This is the jacko podcast civil war, excursion number four with J d baker and me jocker, willing good evening, J D, rabies, Jago. We slept upon our arms last night. In daylight this morning found us in line the battle began at an early. our and the shot and shell screeched and screamed over our heads to our right. We could see the white going on for the heights beyond the back of fredericksburg. general sumner, tried to take the hills but failed. The city was on fire in several places and the noise was deafening. We could see the long lines of union troops, move up the hill and melt away or the rebel fire, but we were not idle, although at tat

arms. There would be a low and our front and we would watch and we could watch the fight on the right, three p m are regiment, was sent down to the left of the line in order to support a battery. This was no fun for us, for we had to stand the rebels shells fired at the battery just at dark. The firing ceased, but what a scene was before us. The dead and wounded, the ground in all directions, Billions were sent out to pick up the wounded, but the enemy, open fire upon them and wounded were left to suffer during the evening. If a match was I did. It would bring a shell from the rebel forts on the hills. At eight p m, we were ordered to the rear and our division rested for the night.

that right. There is an excerpt from pelagia hunt, roads book his book. All for the union rights It is a count as they began the battle fredericksburg and at this point, since our last podcast, which focused on the battle at antietam, theirs some pretty significant, pretty significant changes in what was going on lincoln was not happy with his leadership in the union are army, so he's gonna make some changes, that's good! That's! What's going go down so weak before we get to fredericksburg and what happened there, Talk about some of these changes, so here here's an order coming down from lincoln the executive mansion washington November fifth,

ten sixty two five by direction of the president. It is ordered that major general mc clellan be relieved from the command of the army of the potomac and that major and will burnside take command of that army. All oh, that major general hunter take command of the core instead army, which is now commanded by general burnside, that major general fits John porter. be relieved from the command of the core he now commands and set army and that major general hooker take command of said core the when chief is authorized in his discretion to issue an order substantially. As the above forthwith. Or so soon, as he may deem proper signed a lincoln So there's that I mean that's, that's a there's! A lot of changes going on from one paragraph worth orders What's going on behind the scenes

yeah, so you know physically lincoln he's his peace. but he's not he's. His bond meter is pegged with general mcloughlin, so yeah he's out coming to november out of your september, It's a lot of the folks. Remember what the battle of antietam that that one single day, blood his day in american history come another made. If you could imagine, yo yo man. Why all the way to la till november, you know Robert e Lee gets pushed back in virginia act. The battle of antietam. I mean these. Both of these armies are rack. I mean they're just wrecked with that, but that one single day so that their there's a lot of regrouping and and then Abraham Think it's gotta make their decision. Ok, we'll first if we're going to get rid of mc clellan we gonna pick to be the rule, army commander of the potomac, so of course

that's gonna, go in discussion here and he's got his cabinet he's got a lot of the folks that are up there. That he's been in discussion with from you have soon. secretary stay, you got Halleck, you got all these guys that are in there and their bases to come to your burnside, already know about him at burnside bridge as as a commander and how it played out for him and antietam and then you're gonna, look at the ass backs up he's a west point. Grad Yonah made haste to mean he's him in lincoln. I've got a really good relationship. So he's gonna call burnside in before is even does this Order and and he's thy cave burnside thinkin, about put you the new army commander of the potomac and me a base ugly burnside's kind of like. Do that's a little bit out my wheel house man, you mean like,

like being a general like you know, I'm having a pretty good time. I didn't have a good go at antietam. I don't know if you read the after action report of this whole burnside bridge. It's now named after me, which I'm not really happy about. It's not good reason to have something named after you, and I don't really think that I mean it, which is pretty cool. burnside to kind of know what his limitations art and he doesn't believe that he would be a good army commander of the potomac, and lincoln's, basically like looking at I'd like whoa cable them. If not, you then but general hooker, an errand burnside icu, a slow you roll rather like I do. one word for hooker in an you. Read it in there with the coming from. Ah the executive order from Abraham lincoln of here, he's gonna get porter he's gonna, relieve him. He's gonna, put hooker and put him in with the core commander I going to elevate hooker. Even this hooker does

pretty good job at antietam, you his his nickname of of of what folks look at his is fighting Joe go. Fighting Joe hooker, Hooker is an interesting character. Needless to say, he's a little different down. Some of the other generals- you know he, Let's just leave it at that. He does a pretty good job at antietam. He gets wounded and you're going to leave it at that. You rarely visit us, let's go okay. So if I, if I if I say the word, hooker like what's the first thing that pops from the slang norman closure of planet earth. A hooker in america is a prostitute, ok, so gay, and so when we, used to call him prostitutes you, could imagine Hooker is a general officer. He.

To have like this little entourage of of women that they were kind like group, you know what I mean so if you've got like a yeah, the big hair bands back in the eighties and stuff- and I got these like groupies that like go around and they make movies about groupies and so he he's got some groupies. Well, you know the typical private. You know what I mean in in At all I mean you, don't see a lotta, a lot of women. yoda main. So here yeah. You got like a J private baker upsetting out there, and I see these women go and buy, and, unlike who hey man, who were those women, and one of the other guys like do those or hookers meaning Those are hookers the larger out. Well, it sticks the term hooker comes into play, which is probably

if you're looking at an individual of character. It's probably not what you want to be known for you and me, because the progress are like pick kit kid. We gets in cookers you're wondering can we have some bakers out here too, and I know it wouldn't be, like the private doesn't get that so you know we soon and that seen as as a leader you're always under observation, so the poor I bet you are always constantly emma, you know as well as anybody man. If you are in charge, everything that you do, twenty four seven rears exhibit you're under observation. People are watching you because they're looking for anything you remain. If you show a flaw that they can exploit, does one day, I'm going to be in subic bay in the philippines. You know what I may run into along the po and you're going to bring me in four year for the captain's mass, an ivy like wait, a minute there

serve. I believe I saw you just last. We do in the same vein and I've got witnesses. You re, so you re you're, always under observation, and I do not think that the privates want to have a little bit of I mean some of these guys. Man, like the general officers they're going to swoop out man. They got the wives coming up, they get to see it, it's that that is opportunities not afforded to the common soldier? What, if, if you're that like so far removed from what's going on at the lower levels in the command that those those guys are like a little chap like you, like here I'd like to see my way if two or I'd like to like go into the IL. Can we get a like a liberty pass? Can I go home on lebeau? You know what I your denied and then you see the the communists, after one on their goin on their little entourage, and you don't get it

That will that that's kind of undermining inside the command, so yeah- hooker he gets elevated up, he does become a core commander. He gets moved in at buddy, it, also says a little bit about burnside like burnside, doesn't want to be the army commander but he also doesn't want to work for hocker. Yo me, sir he's basically just gonna take the job, because he doesn't want to work for hooker which is probably not the guy that you want run in the obvious, especially your here It's not like, they're, going to move the whole army of the potomac and they're going to go fight in the western theater now years. born up against the army or nor the virginia like nothing, has changed, you're, still with the army of the potomac you're still based right next to washington d c. You are right on the flagpole, you know what I mean you ve got all these political leaders that are all there in d c and you are under observation of a keen eye all the time

and now you're gonna go up against robert e lee stone wall. Jackson and james longstreet- and you know You might wanna like I dunno like I. If it was me I'd be like hey, sir, can I go up against like bragg? Can you send me out west and let me go up against brag of those guys out there. You always kind of like when you look at like sports play in the american league, east yo domain and major league baseball You got the yankees, you get the red sox, you got the orioles, I mean you got toronto, I mean you guys are all competing at a high level there like. Can we way more games out and, like the american league, central me not that against the american league central. But you know what I mean like it's kind of like being here, san diego you EL. I you got San Francisco yo remain the west out here and in baseball their kind. Like do can't we play like more games like it's the brewers and cobb's emmy. Can you get more of those games is weakened when more

you know so. he's gonna go up against the the year I mean at this point time after the battle of antietam, and it's a drawl Robert e Lee and in the army of nor the virginia me they are still the bee premier army of the confederacy. they're the ones that are gonna pushed, envelope to get them to be left alone, yo remain and become a confederate states and with fat with burnside. Did moved. An elevated imposition lincoln wants action lincoln wants office, which is whenever I think of lincoln, can you think of this kind of fought? For cerebral leader, which, certainly is but no Well that doesn't go hand in hand with like. I want you to go. Kick people's asses right, which is what lincoln was lincoln. Wants you to go? Kick ass! That's what he wants burnside to do! Yeah I mean he

Does it not dubbing, doesn't just want them to win the battle he wants them to destroy the army of northern virginia. I mean you can't get any more clear of what lincoln wants. He doesn't want them to just like you just when battle hate like push him off the field like we kind of talked about anti, like macaulay Looks like well hyuk academic, Marilyn pass which first off about you didn't destroy them. They are still active there still recruiting and there still a threat. I want that threat eliminated like take that off the plate We can just focus on the west. We get rid of that. We threatened down, make them displace otter, richmond, make them move the capital backed montgomery, alabama, don't like them move us like back the philly like what are you not give so a yet lincoln once somebody to start taking action and he's gonna have general burnside is now. I meant you ve got to

again you, like you, said to me: this is it. This is in november like virginia yemen, mean, is considered the south, but november? Why I live in Virginia? december in some way out, like it's free cole domain like it's it's the twenties and thirties. You me, I mean it's not like you know, like like was: are you living in buffalo, new york, but Thirty degrees care where the hell you're at man, it's cold. So now you, They go into a winner, qana campaign, Yeah there were like a lot of times. The armies are like you know, even if you date all way back, even like washington like as soon as like the first snowflake up going into I now. burn sides. Kind of initial proposal is kind of to big flanking movement. To get down to richmond and is the right guy he's gonna want it like, instead of like you, hated

That'll, be our direct right down the telegraph road, so explain the telegraph. The telegraph road is a road that goes from DC to richmond, basically, which is how long is it? I would profit from DC to richmond. I would probably put it right around here between ninety and and and higher miles, so this striking distance really for both armies. I mean you can move hundred miles. Gonna take a few days he's got a few days, you can get there and is. This telegraph road warehouses said applies. It set up. What are they the telegraph road so its modern day what we would call route? One yo me before I ninety five, if anybody's ever been on that corridor, It's gonna go. Take a straight through fredericksburg berg you're going to come right staff or county spotsylvania county into caroline county bam, you're going to hit and one hundred right go boom. You are enrichment, I mean it. Is it

like you said- and they called the telegraph road because they run the telegraph down that road, it's like me like? The power lies, so it's called the telegraph wrote sober. Burnside initial stab at a plan is like ok? Well, I'm in a dual bub bigger broader flanking movement a marking to go the wrecked, because I want to be taken. A little bit of advance some of the terrain over here to the west's go it differently. We have a different direction, that's enough Oh cut on the plan has initial proposal right. You know, so there's there's different ways to get the virginia and if you live in virginia like nobody wants to get on, I ninety five, because it just parking lot, you mean, and in but even with the h jovi's and all that kind of stuff I mean just ninety five is like anybody. That's ever been in the national capital region. They just hate. I ninety five, so like local, folks from around there like I dont have to get on. I ninety five to get the richmond. You can go

because these roads like where we're talking about like of in and around irish borg is. If you go out, what's called the modern day rule three we're gonna pick twenty and if you go charlottesville well, that's that's called the constitution route meaning that that road and those been established before the car institution was even written for this country, so you can go out in around through coal pepper and you come in kind of like from the west and in go south the south east and come and took to richmond that way? So that's where burnside and his initial thought is: I'm going to come out and sweep out around the mink. Mc clellan tried to come down. The peninsula, yo Mcdowell I'll, try to push down. You mean down the modern day route, one so early looking at it also of law.

logistically of moving. Now, though, like I said at fredericksburg of where we're about ready to end up with you know, elisha hunt, rhodes kind of told us a little bit about that. You go to the modern day route, one of of the telegraph road and you and her and two of which called falmouth, in southern stafford area and your crossing over the rappahannock river. So there is a bridge, that's their and it's on the table. Wrap road to get over the rappahannock river right. The telegraph road is that as that's the fall line, meaning everything to the east of the telegraph road is tidal. Everything the west of telegraph road is rapid, meaning it's not navigable, that's why fredericksburg is so important because you can bring

goods and, if you're a farmer sources of water way, it's a navigable waterway that goes all the way up to fredericksburg ghip beyond fredericksburg. Did you you don't? Have the waterway anymore orders problematic right, you you're, not gonna, run abode up it You know what I mean like the rappahannock river. You know it's you right there and what's your ferry farm, if you're, looking at that's where George Washington was born and raised, you automate is right there right across from fredericksburg, and there's a canal! That's up there we have, they can damage, they can run a canal in and around fredericksburg, and it's all about like moving resources. Just we cannot talk about the tow path upon the potomac. These these areas? So if you go out and around you, you you're not necessarily dealing with the title, the river, I mean it's it's at its widest point there, its deep

nah. It's gonna make logistical to get across, because the confederates knew that this was a natural obstacle. If you boy oh all the bridge. So there is no route. One brick there used to be one they got rid the rail line blue the rio bridge common in right there in front export, so almost as if you're gonna go straight down the telegraph road year, of the one natural barrier is gonna, be the rappahannock river. Now because we know that this is big barriers. There and burnside figures hey. I can sue bout around to the west and common from a different approach and avoid that major obstacle seems good idea, but lincoln, don't like it like it. Because now we ve got now, if you're, if you taken your big jain, arming your swooping out to the west, will that means that, generally sitting there looking ninety miles north and he sees DC, and maybe he can just roll up their while you're boon out the west. He can read

straight up, no resistance there, oh yeah, I mean it's all about the protection of of t see. It may, of course, Abraham lincoln, worried about that. So, if he does get put you know if you look at it basically prepare inside you. If, because now oh he's gonna have to to do. Bridging, like you're gonna, have to bring in bridging The engineers I mean it's just a lot more of a to do then, if you go out towards call pepper like out towards orange county and sponsoring a counter that air you ve got like ellie sport. You ve got Yoda mean this in your thinking about the though the great links that soldiers will go to to avoid the water I mean like there's a reason seal deems is is good at what we do and why there are so few people in a sealed things like ok, you got a deal with the worst possible the whole world and that some water. Whether it's a reverence you you think seals like two and reverend stream crossings.

Will look at map will study maps for five hours, trying to figure out a way to get around doing a reverence dream crossing will do anything we can't get over the beach without gettin in the water. Waters is a is a nightmare. It's a nightmare ads I can see why he's thinking hey, we don't really want to get into this and causes the obstacle of water, like you just said, You can bring in a whole new range of of systems to solve that problem, and it's not easy. Yeah. I mean you're going to like modern day that used to be like you're going to need an engineer. Battalion yeah, I mean they're going have to come up and and and bridge to anyone in india. You look at the size of the numbers of the argo kiss you gotta men, you gotta get like ninety thousand people and all their stuff, cross. This and its It's into europe by they get down there. Like will eliza roadster about its

when an end of november into december for calm waters, coal, yet That's what links or just a just to make this clear, The decision is made no you're, not gonna, look around the west, you're gonna go straight down telegraph. Road, you're gonna go straight on telegraph road you you're going to get to richmond, but there's the fur big obstacle, you're gonna hit is gonna, be said mama sitting on the rappahannock river with fredericksburg, so billina, let's get there so burnside he's start march himself, starts martian south down down telegraph road which, to telegraph road modern day, is called what what now now just recently at sea emancipation parkway in a little while ago. At me, like a couple years ago. Oh this is again like cause

because it was up to that. I'm called jefferson Davis highway a few years ago. So now it's called a mate emancipation parkway, but back in the day called a telegraph road he's got. Burnside has a hundred twenty four thousand troops on the march a hundred and twenty four thousand troops. I gotta the math some time to see how much, how much physical space that takes like how many miles is a hundred twenty four thousand people for breast walkin. That's That's a massive group of people how many people run the run york, city marathon or the boss marathon. You know these marathons and run run one of those. Let's just I just recently, the marine corps met my son in law. Zach just got done running the marine corps marathon. Was you have twenty five thousand people? Twenty five new? We know what that crowd looks like okay. So that's a core right. You say that's a core! So you're going five x, yeah and you're there, they're friggin got gear

They got horses, they got. Weapons like this is a pack of people. The massive amber people- and I mean here and if you look like A road back, then, is not like, like a road that we see today, you and me like you, want it's dark Yo remain and in its virginia, so like right. Now it weren't so cow like yeah. When it rains, everybody gets excited virginia. We all get excited cause. It rains a lot. You know what I mean like everything's, green right. I literally I cut my grass literally right before I came out here I mean it's in november and I'm still cuttin grass, so ready for the rain to stop so what does rain on and on a mud road You mean you're here terms as well like people caught like. Oh it's, the plank road. Will that means that they like had planks of wood on the road, but if they planted normally, they told it.

Yeah. This is a good give me a little bit of money. You know what I mean. You want to run it on the plank road. It's like the h, o v lane. You know what I mean. if J d just the dirt poor farmer, man and I don't want to spend the nine dollars and sixty two cents to go for miles on the plank road, I'm gonna go out and around so I can save that money, but the roads are gonna be- is as as good in an unstable yoke The modern day route one is, is the best what it is, best road. Until I ninety five came in the telegraph road. as the best means of transportation and the rail route. I mean it's still the same re like when I go to new year: city, I go to furnish burg to the same exact train to the same exact train track. That was there and eighty sixty two. It's been run it from seed a fairly to baltimore to new york, all the way up man, it's the same systems been there, for a really long time and

when you, when you look at the aspects of of burnt sides, gotta move em down it. What's the importance if he does gain and get fredericksburg will Because of now he can move his logistical base because, with that water, that is now its title. He can then start having his reese applies. Come from the north can now go all the way down, come up the rappahannock river and dump off all of his logistical needs right there in front fredericksburg and because that's the that's like the biggest obstacle, between dc enrichment is the rappahannock river. I mean there's a couple other rivers I mean just at you There's the PO river, the ny river, the matter river. We call the mad opponents. And sponsoring you county, that's just in the county but they're, not like the rappahannock river, there there more like the antietam, creek and kind of a river, even though they they still column rivers, so

and he's got a hundred and twenty four thousand people and in the hope, a match and that its kyle, like watching the macy's day parade like everybody, just watched it over thanks giving they just don't have like floats and stuff. But you know what I mean, but it's like that. Many people coming down that narrow of a road in new york and there's just thousands of them common. With their horses and all their stop, and then you got contractors you mean like a because athens changes that we got contractors today that you know what I mean like this morning when I went for the ron, there's buildings that are out there that are specifically set aside just for contractors to support the military. So they got all their stuff and their nose people that live there, but you know what I mean that are trying to get in and around the area, and now you've got these two huge arms. I couldn't imagine living in margaret, I meant, as our joint four thousand people by economic to hear town and the other is a couple of eggs, shops and your work,

about like what are they going to do with all my storage of stuff that I've canned and stored for the winner because these people are gonna be hungry where are they gonna get there there their means and and their rations from so you have so here you got the message: a parade come down a telegraph road and again at this point they're gonna start running. Their logistical bases is little place right. Staff conical require harbour work they're gonna use that to be able to run logistics, The other thing that's of kid. A note for people to understand is up north. When you talk about realising these top, like the gauging of the tracks, in the north. All the gauging is the same. The kids in the end southern states. If you and a piece of your re alone and lets say my. ages, I'm gonna run my gauge of five inches You own the next set of tracks and you're gonna run your age. Six etches will happen,

When I get all of my supplies to europe line now, we have to offload everything off of the trains and get him over and move em over two years instead of just run in the same want right now in amerika there. Gave the same. For that specific reason. Yoga but so that's be a problem. Move logistically by rail it for the confederacy you're gonna have to deal with this of offloading an online. I mean I could imagine being on those working parties like it like you, gotta, be shitting me mad. You know what I mean like we just loaded. This thing we went like ten miles and there's another gauge, and now we gotta offload at me. I could just imagine the morale of that working party so yeah, if, if, if, if he can get fredericksburg

And move his logistical base, I mean that's going to study Moscow forest fredericksburg from our richmond for murtha. It's it's literally. I mean fifty five sixty miles, so you get almost half the distance or just about half the distance that it is from d c today, hi! That's that logistics train is going to call the difference in the world huge lee, celine Lucy's is happening right and he is that the first best natural terrain to try and stop this hundred. Twenty four thousand people headed his way is to get their fredericksburg, so so that's what it just gets it is always gotta to eighty six thousand, I think, is the number thousand troops and when he guessed fredericksburg. So fredericksburg, like you, got the river and fredericksburg is on the other

The south west side of the river and dried ghip and then it and it's on the river right on the river on the river there's no space after the rivers, the river and in on the banks of the river on the south. West side is the town and this sort of a flat area where the two is located and then you had a little bit further south west and it starts to creep up and you get you get a little bit out to develop little bit train a little but some hills which are called marries heights. am lee, shows up and he is trying to make it really a tactical decision of what how he should set up where should set up, because I knew you can you can make the case for both play. is to set up. If you set up right there in the town. Well, then you got,

The union common across that river they're going to have to build bridges, they're going to be channelized you're, going to be right there on them, and you can you can do damage their or you can take the high round low, but further back they're gonna have maybe a little bit easier time to get across the river bought. You know, you're gonna be altitude, still have some good ways. to to cause problems for them. That's liese decision to make do. I do I actually defend the town itself right on the river or do I off and take the high ground. Which is going to make it easier for the union to get across the river but you're going to have the high ground when they get across. That's the decision we comes up has to make yeah and just to like When you look at mean fredericksburg like us, Yeah, george Washington, you grew up there freddie. What robert e Lee courted his wife and frogs burke, I mean it

it's a prominent virginia tat. Still, as is day, let me will you in virginia you got fredericksburg. You got waves, Berg charlottesville, I have I mean even still this day I mean today. Up on Mary's heights is the university of Mary washington. I mean you named your fairy farm right there. It's it's a very stork town- and it has a lot of meaning- but like you said to me that that had to be a huge straw oh for robert e Lee, because in it almost like the same thing. We talked about antietam and jackson. Was it with him same thing when he comes and furthermore so we but in a very smart, ok he's got this army, he knows or moving south, but he doesn't know. Are they going to cross it from? ensberg. Are they going to go up and use the? U S, ford elite four: are they going to try to swing out and around like? Where are they going to go and again he? He can't collectively keep both corps. We're there, so you may so he's got half so you're me when you're looking at the numbers eddie has there it's kind,

it's kind of ironic, isn't it that. He's hang out with James longstreet again and jackson off, you know what, with his core independent actions, buddy close enough to be able to win robert e Lee, I get it. Stone wall. I need you here, like their red data to call an audible, they're gonna, wait and see what is the army of the potomac gonna. Do because, as you talk bout! Those marries heights in and it is pretty prominent terrain- feature not come then about so you got fredericksburg it sit and flat, and then it drops off right there on the river and then in between the actual town of gettysburg, there's alfred artwork, yet british fredericksburg there's a large open area. What is like back then it was the fredericksburg fair ground, so you got river, you got town got fair grounds was like an open area where you have a fair and then it starts to go up

two marys heights, the little bit of altitude yup and that that ridge line runs all the way down. I mean it's it's a prominent like today. If you go there, it's called le drive Do you get off the sunken road you get on the ledge rob and it is a problem and it's the first prominent ridge line come across north to south over the rappahannock river. Now, if you like over onto the stafford side. The nor side there's a manner that their eyes all chatham manner, still those day man. It is a beautiful, beautiful house. well where it is barnes. I decide to set up said Coronel now, meters kind of a trend here with these union general man whom, like

fry house shadow manner. You know what I mean, so it is a. I might be turning red right now for me setting up in one of saddam's old bike, stately homes, on the fraser river and in ramadi. You know I had like that. The pillars out front yeah. That was me. So maybe I got a little burnside yeah. Well, maybe, if you're going to be in town for a while go away or go home man, so he can his big and end. The prodi spoke spots where you a battlefield park bait now own shadow manner, so you can do their tik or it's a beautiful beautiful. And it is a commanding you, like the opera house, like we talked about like you, Mcloughlin, go we see like one third of the battery will do if you're at chatham manner. Do you see everything by amazed? a command? Are you in range of of confederate cannon? Oh yeah, both over in range and not that's, gotta, be a decision. So, just like you said

like if you were Bobby and you're going to go down and like let's say, let's decide like a we love for sport, we love assesses, let's defend town at gettysburg, so we go right to the edge of the river and you ve got artillery upon. Dapper heights were chatham manner as it is a prominent terrain feature you're gonna get pound, by artillery and small arms far like that is just not a good place to be so wrong. Pretty least got to give up the town gettys or of getting getting here. We a fredericksburg, it's like. Where are you at JD you mean sir he's gonna, give up the town fredericksburg and he's gonna he's gonna raise got longstreet so right behind where the the the fairground is. You know cause just like the folks they're going to bring their stuff to market or whatever they're going to put them in the fair they got holding pens just like they do in every county across america. Today, fair ground and then there's a sunken road. That's their with this. stone wall that that's there and then you ve got to hide

of marries height right behind this. So it is a great he's a ground very defendable and. So that's where long streets gonna be with with his core. Now We mentioned the the the water obstacle and what a challenge that is and how are you going to get across this water off score? The way you're going to get across the water obstacle is you're going to use these pontoon bridges. That's the plan right. How why does it take to get these pontoon bridges organized and sent down, and all this what's going on with that it, it's gonna, take a lot longer than what you would take when you look at it of like your priority, or your prior possession of like ok, what's the fort, the most important thing we need here You got your staff there, the other thing that we should talk about bill. Just real quick is burned.

It's going to come up with instead of just have like core commanders he's gonna have wing commanders, so we're going to make a new thing here and I mean he's: what's the difference between a wing and a core like now You got like a core commander can operate independently, but now he's gonna make a wing commander. That's over top of two core commander is making more we're layers layers and It's also so now at these wing commercially make three of them. Yoda and each one of them have two core commanders? Alright, there's you got like there's a lot of general there's a lot of staff where you re like river gone in somewhere in you're like do theirs Were people on the staff that you got like right. We got the wing with two course in each wing, so we six course guess pretty much. He's got ex core but he's gonna make a meanwhile generally on the other side, he's got two core to gore get to pay

We need to talk to that. No extra layer there's no layer its generally straight to the core commanders, a mate, and you see and liked to have great when you read the antietam, the order that he write them at least very he's good down domain it in and he yet He trust his two core commander, like he doesn't need to put another layer overtime, never crate, create any more layers and the organization it's a bit the army of nor the virginia it's like in modern it. We call a flat organization, it's very flat, not so much now with the army of the potomac. So they're going add this layer. They're gonna have yo weighing centre wing and a right wing where we go and these wing commanders they're gonna make all the calls of what they do it's almost like, as if he is completely Detached himself of any responsibility

It's almost like, as it were with me, I was hooker. Was the wink manner on their he's, the one who made the decision made in it, but you can kind of it Back did come from barmecide one like it offered him a job. He knew that this was out his wheel ass, so he's and to create this liar. So he creates the layer, and just people have the understanding of what's gonna of what's going on and then he's gotta get this bridging. So then what so windows when his job unable to make it if those points to bridge would have been. There is a similar scenario to antietam words like hey, if these bridges, whether we just had We just had long shriek deal with the only would only have voluntary half half the amount of people have the force would have been a totally different. Seen the region pontoon bridges, don't show up yet and for folks to kind of know what, like I up at chatham manor, they actually have some of the pon tunes like on display. So if you could imagine like a like,

pretty much. Everybody knows what a john boat kind of looks like you know what I mean just flat bottom jon boat, imagined. Putting wagon wheels on the John boat and and so you can poem so there there land mobile and then, when you get there, you're gonna take these pie twos and you just gotta, basically stack em up port to starboard. Instead of not not nose to nose. You know port to starboard all the way across the river you're, going to lash them all together, you're going to lay boards on top of these pontoons and then you're put some dirt on there and then now you ve got a bridge pray simple process we've been doing it, for you know what I mean like the pontoon bridges is not the new, but they're all the way up up up around harper S, ferry area. You mean because that's where the last time we were monkeying around rivers and creeks and streams so the problem is normally,

If this is like your number one that it's like go when I told you when I came here and on Monday night, we linked up and anna, I showed up, and I had the suit case in it. all these books in the suitcase and when and it's not like lay. I like the check, a bag man that way I can just stroll through the airport and not dragging a about you shit with me, and I don't have to like lifted up, but as a making the decision I'm like if I check this bag and it's got all, all these books, and they were what our brain like like eighteen books would like nothing, books leonora if I checked the bag- and I give it to the area people they lose that bag, we wouldn't be sitting here. I now have in this conversation because I'd be still over at the airport trying to bang. So I may the decision. This is the single point of failure. Is this frickin bag books? Theirs? single point of failure. Is these pontoon britches? So we put

lieutenant like. Why you got like so many generally at you could throw a stick in the army of the potomac and you're gonna hit of work and general. I met you wayne commanders. You got core commanders, you got division commanders got brigade khmer, like you got generals like everywhere bad you to me as a general general, like doktor, Danvers everybody's, who do you pick the boot lieutenant deplore In short, that's like me, given it to like the boot lieutenant gonna, carry that by on put you george, the books are staying with me mad. So and you could imagine just like in modern day. You know me, you got those lieutenant and lieutenants gonna call a colonel casinos to gets up merely takes out you tat, your car lazarus phone yeah colonel beggar. This serves lieutenant jacko I was wondering if I could get her only an exit guest furrows like what's this

lieutenant call me man, you know, and so now. There have been problems because he's just sending a memo up of a request, police and the pontoon bridges and they're all sitting around over there. The chatham chatter manner waiting around a man with pontoons a day on their way, sir? I haven't gotten really respond. I left a message, sent a text or sent like numerous emails, and I did a read receipt. He has either opened up the email, yet he hasn't even looked at it yeah remain. So with that delay of getty. The pontoon bridges down. There is getting time again for robert e Lee because he said, there are just watch it yeah he's ready to call the audible. He hasn't necessarily made his decision here. Gonna set up their marries heights with long street and then when and again

I love, 'em or commanding views. I mean you can see and you gotta remember now we're coming into December. There's no foliage in the trees, so any of that pre coverage is gone, so They can see both saw even still to this day. You can stand on both sides. You could see both sides and and we there watching these, like you're, probably having a conversation with James is like in our war horse. There are, they really gonna put whose bridges and right there. This is gonna, be interesting. They're, gonna, cross right here and across from frankfurt. So. Please got enough time of buying time for the bridging and then again two december, and you got your engineer. Guy's an airline, will it would have been easier to put the bridging in if we got here before the confederates kid robert e Lee is to take barksdale. And his mississippi's and he's gonna, put them down and

the town so now you're talkin urban. Europe needs to so these guys. You're gonna go urban and he's gonna take barks dale and his mississippi ins and they're gonna start lay in the wood to these engineer guys they're gonna, be trying to lay this bridging at coming across the river and its december So by the time the bridges show up- and there are certain- the bridge is putting the bridges into place. Sir, you got burnside he's got sumner, hooker franklin, those are the wing commanders and and there on, the east side of the rappahannock and then you Lee long St John, actions now arrived, you know he's in rail axis. He still in route, but in order to slow down the insertion these bridges day day. send these sharpshooters the misses, europeans down there into the town where you can like little elements, it's a different type of warfare and they're they're,

there are taken part shots as these patterns. Pontoon boots boats are being put in again lead just trying to slow these guys down. To always do finally jackson does arrive in and His initial thought is: was white these asterisk offer to do a deal to me like what am I or easy offense guy like what a year for us to go off at corn and lease as now lee, says no know you hook in hook in honour what it, what does he opened? The right flank gaze on its own, you got up their own marries hides right behind the fair ground, sunken roeder, that's got long streets or he's gonna die and the long streets right flank and he's gonna run that what is modern day lee drive kind of talk about over towards, like there's a prospect hill

through their and so he's gonna tie and there's also a rail line that runs down all the way to norfolk, pretty much That kind of gives europe picture of where you goin in that south east direction. You it's so classic reasons like what the fourth battle we ve talked about, but these end up with these sort of ferry. Very sort of like traditional battle lines. You know you look a world war to the day. You start charging. where people are sometimes there's battles with bad alliance, really specific for you and I find in our age, it was like the battle eyes were really blurry these. it varies end up very specific battle lines once again, you'll, basically but one to two sides of the river and we're gonna fight Where were lined up we're going to fight each other, then up once again, with kind of three sections of bridge the upper bridged middle bridge, lower bridge the the it's just a nightmare. From the day,

from from when it starts when these guys actually start common across. When the union starts common across these bridges, it's a nightmare in it You can imagine so there reaction of the army of the potomac. So okay, so we stick these mississippians barksdale down there and are going to start like occupying some of these houses and and start. You know what we ve got snipe and remain. And the or start hit knees guy. So what's the reaction for love? we're gonna use artillery. So now there start lobby artillery and which then causes rubble, which you know as well as anybody you it's it's easier to find the sniper and with that in rubble. start rumbling in an urban environment man now you're lookin like every little crest crevice of where these guys can get into

yeah yeah I mean, and it's gonna make it very difficult. And what about the civilian populace? The civilian populace, but I mean he can either you know you can either harbor up in the basement, not a good call so the women and kids are literally going to be displaced into the woods like gonna run out of fredericksburg and they're gonna get us far away from the battle and its in december, and youth women in kids that are literally now homeless and you have to imagine, like you know, with army that are there you Robert you gonna, have to deal with that. They let you, may you just can't. Let them run you. These are your people. you mean another being displaced out of their town and their home, so that's another aspect of what Robert e Lee and the and and the confederacies gonna have to deal with is. Is this you tell what do we do with these people? We can't just leave him out here December. These are kids and, of course, to try it. It is much stuff with them as they can on the way out, but you must

the time I mean it's like you, you can look at what is going on in ukraine right now. I people are losing their homes are route they got nowhere to go. I mean the country you have to take care of those people are so they to deal with that which is is, is huge of. Like my main. How do you you that civilians may your bombarding their town and what do you think does for the morale on the southern side. There like do these guys man, yet they come Process river brother, we're going to lay the wood to that ass and an that's that's what they're good? because they're going to see that you know what I mean it's like sitting there watching yeah they're watching this all go down and then they're gone. Start so here you gotta get. So you got ya with the b the upper the bridge which is up qana close as close to the telegraph road as it is they that upper bridge upstream, if you would say,

got one. One of the bridges is right there in the middle right, they're coming about proper, closest alike, modern day, william street. That's there owners acts, a bridge there. That's now it's run in the middle and then down stream from there a little bit farther outside of of the town, is that that lower bridge? And as you said, you know you ve got hooker, that's basically in the middle, you got sumner, you got franklin and those folks are going to try to gain that foothold like right there across into fredericksburg, and that's where, basically, though, those mississippi, is in those guys are going to give resistance. But then there start the retrograde back. To get I mean, Mary's heights is the that's the primary line of battle that you are kind of talking about, like they're, they're, drawn line of battle, and like you said so, and jackson shows up in a he just looks shredded the geometry. The battlefield he's, like

I mean you hold on my skin and and he just wants to go offense and and Robert e lee's, like you know what stonewall tie in on the extreme right flank there we're going to run defensive operation This is a new thing here. This whole deep bats. This digging this year, forty five positions at the beginning, when people are like. Will this isn't very manly now they're? Like? Do you put dirt in front of me? It's like stops bullets and you now you can only see like ten inches of my head and what this is cool, theirs, frickin stone wall right here with a sunken road. We had a sunken road go up and antietam, I mean nothing. Good happens a sunken roads so that, in the end, the art, epi position. So you've got infantry down there on this stone wall, you've got artillery on the heights behind them. And even though their outnumbered, I mean you know you did the math with how many folks it it doesn't matter who got

better ground in its robert e Lee in the army of nor the virginia, then they're gonna run that line all the way down that ridge line and as the farther you get south of fredericksburg, where that lower bridges. If you went there- today. It's now It's a it's! It's an airport like it's but like a small local little airport, like grass airport, if that college and airports are usually put and flat spots, that is a flat large open area of at least it's over It's it's at least over a mile from the river outwards line. so, when you son of a bitch, can people are trying to be set up like a hypothetical scenario, some some terrible, hypothetical surreal say: hey, you know what I told you that there's enemy, in an elevated position, bunker din and I want you to charge that he'll. What would you say- and I always you I'll- have the

the learning point of I might say I would, I would want you to say: is hey jacko, there's enemy in a bunker position? Elevated? You want me to charge up the hill that doesn't make sense. We should not do that. That's what it's a learning point right right! I try and set up the worst case scenario so that my subordinate says: hey jackal. This doesn't sound like a good idea. This is the scenario I set up is actually even worse, is now going to throw in the amphibious part where channel eyes coming across the river. So your generalised you're coming across the river. Then you're gonna Oh, it's going to be even worse as well before you get the assault up. The hill first you're gonna spend several hundred yards passing in urban area on them. By the way it's going to be even worse, because then you're gonna go through an open area. where you got elevator position above you and there's no cover. You can't use a train at all. That's why the union is trying to do there trying to come across a river, They get across the river.

Find their way through this rumbled urban area. If that urban area I extended all the way to heights and actually be better, but it doesn't. It stops, and I got this open fair ground airy, withers no cover when you get to the end of the fair ground. There's a sock go with a stone wall. Where the enemy is, and then it elevates they're so now, at our tilbury and more fire power up above. This is an absolute worst case, nor this is just a horrible situation to get into and give you can. You can figure out how it goes. I mean this is a blood bath. This is a blood bath for the union as they push through this. That being said, had at the lower bridge, there's actually some some progress,

mead, who we're gonna hear a lot about in the future, but me he'd whose what's his position at this point, what does he want of the division commander, he's a division commander. He actually correct me: if I'm wrong the term rain kind to dictate to him. There's an opportunity in some train his men are naturally drawn into this sort of ravine. They pushing this ravine turns to be an area where the confederate haven't really set up, because it doesn't seem like it's a great spot to attack, but because there's cover their union forces end up there and all this there's a little penetration here for meat, yeah! So, if, if you can imagine we're all like were running across this huge open field and work is given in there it's jackson, so it's it's second corps stone wall dave they made up in there. They they ve got the heights in it. It's a prominent prominent.

Guy and end. The probably the first out of any kind of covers that rail line. The cairo yours, it's a raised bed. So They can get at least but I mean do to Jocko Meanwhile, you get it nowadays its literally it's cool the slaughter pen now like when you drive through furnish bargain you're down there doing a battle study you're going to the slaughter pan so that give you kind of a description of what they call it. So this slaughter pen that their running across and meads guys it's like one a draw that goes up to the ridge line and it's it's wooded, so If, if we're getting shot at you know what I mean me and you are like a JD man, let's run over there, where the trees are and no directions like yeah like it's not like me was like hey boys, let's head over Do their already going that way and made let them go and any

follows them up in their woven within it, in its very wooded thick. You mean like like area so when, when jackson certain his lines in up there, one He also we didn't talk about this, but jackson does what he's told by robert e Lee, but he takes hill. Any kind of puts them in reserve and he looked hell, he's like hated like you're, not get up here on LA I'm, going to keep you back here reserve cause I'm going to go back and talk to Bobby and I'm gonna see, if he's to. Let me take you and we're going to go down and we're going to flag him at your main. So got Abbas will stay right here. A to stonewall jackson tell you get reserve so hill, so Jackson's got his home or up online except for hill, who sat back and he say, look sues. We get there go talk to generally, when the opportune,

presents itself will reflect these guys and and and mopping up an end so if, if you could, I mean the line up there, I mean this is it. This is a large that we're talking there there their coverage of a frontage of law story and and jackson its three mile coverage frontage, very ma- I mean it's, it's a long road I run it all time, love it. But I mean it's a long frontage of just troops and you The trenches are still there to this day, These guys were like they're they're ended by their their seeing to wear word and elevated position. Work that again, and these guys are going to come at us and I basically have like a dog target deal with of me over the rifle pit and These guys are on a flat open area with no cover So when they looked at her upon this ridge line- and they see this draw coming up in its heavily what'd, they leave a gap there. They don't put any personnel there. So

you ve got a whole, but you know private private, private companies regiments all lined up, and then you ve got a gap and that guy this probably I. The gap is no more than a hundred hundred fifty yards but That's where meets folks end up in, draw and come out on top of the ridge and narrow, like what Oh shit, man were behind Jackson's lies. made is seeing this. Other thing, the jackson, those you we talk about. This got pelham eyes, artillery guys like a horse artillery guys working for jackson he's gonna slipped down in oh we're kinda like so. You got Jackson he's going to go down off of jackson's southern end and there's like this, this road, with a a ditch going towards the river and he's going to take his artillery down there and he's just start like lab and artillery shots over at at the

union guys common across the slot has taken a little bit of a flank. It's taken a flying tank, it a little bit of a flank on the union and he's lobbing just yeah I mean but he's like that in that it is this that they got a couple of shots at are coming out. Will next thing you know he starts turning the army. They start cause for trading like ok, let's, let's go, let's go after this deed snipe, so they inside focusing up, the hill where meat just penetrated- they start focusing till the last where they get flanked a little bit, but it shouldn't it's a distraction more than anything else. That's all it is is pal and even the guys that are up there up up at prospect. Hill on that reside are like hey, they're, all looking up early, hey do liquid pellets do on your own, mean he's now: they're, not shooting at us anymore, where they're supposed to be common, now they're starting to folk and impel them he's not

stay in there. East East he's stationary but he could get up and move quite like he's not going to stand toe to toe with these folks he's just distracting them enough. You know what I mean to now. Allow causes soon if they turned towards pelham. Now there flying is exposed to the folks upon the red light. That's a bad move, so these guys folks are pillow, so everybody's up there like to look at Paolo man. You know what I mean he's getting after it. It would mean he's, got these guys focused on them, which is making it better for us now, they're not coming to take the heights, so Meade yeah he's got his peer yeah mean it appear? Leadership is always always difficult to make gear you tell me if view in our peers and liked jacket, you're not a charge You may remain so made is made. This is exploited, success here, the only dude on the entire battlefield That's haven't any success and its a major success by the way you broke through the line. Yes, you ve got a gap in the lot now because

you can split, Jackson's court now and then you ve gained what of don't shit. You got high ground, so it's going to send a note back down he's trying to get his peers to be like hey dude. We broke the lines, man, let's all come in and they're all looking at him like dude, that's going to have to come from the wing commander Matt. I don't take orders, well, as you know, anything I mean that that window of opportunity is only going to stay open. First, amount of time because you got a guy hill that was left in reserve. They see what's happening up there. I mean it's not like you once they get in the lines. The the starts. They're. All kind of, like holy shit, we got a whole and our line. We need to plug it and hill with Jackson's, not there, and he knows Jackson told him. You stay right, erica's when I come back we're goin off as a brother, and he on his own takes his folks. Ban, they plug the whole made, gets

back down through that same draw back towards the river that when oh just shots on me, because he can't convince any of his peers to support him so This is a kind of that's where day, one kind of ends up but in the meantime you got up at the fair ground. Going back up to the fair grounds where these guys were given annihilated jobs, relaunch chamberlain, he's up there and he has a night where he calls it. The bivouac, with the dead. And we're we're to talk a lot about joshua launched, chamberlain and Some more you were made, but

the eu he's got this book covered in the park. Gas. That's called ban at ford, it's just unbelievable book this, and this is a guy that we can learn a lot about incredible. Guy joshua lawrence Chamberlain- and he writes this. It was cold night. So this is that after the first days battle they ve been in this. Blood bath all day. They, you Really it's going to be really difficult to go back either. One of those situations that lose lose or you can go back and you'll, be getting fired on again. You'll have to try and cross the river again or you go forward. can't go any further forward. You just stuck and that's where they are their stock bivouac with the dead. Here we go, it was cold night bitter raw north wins swept stark slopes the men heeded by energetic and exciting work felt keenly a showing change, many of them

neither overcoat nor blanket having left them with the discarded knapsacks they roamed about to find some garment not needed by the dead mounted officers all lacked outer covering this had gone back with the horse strapped the saddles so joined. The uncanny quest necessity compels strange uses for myself. It seem bested dipper to bestow my body between two dead men among the many thereby earlier assaults and to draw another crosswise for a pillow out of the trampled blood soaked. Sod pulling lap of his coat over my face to fend off the chewing, winds and still more chewing the deep Many voiced mon that overspread the field. It was heart rending, it could not be born. I rose at midnight, from my unearthly bivouac and

making our adjutant for my companion went forth to see what we could use see what we could do for these forsaken sufferers. Deep, the deep sound led us to our right and rear where fiercest of the fight had held, spirits too long as we advanced over that stricken field. The grave conglomerate monotone resolve, itself into a diverse several elements, so breathing inarticulate agony. Some. dear home names some begging for a drop of water. Some care. For some for a caring word, some praying odd, first strength to bear some for life, some for quick death? We did what we could

but how little it was on a field so boundless for feeble human reach, so you guys I wish I could do justice reading that this guy there up their debt. The screams, the agonies, the begging for death, the begging for life, the prayers, the it overwhelms them the sound of it overwhelms them and they get up. They try and help these guys. They try and provide him some comfort while their freezing, by the way they all left there there there you have it they left them back before they did this all hey. You know this again, take your long, so You got chamberlain some of his guys out there trying to take care of these dying.

He's not the only one, that's doing not by a long shot. There's a another hero sergeant. Richard roland kirkland of the second south carolina and there's a book called the fredericks campaign by francis o reilly and he's gotta on account of this period. Go to this a twenty year old, sergeant richard roland kirkland of this. In south carolina felt take your early moved by the pathos these up. There he's here in the screams and the agony as well. He general kershaw if he could take water to the injured, northerners generals. General keepers besieged. I can't stand this kirkland, the general answered. Don't you know that you would get a bullet through your head. The moment you stepped over that wall, but the youth was willing to take that risk. If you will

at me the sergeant stated. I am willing to try it. Her acquiesced? He told the sergeant. I will not refuse your request. Trusting that god may protect. You kirkland asked if he could wave white flag to stop the shooting precursor could not allow its military protocol forbade such a usage, all right, sir. He replied I'll. Take the chances. Croatia watch the sergeant leave the Stevens house with the feeling of profound admiration. kirkland filled several canteens at Martha, Stevens well and then entered field between the lines. Federals immediately open fire. A watching georgian fought. The bullets were so concentrated that it seemed a bird could not escape them. Kirkland reached the first wounded, federal and knelt. To give

drink. The carolinas placed a knapsack under the northern his head covered with a blanket, and moved onto the next man, the federal stop shooting and watched some both sides cheered as the brave sir. don't move from soldiers soldier. The cease fire may have been, may have prompted others. come forward with more water. The historian for care, oz brigade remembered the event with the georgian running between the lines with water. A squad. according to the staff officer, went out after dark the same charitable mission this one federal procured water for the discomfited, which and admiral rebel called the coup this performance I witnessed during the war, whether when acted alone or pioneered a host of encounters and somehow became a composite for all. The works of mercy is hard to determine.

seventeen years after the battle, a newspaper correspondent begged for the name of the man who gave water to his enemies, general Joseph cursor responded instantly naming richard kirkland as the angel of marries heights kirkland. Credible store incredible when I just for the fun, if you go to fredericksburg, there is one thing that you want to see: go to lafayette boulevard, then fredericksburg, knives right, right where the fire grab? What he talks about you that wall that's on road hop over that wall and behind the fredericksburg

visitors centre for the the battlefield. That's there is the kirkland monument it's in far as it's the only enlisted monument. and the entire civil war named after and enlisted soldier, and it has nothing to do with his combatants skills. It is his love for the fellow soldier, and be able to be named. The angel of marries heights and and the monument is just incredible because it literally had Emmy it's it's a big monument which Stoked about how low every that objective reddish mark like you're, going to stand of the cardinal monument and there's going to be a group picture that we, Take any other pictures anywhere on the battlefield or you're going to get your picture taken at the cardinal monument The well is still there. You know what the road is. Still there, it's, not you it's! You can't drive the road, that's a stone wall. I mean the high I mean to

can live literally. Like me, I love I probably, at one I'm at home. I run down there on that sunken road at least once a week, every time the run past. It goes too far. obtained in the morning. Man and not a soul out there and you wanna down. It's that pea, gravel, that's on their souls. You hear and as itu t, you know what I mean and you can see the kirkland monument and it just every time our own pass there. This is the this is the only guy him and joshua large chamberlain. Of just one. I'm runnin that certain road of that I mean listen, you're sleeping yo, a night the dad and trying to imagine myself out there and in eighteen sixty two. I love all my kit, YO made its back wagons cause. Of course, madam, you are going into battle, you, don't you? Don't want to you want to get rid of as much gear as possible. You get around faster and yet to be out air and for him to when we need to deal with

hey, sharing in the suffering Those two individuals of kirkland and chamberlain know what remain what they do for just the love of their comrades, is just amazing to me. Those are too the most incredible people better out there in their boats, in that they were so close to each other You got one: that's in south carolina he's right there, the what he was, the one that was lay in the wood, the chamberlain's guys come across that fredericksburg fairground, that's out there. So chamberlain is in that field somewhere that kirkland. and as something so then it is remarkable that veto of course, a suitably hops over the wall. Of course, they're gonna start taking shots at this guy and he doesn't get hit and in its not a great distance. I mean it's not like it's out, arrays they're, not doing thousand yards shots. Hear me we're talking a couple

hundred yards man you're within range pretty easily and nothin, hits him and then, when they see the act, he's not even carrying a rifle he just end and in that a dip them the I am its depicting him and it's got like the he's got to it changes like strong all over his back and issues when it showing him. I could imagine going around in just a maybe just listen to those folks, just laying on that deathless field. You know what I mean just got to him and, and it it's pretty cool that new curse or even give years later he could recall That instance of that was that was kirkland, and he named dear the angel of marries, hide me people remember that it's a if you're going to visit one thing and and furnish virginia it's it's the kirkland monument, it's the that that might him it's funny, it's my favorite of how bad is the suffering

The sounds could get see rights dark, so your job, sitting there behind this wall of people that work just coming to kill you by the way people are Tack, your people at bombed the town in front of you and that they are suffering, and sound, so wretched, that you say you know what I'm gonna go. Get him some waterman. Who gives some mercy. You ask them and all the general says I look. I can't say no, do you go ahead? You up over the wall you get shot at. I mean what per cent you people my ass his right back over what is ok for. I was gonna. Give me some water, ok you're me like it's me, uncle. He didn't get shot. It's a bigger miracle that he didn't jump back over the wall. You know find about, go to sleep, credible story. it highlights that even in in war, the mercy the the benevolence stands out-

they too. You can probably figure out where this is. Goin union gets push back across the river and here's what Joshua lords chamberlain past say about the battle after their, thereby, over the river over the river. Then we marched and up that bank whence we now looked back across it fredericksburg and so the green slopes blue. the bodies of our dead raining drearily. When I brought regiment to rest by the dismal wayside general hooker riding slowly by we had seen him during the terrible three days. Indeed,. He had no business to be where we were. We oh is he and our core commander butterfield were somewhere? controlling in observing their commands, hooker costs,

of me sitting in the rain, leaning back against a tree and gave me kindly greeting the hard chance colonel glad to see you out of it. I was not cheerful but tried to be bright. It was chance, general, not much intelligent design. Their god knows, I did not put you in, came the rather chris reply. That was the trouble general you should have put us in. We were handled in piecemeal on toasting forks. It was plain talk and he did not reprove me, so this is something that will worsen and that some echelon front, we call prioritize next, you you gotta, commit to what you're doing you can fine due to three different things at once in the military other military principles. They call it concentration of force,

right? So we we see a lot of this from the north where they haven't. Opportunity go in that's what chamberlain saying here is that newton put me in life, focus, let's go because there is a lot of time that are being sent any if I'm in a fight for different people and you and one want to kick his ass. The and another one amr kick his ass to send another gonna kick his ass, the fourth one I might be a little tired, but I'm still gonna kick his ass. You sent for people at me at once. I might Get a shot on one of em, but then someone's tackling mean its game over. So the union. That's kind of how this unfolded for the union. Carrying on, but the generals remark led to wide inferences inferences it disclose. Perhaps the main cause of this great disaster, the commander of the centre, grand division did not

what his men in they were. Sent by superior orders in detachments to support other commands or as a forlorn hope at various times and places during the unexpected developments or right there the almost inevitable accidents of the battle. It should not have been a disaster. Frankly, with his sixty thousand, men should have turned liese right, whereas he attacked with only two divisions and one at a time and did not follow up with his whole force their split. That initiative, when Franklin failed, it was rashness too expect sumner to carry the former will hide behind the city made impregnable. Why will liese best skill and valor. So what what you really think we're gonna go march up this elves everything I just laid out. You think we're. across the river through the town across the open. The stone wall and up the hill- that's not gonna happen, so

I would keep pushing guys there that front- might have been held still under menace, while sumner reinforce perhaps by the main body of hookers, grand division might have concentrate upon liese left above the city and flanked the former war bastions crowning the heights that entrenched his front with all that early and manhood could do simple as that why why didn't we run a flank that battle was not fought according to both sides intention and that His plan was mutilated by distrust and this harmony among his subordinates commanders does not exonerate him. So we are waiting exactly what burnside wanted, but that That doesn't mean that burnside clear. It is part of the great us in place of a chief commander to control reluctant and in congo

was elements and to make subordinates and opponents submit to his imperial purpose. So if your people do what you want to do. That's your fault when you're in charge inside attempted a vindication somewhat on these lines, but to wait. He prepared an order removing from command several of his high ranking but too little subordinate generals and me, ready to prefer their preferred charge against them for trial by court martial. So after the values I got, you know these guys should have done better. But a court martial them, but lincoln again interposed his common sense advice and the matter was passed over lake and was like a dude. You can't further blame on these boys long after at his own request. Burnside was relieved from command of the army.

and resumed his place with his old knight core, so leadership leadership leadership! That's what this is. Have good leadership, and you have bad leadership and leadership. The most important thing on the battlefield, good leader, It's gonna win bad leadership. Is going to fail, and this was a failure for the union, but the war would continue and we will continue on the next of war, excursion excursion. If you want to support this podcast gotta jock restored, argon, jacko fuel dot, com origin, I say dotcom echelon, front door, com and the o em and a doctor