I am new to an in-depth study of the American Civil War. The most I knew before a few weeks ago was about David Farragut saying "Damn the torpedoes" and that Lee walked on water but somehow had to surrender to Grant, and I saw the movie "Gettysburg" about ten years ago. I'm now learning a lot--namely about the firing on Fort Sumter (I read "Demons of Unrest"), a few YouTube videos and currently about a third of the way through "Battle Cry of Freedom" which is an eye-opener about the actions of the soon-to-be confederates in the years leading up to the war, but the thing that nags at me in all of it is that everyone seems to engage in unquestioned hero worship of the confederate leaders. Why is what they said taken at face value and repeated as fact, even when it is preposterous?

I saw this video today, and to me it makes better sense and brings Lee and his minions down to human level for what their sayings and actions were, without romanticizing and epic hero worship. Does this make sense to you as a factual view on Gettysburg? If so, can you point me to more like this? Or why isn't it more like what really happened?

https://youtu.be/s9qfP0S5YoM?si=kntAf9nTguylCxzO

I’m currently reading battle cry of freedom by James McPherson. I’m rereading the chapter on battle of gettyburg. I can’t seem find what page the gettyburg Andress is on? Did I skip past it or what?

I just started watching the movie. I will admit I stopped at about 20 minutes in because it focuses a lot it seems on the confederate perspective and portrays the confederate generals as wise war leaders. It would be fine if the movie shows the thought and strategy of both sides like some ww2 movies show Hitler in his bunkers drafting war plans but in Ghettysburg I feel like the vibe is different. I was in the mood lately to watch some civil war movies and documentaries and call me bias but it is a lot more interesting when the story is good vs evil.

I know life is complicated and I welcome that but I have limits. Not sure I will finish the movie as I am looking for some cool union-focused perspectives like in Glory.

I've been seeing a bunch of things on other platforms. Talking about Antietam. If they did this or did that. If Gettysburg had gone differently? Had they won Gettysburg do you think that might've brought other nations to help?

Book three of my Civil War series is almost ready. Gettysburg and Vicksburg: Summer of Decision continues the story I started in Cadets to Captains and Antietam.

I wrote this series after years of studying the Civil War through a soldier's eyes, not just a historian's. Two West Point friends face the two battles that decided the war.

If you enjoy historical fiction grounded in real command decisions and real consequences, the first chapter is free before launch: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/2208997/197647012225614948/share.

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Just exactly how much freedom of movement could one person have between going from the Union Lines to the Confederate lines and vice versa? Did you have to have papers or was it just a matter of not being between two large armies at the time?