Matt, i was a sergeant major instructor for over 20yrs and have givern hundreds of lectures in my days. I have watched your lectures for a number of years now and not one of your lectures have been the same. With out a dout you are the most enjoyable person i have watched and listern to. Your method of instruction is top class. For my years i recieved the British empire medal. I think its about time someone presented you with an award. Keep up the good work mate. Uk Veteran
Matt the Legend Atkinson the most enjoyable Civil War lectures I have ever found on some of the most obscure and interesting characters that many other historians tend to skip or gloss over to a certain degree. No not Ranger Matt who I feel enjoys the more obscure figures of the Civil War as much as the ones that everyone talks about....Grant, Lee, Davis, Jackson. also just to awnser your engaging question near the end of your presentation ....I came for the Glory, but I stayed for the Scandal. The entire presentation was enthralling as usual but his secret familys and affairs well they were legendary and scandalous in any time. If only we could know everything that actually happened but you do a great job filling in those empty spaces with your studious and dedicated work well done sir, Well done indeed.
I love Matt’s lectures, I can’t wait until I can go back to Gettysburg and do one of his field tours. As for the body looking preserved after thirty years, discounting poetic license he may have been embalmed with arsenic. I read of a grave robbery in Tennessee where the body was left out and during an examination the doctor thought the guy had been dead a year when in fact he had died in the 1860s and embalmed with arsenic and then buried in a metal coffin.
I was just driving through holly springs Mississippi, and down through abbeville and oxford Mississippi while listening to the part about Van Dorns holly springs raid.
Aniston always makes me smile when I hear of that town. One of my favorite artists is from there though he offended someone and got run out on a rail. He had a few ancestors who fought too.
Without looking: Gustavus V. Smith was Johnston's senior corps commander at the time of Seven Pines. After Joe's wounding, GVS was placed in command but very soon became literally paralyzed (burden of command?) then on 6/1/62 was replaced by Lee and henceforth was called the Army of Northern Virginia.
James They almost passed on a gem in Ranger Atkinson. He once told me that his first posting was at Petersburg! I’d had no idea until he mentioned a reference to a local place and about made me lose it. I live very near Petersburg.
Shame that to be in Congress or the Senate you only have to be 25 or 30 and not even born in the country. The NPS is more discerning because Matt eventually DID get hired and he's still working.
As I recall reading, Van Dorn was so ill that he entered the battle in the back of a wagon with Sterling Price's contingent. At the next day's rout, he and Price fled on horseback, abandoning their troops. Thereafter, Van Dorn was mocked as "Damn Dorn" by his his own men.
Odd remark about his former father in law !! However as he commented “ every good deed is punished “. This Van Dorn was a real Lothario . Playing the field and was killed
1:00:00 17 year old Alice Thompson, comma an amazing Civil War woman I would love to see a story or a video On her. She grabbed the fallen flag and wave it to rally the Arkansas men And then helped with wounded later in the battle
Earl Van Doreen was a Dandy, He had all the the right stuff very loud in life He had so much. I’m sorry His star had to burn out way too quick., out of control hormones will and can end a star early.
Van Dorn was a mediocre general, losing the Battle of Pea Ridge to a Union army he actually outnumbered. He got what he deserved for shanking another man's happiness and is more remembered for the shanking than his generalship.
Truth: The United States has gone straight to hell ever since it added the 49th and 50th star to the flag. They need to either join Puerto Rico to the union or give Hawaii back to the natives so we can revive.
Van Dorn was too ignorant/arrogant to think there were no consequences for having sex with the Dr.'s wife just a few days before the doctor shows up. Van Dorn should have been as nervous as a cat covering up cat dung when the doc shows up.
MY GREAT GRANDFATHER, COL. EDWARD DILLON, CSA, WAS ON VAN DORN'S STAFF AND WAS AT SPRING HILL. HE MARRIED BISHOP GENERAL LEONIDAS POLK'S NIECE, WHO WAS ALSO RELATED TO VAN DORN THROUGH DONELSON FAMILY. HER FATHER, LUCIUS JUNIUS POLK, WAS MARRIED TO MARY ANN EASTIN IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Van Dorn would not have backed down and agreed to "confess". Doc just took advantage of the familiarity and shot Van Dorn in the back of his grape. Face to face, Van Dorn would have undoubtedly killed the doc.
@@leroyaiken4199 Absolutely. There are many events/stories of the Civil War that are prime for that. Many true events/actions that are more horrid or crazy on their own merit and would need no embellishment. However, I shudder at the " artistic license " that Hollywood takes and being untrue to actual events/people.
