"Tipping the Scales" ~ A Walk Through the Civil War lecture series - Gettysburg College

Prof. Allen Guelzo is a national treasure!

Dr. Guelzo is an amazing lecturer. A great teacher is never boring and avoids rote lectures that are carbon copies of previous ones. Even when he lectures on the same topic in other places he throws in new material as if he knows many people will watch his lectures online and run across the same lecture but a a different location. He uses the words of our fathers with a passion for their characters and their own written words. He tries to get in their heads based on what material he can find and cross references that with contemporaries writing about the events going on at the same time ro get a deeper feel for what's behind their words and the things they had to think about and consider that came from contemporary sources. He's a great asset to the country in understanding our only civil war and its importance in preventing worse...servile wars and constant fracturing.

Dr. Guelzo is one of my favorites. How is it possible to know so much about the Civil War, battles, people, everything. He amazes me! As an amateur historian-retired nurse I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn from this brilliant man, from lectures and books.

Excellent talk by an awesome professor :)

Marvelous teacher here.

Very clear presentations.

John Ericsson, the Swedish engineer, designed Monitor, who intercepted Merrimac. Wow! That was music to my ears, being a Swede. I did know that, but it was good hearing him mention it.

Wow. What a lecture.

When Grant told his father that he was getting paid to lead and train the regiment for war service, his father told him to try not to lose the job now that he was receiving a paycheck.Grant did good, he didn’t get fired.

Good job professor..clap clap clap

In regards to Burnside at Antietam people should really look at the actual ground that he had to cover under fire. It was the nearly ideal bridge crossing for the defense.

In 1747, a road was laid out from York, Pennsylvania that eventually led to the establishment of the Town of Gettysburg. Three things about Pickett's Charge that never get mentioned. (A) Lee wanted to end the war one way or another. A successful July 3rd would have defeated the Union and forced them to retreat towards Washington. A Rebel defeat would mean that he would have to retreat having exhausted their artillery supply. (B) Lee had the largest number of cannon ever assembled in the Western Hemisphere (and largest ever since). How could he, the other Rebel generals or any little boy not want to see/hear/feel all those cannons fire together?! They could be heard in Harrisburg! After they fired all those cannonbols, Lee had to order the mass infantry charge. (C) Winfield Scott Hancock was in-charge of defending the Union center. He had his artillery and troops hold their fire to after the Rebel bombardment and the infantry charge was too far along to halt. Lee, Longstreet and Pickett were tricked into thinking they had softened the Union center. Hancock then opened up with fire on both their flanks and center. The Federal troops also had a stone wall like the South had at Fredericksburg. Hancock masterfully baited Lee. I don't know if Meade had anything to do with that. The next day was July 4th (7/4) and Lee prepared a defense for a Union attack that never came. A torrential rain started in the afternoon that continued for days while Lee directed his well-organized retreat. On that same day, Vicksburg surrendered to Grant after a 47-day siege. "4 score and 7 years ago, our fathers". See GOD=7_4 Theory at http://7seals.blogspot.com .

This is good stuff.

Burnside ordered the Mud March. Mules sank , guns , soldiers, it was dangerous!! He was incompetent. This professor is a great speaker and very knowledgeable. This time of history was appointed by God, together with the key men. Amazing!!❤️🎼🎶🎶🎶🎶🎵🎵🎵🎵

Genl Lee had a bad idea probing into Pennsylvania, ended up losing all those soldiers in Gettysburg. The beginning of the end for Dixie.

Man, tough to have been a general in the Civil War. Most information I have read Hooker noted that he had good qualities, and some bad ones. Alcohol was not one of them--at least not on a regular basis. I like some of this lecture, but typical of today's historians laying it heavy on the war's commanders. Dr. Guelzo, however, is a talented man.

this guy is pogging off

He's a cool historian. He almost sounds like a preacher !!! I love it

This guy would make a good preacher

Sam Houston remained loyal the union.  He was deposed as governor of Texas.