. Absecon Lighthouse, New Jersey, at sunrise. Courtesy of Absecon Lighthouse. Buddy Grover and Jean Muchanic Buddy Grover After three quarters of a century as a family station with a principal keeper and two assistants, the light was deactivated in 1933. There was talk of demolishing the lighthouse, but it was saved when Atlantic City took control of it in 1946. The Inlet Public/Private Association was created in the 1990s to rebuild the principal keeper's dwelling, which had been demolished, and to restore the lighthouse and lens. Jean Muchanic has been the executive director of Absecon Lighthouse for nearly 20 years. And Buddy Grover has been a lighthouse volunteer for more than 10 years. At the age of 95, he greets visitors in a keeper's uniform and answers their questions.

The turning point in the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg was also the costliest in American history. Fought from July 1-3, 1863, the battle between George Meade's Union forces and Robert E. Lee's Confederates ended Lee's bid to surprise and destroy Northern (Union) troops and led directly to Lincoln's Gettysburg Address five months later. Hear all about the history and significance of the battle on Thursday, July 6 when TRAVEL ITCH RADIO presents Gettysburg historian Carl Whitehill in an exclusive interview with Dan Schlossberg and Maryellen Nugent Lee. Listen live at 8p EDT on iTunes or BlogTalkRadio.com. This will be episode #511 in the 12-year history of the award-winning show and may be heard on the TRAVEL ITCH RADIO Facebook page.

LBG Lewis Trott and LTG (Licensed Town Guide) Rosanne Zajko join us from Brooke Avenue in GNMP to discuss the action on the battlefield & in the town on July 2, 1863.   (From the Library of Congress): "On July 2, 1863, the lines of the Battle of Gettysburg, now in its second day, were drawn in two sweeping parallel arcs. The Confederate and Union armies faced each other a mile apart. The Union forces extending along Cemetery Ridge to Culp's Hill, formed the shape of a fish-hook, and the Confederate forces were spread along Seminary Ridge..." Read more here   This episode is brought to you without commercial interruption by TR Historical .  Help keep the show going and growing by becoming a Patron. Patrons get up to 4 episodes a month (depending on tier), discounts on ticketed events, early access to specials and more! Go to www.patreon.com/addressinggettysburg to join the community today! We thank you in advance

Join us on a captivating journey back to an era that defined the course of American history - the Battle of Gettysburg. Picture a sleepy Pennsylvania town, now echoing with the march of armies and the thunder of cannons. In todays Liberty Minute

Joe and George go over some of their great times working at WOR.

George Meade may look like if J.K. Simmons played Gollum, but this dude was one hell of an ass kicker. He never really wanted the military life, but destiny dragged his ass kicking and screaming all the way through it. He played a significant role in the Mexican-American War, and got no glory. Then when the Civil War rolled around he smashed Confederates left and right, and still never quite got all the respect he deserved. But it's safe to say the war might have gone differently if not for him. Enjoy!

The Florida reef lights date back to 1852 when Carysfort Reef Lighthouse was completed under the direction of Lt. George Meade of the Army Corps of Engineers. Sombrero Key Lighthouse was built a few years later, and then Alligator Reef was built as the third of the reef lights in 1873. Alligator Reef Lighthouse is about four nautical miles offshore from the village of Islamorada. The reef is named for the U.S. Navy schooner Alligator, which was launched at Boston in 1820. Alligator Reef Lighthouse, courtesy of Friends of the Pool, Inc. The lighthouse was established on the northeast end of the reef in 1873, with a light 136 feet above the water. The iron skeletal tower stands on pilings that are driven 10 feet into the coral. The cost of construction was $185,000, making it a very expensive project at the time. The light was automated and de-staffed in 1963. In 2021, under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, the lighthouse was deeded to Friends of the Pool, Inc., a local nonprofit organization that has held an annual eight-mile round-trip swimming race to the lighthouse. Rob Dixon, left, and Larry Herlth There are two guests in this episode, and both are leaders of the effort to preserve Alligator Reef Lighthouse. Rob Dixon is a longtime charter fishing boat operator and open water swimmer based in Islamorada, and he's the president of Friends of the Pool. Larry Herlth is a metal artisan specializing in incredibly detailed replicas of the Florida Keys Lighthouses, and he's also a swimmer who inaugurated the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse. He's known widely as Lighthouse Larry.

OUR AMERICAN HERITAGE 10 - 10 - 20 - George Meade- Philadelphia Generals In The Civil War - PART II by WFYL 1180 AM

Jeb Stuart's cavalry struggles to find the main body of the Army of Northern Virginia after it crosses the Potomac and repeatedly clashes with Union cavalry and militia on the road to Gettysburg. Over the night and early morning of July 2nd and 3rd George Meade holds a council of war with his top lieutenants, Robert E. Lee and James Longstreet plan another assault, and George Pickett's division arrives in Gettysburg. Check out the Excuse Me History Facebook page for supplementary maps to help follow along with the action and updates about the podcast: https://www.facebook.com/EMHistory

Eric and Jim continue their conversation with Kent Masterson Brown about all things George Meade and Gettysburg. In this episode, they pick up on the morning of July 2 and continue to the end of the battle on July 3, with some discussion of the logistical challenges faced by the Army of the Potomac in the wake of their victory. And yes there is some talk about a certain Union general... If you would like to donate to the show, you can do so via the following: A one-time donation on PayPal at paypal.me/gettysburgpodcast A recurring, monthly donation at www.patreon.com/gettysburgpodcast All donations offset the show's production costs and allow it to remain a free resource on the Battle of Gettysburg. You can find The Battle of Gettysburg Podcast on social media at the following: Facebook: The Battle of Gettysburg Podcast Twitter: @gettysburgpod Instagram: @thebattleofgettysburgpodcast Email: gettysburgpodcast@gmail.com

Jane attempts to break into the Meade's storage unit. What she finds leads her right into the heart of the mystery and right into the arms of the man behind it. An epic showdown and a final twist leave Jane gasping for air as she finds the truth about George Meade and Reginald Marely that would change her and her life forever.

Our buddy, LBG Mike Rupert, joins us on the Rose Farm to talk about the fighting on July 2, 1863. We cover Longstreet's Assault on the Union left and a little bit of the fighting on Culp's Hill during the Battle of Gettysburg.  GettysBike Tours is celebrated it's 18th year on June 30 and they appreciate your listening to Addressing Gettysburg. As a reward, you can get 15% off your tour when you call 717-752-7752 to book a tour today. (Discount does not apply to rentals-only.)

Eric and Jim have long wanted to do an episode (or two) on George Meade and who better to join them than the author of "Meade at Gettysburg" Kent Masterson Brown to discuss Meade's role in the Gettysburg Campaign. Part One begins with Meade taking command of the Army of the Potomac on June 28, 1863, and follows him through his arrival in Gettysburg early in the morning of July 2. If you would like to donate to the show, you can do so via the following: A one-time donation on PayPal at paypal.me/gettysburgpodcast A recurring, monthly donation at www.patreon.com/gettysburgpodcast All donations offset the show's production costs and allow it to remain a free resource on the Battle of Gettysburg. You can find The Battle of Gettysburg Podcast on social media at the following: Facebook: The Battle of Gettysburg Podcast Twitter: @gettysburgpod Instagram: @thebattleofgettysburgpodcast Email: gettysburgpodcast@gmail.com

Lost in her new investigation, Jane goes for a drink and meets an unexpected ally. Her fortitude only grows as she sets out to delve deeper into the murder of George Meade, finding that there is much more that meets the eye.

George was the first traffic reporter in NYC to go up in a helicopter to give reports. George was a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam. George tells a great story about his wife calling the station to tell him his child was born while he was flying over the city

Len and Michael talk to George about his 40 years at WOR.

Biden has dug himself into a big hole. Putin has moved troops into certain parts of the Ukraine which will cause fuel prices to rise to record highs. Bill O'Reilly Interview. Bill and Mark talk about Bill's new book killing the Killers. They also talked about Biden and his problem with Inflation, Russia, and crime.

This episode covers the first half of July 2, 1863. After both armies regroup and rest Robert E. Lee plans an attack, George Meade arrives at Gettysburg, and Dan Sickles disobeys orders and advances to the Peach Orchard.

In this episode we focus on the morning of the first day at Gettysburg. Robert E. Lee and George Meade hoped that their actions would entice the other side to battle. In fact, it became a meeting engagement as the leading elements of both armies bumped into each other at Gettysburg. Rather than retreat from adversity, Henry Heth attacked, committing the Army of Northern Viriginia to the offensive. We also spend some time on how to experience the battlefield at Gettysburg. Take a listen! Have a question, comment, or compliment? Contact us at americawarpodcast@gmail.com. You can also leave comments and your questions on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/americaatwarpodcast/. Thanks for listening!

In which we look at what George Meade was up to the morning of July 3, and also talk about the remarkable series of messages between Longstreet and EP Alexander prior to the start of the big Confederate artillery bombardment.

Joseph Hooker bows out of the campaign, the Confederates occupy Pennsylvania, and George Meade takes command of the Army of the Potomac.

War Yankee - Overland Overland.10: Bad Intelligence Discover the fate of Harry Wilson's cavalry division and why it was absent during the opening hours of the Battle of the Wilderness. Overview It's noon on May 5th, 1864 -- Greenhorn cavalry officer Brigadier General James Harrison "Harry" Wilson started the Overland Campaign with high expectations. Now, after a series of tactical shortcomings and conflicting orders, his actions have allowed rebel forces to approach the Union army almost undetected. To make matters worse, Wilson's entire cavalry division -- over 3,000 men and horses -- are missing. No one has seen or heard from Wilson since 5:00 AM. With the Orange Plank Road now engulfed by an endless column of Confederate infantry, Grant and Meade are desperate to know: Where the hell is Harry Wilson's Cavalry Division? Quotes "My pickets report nothing new from the enemy this morning." -- Brig.Gen. James Harrison Wilson's last message to Maj.Gen Meade, 5:00 AM, May 5th, 1864 Support the War Yankee Podcast Every episode is a work of passion that requires a lot of coffee. I research, read, visit, host, mix, edit, and produce every episode myself. I would greatly appreciate it if you could do two things for me: 1. Send me a quick note of encouragement at thewaryankee@gmail.com. This keeps me going when times get tough! 2. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting the show by buying me a cup of coffee (or two)! War Yankee Supports American Battlefield Trust The American Battlefield Trust knows that there is no substitute for experiencing history in the places where it actually took place and has worked to become the only national organization working to save America's historic battlefields today and discover how you can help preserve American history forever. Join me in the fight to save our nation's historic battlefields by visiting the American Battlefield Trust website at battlefields.org. War Yankee Telegraph Department Email Us: THE waryankee AT GMAIL DOT com All our Show Notes: waryankee.com Notable Resources: waryankee.com/resources/ Buy Me a Coffee - Support the Show Good Maps: Union Army Actions in The Wilderness (May 5th, 1864) All our Episodes: waryankee.libsyn.com War Yankee - Overland Gagglepod - Once Told, Shared Forever War Yankee is a Gagglepod Production. Learn more at gagglepod.com.

A Wilson Green on"We Have Done all that is Possible and Must be Resigned: The First Petersburg Offensive" For more information: WWW.ChicagoCWRT.org The epic contest between Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee wound its way from the Rapidan River to Cold Harbor in May and early June 1864. Stymied in his effort to either destroy Lee's army or capture Richmond, Grant decided on a bold move. He would shift George Meade's Army of the Potomac and elements of Benjamin Butler's Army of the James across the James River to target Petersburg, the Confederate capital's logistical and transportation hub. Grant executed these challenging logistics brilliantly, in effect freezing most of Lee's forces north of the James while negotiating an uncontested crossing of the mighty James. By dawn of June 15, the Federals were poised to overrun the vastly outnumbered Confederates around Petersburg commanded by P.G.T. Beauregard. Four days later, after fighting that claimed some 15,000 casualties, Beauregard still held Petersburg and the Army of Northern Virginia dug in to defend the city for the next nine months. The story of Grant's almost flawless movement to and across the James and the Confederates' shockingly successful defense of Petersburg will be the subject of Will Greene's talk. It is based on chapters from his most recent book, A Campaign of Giant:s: The Battle for Petersburg, Volume 1. A. Wilson "Will" Greene was born in Chicago and grew up in Wheaton. He holds degrees in history from Florida State University and Louisiana State University, where he studied under the renowned T. Harry Williams. Greene served sixteen years in the National Park Service, was the first executive director of what is now the American Battlefield Trust, and was the founding director of Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier. Greene is the author of seven books and more than twenty published articles on Civil War history. His latest book, A Campaign of Giants: The Battle for Petersburg (University of North Carolina Press, 2018) is the first of a projected three volumes on the Petersburg Campaign and won numerous awards including best book on American Military History from the Society of Military History. Greene retired in 2017 and lives in Walden, Tennessee.

Dr. Jennifer M. Murray is a military historian, with a specialization in the American Civil War, in the Department of History at Oklahoma State University. Murray's most recent book publication is "On A Great Battlefield: The Making, Management, and Memory of Gettysburg National Military Park, 1933-2013," published by the University of Tennessee Press in 2014. Murray is also the author of "The Civil War Begins," published by the U.S. Army's Center of Military History in 2012. She is currently working on a full-length biography of George Gordon Meade, tentatively titled "Meade at War: George Gordon Meade and the Army of the Potomac." Murray's essay on Meade in "Upon the Fields of Battle: Essays on the Military History of America's Civil War," explores the leadership decisions of Army of the Potomac in the final days of the Gettysburg Campaign. Specifically, Prof. Murray places President Abraham Lincoln's expectations of a decisive victory by Meade over Robert E. Lee's Confederate army within the broader context of military history and argues that battles of annihilation are incredibly rare and thus Lincoln and northern citizens' expectations misplaced. Consequently, General Meade's leadership during the pursuit from Gettysburg, culminating in the actions at Falling Waters, must be understood within the broader contours of the feasibility of annihilating a citizen-soldier army and the rarity of coupling a battlefield victory with an aggressive pursuit of the enemy forces. Prof. Murray's previous experiences include working as a historian for the Department of Defense in the Pentagon for a year before she took a job teaching history at UVa-Wise. Murray worked as a seasonal interpretive park ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park for nine summers (2002-2010). She received her Ph.D. from Auburn University in 2010.

In which we continue to look at Dan Sickles' story, and the background to the bad blood between him and George Meade.

  Author RIck Schaus stopped by the studio to talk about his book, co-written with Thomas J. Ryan, "Lee is Trapped and Must Be Taken" about the retrest from Gettysburg and George Meade's pursuit of Lee.  LBG Lewis Trott sits in as cohost.    Grab your copy of Thomas and Richard's book and decide for yourself if Meade could have destroyed Lee or not. Also available on Audible.  

Bobby & Ian discuss Ghosts of Gettysburg.The Battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The battle involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war and is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Meade's Army of the Potomac defeated attacks by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, halting Lee's invasion of the North.

Bobby & Ian discuss Ghosts of Gettysburg.The Battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The battle involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war and is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Meade's Army of the Potomac defeated attacks by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, halting Lee's invasion of the North.

On this episode we sit with Michael McGar of QuantumERA, producers of the Gettysburg: A Nation Divided App. This app uses augmented reality, the same technology from Pokemon Go, to tell the story of the Battle of Gettysburg. Learn about the research that went into this app and its development. Hear how this is the next technological leap for Civil War studies/story telling. Plus experience the app yourself: https://quantumera.com/app/ To support the show, please use the code untoldcivilwar when downloading the smartphone app, Gettysburg: A Nation Divided.Instructions in the link below:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmMJ2SuTMZs (The podcast receives monetary compensation when you use our code on the app.)Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube:https://www.facebook.com/untoldcivilwar/ https://www.instagram.com/untold_civil_war/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMMWxeF5zojtN8_NeWtyULw?view_as=subscriber

In which we look at George Meade's activities June 28-July 1.

“I shall lead my division forward, sir.”This is the story of Gettysburg.It’s summer, 1863, and Robert E. Lee is making a bold move; he’s leading his Army of Northern Virginia into Union territory. He hopes a victory up north might be the decisive blow he needs to demoralize the US. Meanwhile, Union leadership is getting shaken up (yet again) as the Army of the Potomac’s command passes from “Fightin’ Joe” Hooker to George Meade. But the two armies won’t clash on either commander’s terms. They’ll collide somewhat unintentionally at the southeastern Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg. The battle rages for three days under the hot July sun. It’ll prove the deadliest battle of the entire war. It’s impact will long be remembered—as will President Abraham Lincoln’s speech dedicating the final resting place of the battle’s thousands of dead that November.

On January 23, 2020, Douglas Waller delivered the Banner Lecture, "Lincoln’s Spies: Their Secret War to Save a Nation." Lincoln’s Spies is a story about dangerous espionage and covert operations during the Civil War. It is told through the lives of four Union agents. Allan Pinkerton, whose detective agency had already brought him fame nationwide, was George McClellan’s failed spymaster, delivering inflated intelligence reports that made the Union general even more cautious. Lafayette Baker ran counter-espionage operations in Washington for the War Department, putting hundreds in jail and pocketing cash from graft he uncovered. George Sharpe, a New York lawyer, successfully ran spying for generals Joseph Hooker, George Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant, outpacing anything the Confederates could field. Elizabeth Van Lew, a Virginia heiress, ran a Union espionage ring in Richmond, providing Grant critical information as his army closed in on the Confederate capital. And behind these secret agents was Abraham Lincoln who became an avid consumer of intelligence and a ruthless aficionado of covert action. The phone tapping, human collection and aerial snooping you see today’s spies doing can be traced back to the Civil War. Douglas Waller is a former correspondent for Newsweek and TIME, where he covered the CIA, Pentagon, State Department, White House, and Congress. He is the author of several bestselling books, including Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage; The Commandos: The Inside Story of America's Secret Soldiers; and Disciples: The World War II Missions of the CIA Directors Who Fought for Wild Bill Donovan. His latest book is Lincoln’s Spies: Their Secret War to Save the Nation.

On July 2, 1863, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee ordered skeptical subordinate Lt. Gen. James Longstreet to launch a massive assault against the Union left flank. The offensive was intended to seize the Peach Orchard and surrounding ground along the Emmitsburg Road for use as an artillery position to support the ongoing attack. However, Union Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles, a scheming former congressman from New York, misinterpreted his orders and occupied the orchard first. What followed was some of Gettysburg’s bloodiest and most controversial fighting. General Sickles’s questionable advance forced Longstreet’s artillery and infantry to fight for every inch of ground to Cemetery Ridge. The Confederate attack crushed the Peach Orchard salient and other parts of the Union line, threatening the left flank of Maj. Gen. George Meade’s army. The command decisions made in and around the Sherfy property influenced actions on every part of the battlefield. The occupation of the high ground at the Peach Orchard helped General Lee rationalize ordering the tragic July 3 assault known as “Pickett’s Charge.” James Hessler is a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg. He is the award-winning author of Sickles at Gettysburg and and co-author of Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. He lives with his wife and family in Gettysburg. Britt Isenberg is a full-time Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park since 2014. He has been published in several Civil War periodicals through writing and photography, and is the author of The Boys Fought Like Demons, a regimental history of the 105th Pennsylvania Infantry. Originally from Millersburg, PA, he resides with his wife and daughter near Gettysburg. Description courtesy of Savas Beatie.

 On Episode Two of the Battle of Gettysburg Podcast, Licensed Battlefield Guides James Hessler and Eric Lindblade take a closer look at one of the most critical days in the Gettysburg Campaign: June 28, 1863.  Eric and Jim will detail the circumstances of George Meade taking command of the Army of the Potomac, Robert E. Lee discovering the location of Union forces and a terrible day for J.E.B. Stuart.  Also, questions from listeners about June 28 and the events surrounding it are answered.  

En este episodio revivimos la batalla más sangrienta de la Guerra Civil Estadounidense. Al lado de los legendarios generales Robert E. Lee y George Meade, los campos de Gettysburg presenciaron el combate que cambió el rumbo de la guerra.Síganos en nuestras redes sociales para enterarse de toda nuestra actividad y futuros episodios. Por el mismo medio agradeceremos nos hagan llegar todos sus comentarios, sugerencias y preguntas:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amehmmx/Twitter: https://twitter.com/amehmmx

Learn about the Forgotten General!  We talk Meade, Gettysburg, and the war in general this week.

 In Part 3, Lee earns victories at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, reorganizes his army after the death of Stonewall Jackson, and makes a fateful decision to journey north of the Mason-Dixon line, where his army collides with the Army of the Potomac commanded by newly promoted Gen. George Meade near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.    Email us with any questions or comments about the show at BlueAndGreyPodcast@gmail.com.  Or visit the show's webpage at PortraitsOfBlueAndGrey.podbean.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ron starts the hour with the story of an 88 Lincoln Towncar with no high beams : interviews Chuck Wanamaker and talks about the summer cruises upcoming : interviews George Meade, retired traffic helicopter pilot from WOR Radio in New York City regarding his service as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam : and takes a call on a Ford F-350 with a random no crank - no start condition. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sickles at Gettysburg” No individual who fought at Gettysburg was more controversial, both personally and professionally, than Major General Daniel E. Sickles. By 1863, Sickles was notorious as a disgraced former Congressman who murdered his wife's lover on the streets of Washington and used America's first temporary insanity defense to escape justice. With his political career in ruins, Sickles used his connections with President Lincoln to obtain a prominent command in the Army of the Potomac's Third Corps-despite having no military experience. At Gettysburg, he openly disobeyed orders in one of the most controversial decisions in military history. No single action dictated the battlefield strategies of George Meade and Robert E. Lee more than Sickles' unauthorized advance to the Peach Orchard, and the mythic defense of Little Round Top might have occurred quite differently were it not for General Sickles. Fighting heroically, Sickles lost his leg on the field and thereafter worked to remove General Meade from command of the army. Sickles spent the remainder of his checkered life declaring himself the true hero of Gettysburg. James Hessler works in the financial services industry and is a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park. He has taught Sickles and Gettysburg-related courses for Harrisburg Area Community College and the Gettysburg Foundation.