Walking History: The Battle of Gettysburg (The Quick Version)

Learn about The Battle of Gettysburg, the deadliest and most famous  battle of the American Civil War, and what it's like to visit the battlefield today. Hear why Robert E. Lee  invaded the North, the course of events over the brutal, three-day battle, and what it's like to visit this incredibly well-preserved battlefield, including sites Little Round Top, Devil's Den, the route of Pickett's Charge, and the location of Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address. Then stay tuned for the next episode - The Battle of Gettysburg (The FULL Version).

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Summary: 1:50
Background of the Battle: 3:15
The Battle of Gettysburg: 6:20
Pickett's Charge: 23:00
Aftermath of the Battle: 30:30
Visiting the Battlefield Today: 34:20

The Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War, took place from July 1-3rd, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It pitted over 70,000 Confederate troops under the command of General Robert E. Lee, invading the north for the second time in hopes of forcing a Union peace offering, against almost 100,000 Union troops lead by General George Meade. The three-day battle saw fighting in the streets of Gettysburg, at now-famous sites like Little Round Top and Devil’s Den, and ended with the disastrous Confederate frontal assault known as Pickett’s Charge. The Union had won the battle, and handed Lee his worst ever defeat. On July 4th, Lee began his retreat back to Virginia. 

Over 50,000 men were casualties of the battle, an estimated had 7,000 had been killed, 33,000 wounded, and 11,000 missing or captured. A few months later, on November 19, 1863 a dedication ceremony was held for the cemetery honoring Union troops who had been killed in the battle. There, Abraham Lincoln gave his most famous speech, the Gettysburg Address, his immortal words honoring the dead and reaffirming the need to fight. 

The Educator Podcast is hosted by Matt Douglas, former history teacher, longtime educator and life coach for teens and young adults. To see more of The Educator Podcast, including the Perspectives and How To series, visit TheEducatorPodcast.com. Please rate, review, subscribe and share to help support the show and to get updates on each new episode as it comes out. For more information on Matt Douglas and his work, please visit www.lifecoachingsd.com or follow him on Instagram at lifecoachingsd. This episode was recorded on September 3rd, 2021.