Murder at Spangler's Spring (Gettysburg) | History Traveler Episode 136 

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A little additional info on A.L. Coble (pronounced kow-bl). I know his GG grandson very well and we often discussed his ancestor. A.L. was captured at Spotsylvania C.H. the following year and sent to Point Lookout prison. After the war he returned to his home in Alamance County NC and built a house that stands today. In his later years he became active in the UCV and attended the 1913 Gettysburg reunion. Keep up the good work

A. L. Cobble and his etching gives the “real” human touch to this episode. Monuments are great, but a real person is better. Thank you.

My GGgrandfather Pvt. Joseph H. Furber was 33 years old, and served with the 2nd Mass Inf. Co G. He followed Mudge that morning of July 3rd. Mudge was brought back to Boston, but my GG grandfather is still there at Gettysburg. Joseph left a wife and five small children behind. His wife died 5 months later.

I absolutely love this series on Gettysburg! You sir should be an American history teacher...these are the things our youth needs to know!! As always..well done!!!

Happy D Day, JD, Patriots and Historians.

Thanks for the great video. So grateful today for all the men who fought for the beaches, and dropped in the night before (in France) to defeat a true evil. They fought for my freedom. They fought for my daughters freedom.

Although a tragic loss of lives is just a nugget of lessons learned, you ask a great question.My responses this quote, “The more i learn the less I understand” I enjoy this intimate tour of Gettysburg. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and craft with all of us 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 My Best Always 🇺🇸

Great great video. I've been to Gettysburg countless times because I live an hour away from there and I have never been to that location. I will be sure to visit that next time. Thanks for sharing that.

To say that "War is Murder" is a redundancy, War is ALWAYS Murder.💀💀☠☠

dude, i learn more history on your channel then i ever did in school. keep up the epic videos.

Great as always. Just watched the D- Day videos again with my kids. Remembering this day of hero's. Thank you.

Ive studied this battle for years. Everything from troop movements and the tactics used by general Stewart, longstreet, hood, as well as Meade, Lee, gouverner K warren, and 20th Maine's Joshua Chamberlain and their brilliant innovation under fire. The topography and geographical layout of the land is so unique and played such a huge factor in this battle. You really gave this the respect it deserves. You did Gettysburg proud. Thank you.

Wow. Great episode. Another part of this so important history that school never taught. Just so much history we've all never known. Thank you so much for this.

Thanks JD! Appreciate you including that part of the battlefield. Keep it up....love the videos.

27th Indiana was the regiment that found Lee's Special Order 191 outside Frederick, Md. in September of 1862. Within the regiment was the tallest man in the Union Army, a fellow named Buskirk that stood at least 6'10" tall. The unit went on to be called the " Giants in the Cornfield " at Sharpsburg, owing to the disproportionate number of men over 6' in height, among whom was their commander, Silas Colgrove, also more than 6' in height.

Really enjoying your Gettysburg tour. I visited there in July 1989 and spent three days roaming the battlefield taking in everything that I could. It's great to see that the battlefield looks better preserved now than it was then. I need to go back and visit again. Thanks again for posting.

You do a great job with these videos. The background music sets a good ‘atmosphere.’

Absolutely great video as always. Have a good week

I have so greatly enjoyed this, I don't know exactly how to explain why you have elated my heart. When my son was 16 he was in Boy Scouts, he had been an Eagle for a couple of years (He was impressive) That summer he not only did Boys State but he went with a Adventure group to Hike the Appalachian Trails, DC, The Mint and discover Gettysburg. When Talbert came home from this trip he had a change about him that at first I didn't understand. I didn't know if he had met someone or what, at 16 you just don't ask but I just let him talk. Gettysburg had a major impact on him, It made him so proud of being an American. All those museums and re-enactments I had drug him to when he was a kid had only led up to this great pride in being a Patriot. I think Gettysburg really touched his heart, I think it really impressed him with the sacrifice men had made, Brother against Brother, Neighbor against Neighbor, Friend against Friend, Father against Son, Rich against Poor, Farmer against Business Owner, He got it not only in words but in his heart. It made him stand taller and affirm that he was an American and could take a stand. I lost him last year at 26 years old. He was a great young man and it has been such a great loss to me, he was the only thing I did right and he was and is my pride and joy. But his time at Gettysburg gave him the where withall to stand up and be counted at Missouri's Boys State. He ran for Senator and won for his District, it also gave him the heart to run for Governor and to take a stand being a strong American. I wish I had been there but one day I had received several phone calls about a speech he had done in the "Senate" I had attorney's call and say how proud they were of him and that I had raised a wonderful young man. I found out later that the speech had been 20 minutes long and that it was about 2 young men who had proposed that they take "God" out of the Boys State American Legion Oath. My young son of 16 drew upon his time at Gettysburg that summer and took a stand as if he was in the battle one Attorney said. They said it was a long standing ovation and that Talbert was very humble. But In your series I think you have touched upon many things he could have learned about at his time there at Gettysburg. I know he told me many stories about what he had learned, I don't remember every one of the stories but for some reason I think he had been at the college tower because he said he had looked out over a lot of the battle fields and that it was a hospital, so I had not comprehended it until you covered it here. In other words you have put the puzzle together for me a little more. I mean as a Mom you can listen to your son, if you get too caught up in it they get irritated that you are "obsessing" and stop talking or if you don't listen intensely enough they think you aren't interested and find something else to go do. People have no idea how thin of a line it is also they don't get how even harder it is being an only parent. I can not Thank You enough for putting my puzzle together, for filling in the gaps, for bringing clarity and most of all for building that memory of my time with my son after the trip. You have no idea what you have done. I think you and my son would have been fast friends lol beard and all lol. I loved history because I had gone to 12 schools growing up, we had lived in many states and each state my parents took us to different places and I found great joy in learning of my surroundings. It was great in school to be able to say "I have been there" or sitting down first day in class and the teacher says "We are taking our mid term, I don't expect you to know any of this since you have not studied, but go ahead and fill in as many states as you can on this map". I did and got Maryland and Delaware backwards, was totally humiliated for getting them backwards then the teacher said "Well only one person passed the test, she made a 96." I was looking looking around at those who I had thought looked like geniuses from first impressions but ended up wanting the earth to open and eat me LOL can you believe the next grade behind me was 14 hahaha They all knew Texas, where we lived then, Louisiana, Arkansas (Razorback football), Oklahoma (Sooner's football) and New Mexico hahaha I blew it off and told them the only reason I knew them was because we had been to 25 of the states or more (35 at that point lol was trying to play it down lol) I should have known them all.) But I still have the cannon ball I found in a field we were in here in Missouri from where there was a skirmish, I had my Declaration of Independence from DC which I had gotten when I was 8 but the souvenir parchment crumpled like a fall leaf after 40 years. I had musket shot from Virgina I had found at the school playground while digging when I got stuck playing left field kickball in 3rd grade lol But my parents showed us all kinds of landmarks and history growing up and I probably did it too much with my son lol because a $5 donation at a small town museum on the weekend was cheaper than amusement parks or other activities. Was funny how his friends at school always came home to stay the weekend so they could go with us. I know for a fact Talbert's most favorite place as a 10 year old was Saltville Virginia. He made his 6th grade American History teacher fall in love with him by telling her the story of the battle there and of his other skirmishes he had gone to see. LOL It is free to let your kid wander the encampment at a re-enactment and let your child ask every question under the sun to those sitting there proud to tell the history they know of. I do not think people realize that one they are done laying in the heat of the sun in those wool uniforms re-enacting that they thrive on going back to their white tent camps and get to tell the story of who they were standing for that day. I loved every minute with my son doing these things. It was never the same thing twice lol and some old men actually fought over him coming to eat lunch with them so they could have lengthy talks lol Again thank you for bringing back such grand memories of history with my son, not just the history's of the past but also where the two meet. God Bless You, God Bless America and Thank you again

Thanks for another great video. I took our Cub Scouts on a hike of the cemetery and this portion of the battlefield last summer...followed by ice cream at Mr. G's.

I've really enjoyed your series on Gettysburg. About 20 years ago my brother and I had the privilege of touring the battlefield. It was in November and the weather was very different to that of the battle. We did our version of Pickett's charge and were winded half way across the field, noting we were carrying no packs or rifles, neither were we being fired on by shot and shell and could not, by any stretch of the imagination, conceive what those men felt like back then. Battlefields have a certain aura to them, perhaps the knowledge that men fought and died on the same ground lends them an air of solemnity and melancholy. Gettysburg is one such, being the place where more American lives were lost in a single battle than anytime in history before or since. All wars are senseless but especially civil wars - brother pitted against brother - because of differing ideologies. The American Civil War changed warfare to an extent in that it first introduced trench warfare which continued in the Great War of 1914-1918. Yet many aspects of waging war had not changed since the middle ages. The practice, senseless in the extreme, of walking in massed ranks often across open ground into the guns and artillery was common. The valor it takes to overcome the mind numbing terror such an act requires makes these men heroes on the battlefield despite what they may or may not believe. Walking with you across these fields, the scenes of so much carnage brought the battlefield to life as I got to see, from the on the ground perspective, what those combatants must have seen. I commend you for bringing history to an audience and thereby keeping alive moments and events that shaped and molded our world today. Keep up the good work and I look forward to more of the same. Greetings from Canada.

Again I learned something!! Thanks for sharing. This has become my favorite RU-vid channel.

The 1st Maryland got nearly 50 percent casualties on Culp’s Hill on July 3rd as well. It was a blood bath all around. I couldn’t imagine witnessing something like that.

JD, your Gettysburg videos are a wonderful way of seeing the how the battle, and where the fighting took place in a, more or less, chronological order. We appreciate it a lot! Thank you!!

In unison my daughter and I said "that's sad" I know war is hell but you have to wonder if charges against the officer should of taken place? The charge was like shooting cans off the top of a fence row. You always leave us wanting more. Have a blessed Sunday J.D.

Can't wait to meet up with you

That was chilling. Knowing you were going to catch one or few but an order is a order.

Sadly, the order was garbled through the channels and the charge could have been averted. The order from 12th Corps commander Slocum was questioned by brigade commander Thomas Ruger who knew the strength of the position, and he asked to send out skirmishers and feel out the situation. Slocum agreed. The charge was not to be made against a strong position. Tragically when the order got to Mudge it came as peremptory. Harry Pfanz does a thorough examination on how or why that happened in his book Gettysburg: Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill, the finest work on that part of the battle.

I'm not sure how I've missed this channel being a lover of history -- particular military history with a specific and focused interest in the civil war era and WWII. But, better late than never in doing so. This has instantly became my favorite channel and in the past 36 hours I've watched 25ish of your vids. Can't wait to watch the rest. I LOVE the human touch you bring to your videos and the lessons. I cannot wait to continue through this Gettysburg series. Thank you JD.

Another awesome video brother, every time I get the notification of a new video I watch asap...great info and production.

Culp’s Hill, is probably my favorite place on the battlefield. Never knew anything about this story. Thank you for educating me. Have to go and check it out in July..

👍 Brilliant vids, I really appreciate them. Have wanted to go to Gettysburg all my life. My family lives in the mid-West and the North, will get there someday. Has always held an eerie resonance with me. Thank you, from way down South, in Australia 👍😊

I remember seeing footage of the opening of the movie 🍿 🎥 “Gone With The Wind” in 1939 & seeing both Union & Confederate Civil War Vets attending the movie.

This has been an incredibly awesome series JD. Well done! Thank you for this.

I visited Ghettysburg once and found myself wishing I had much more time. It is such a hallowed battlefield (or battlefields). Thank you for this informative video.

Our re-enactment unit, 2nd Virginia, Co. D was invited by the US Park Service to do a living history at Spangler's Spring ten years ago We saw Cobble's marks. A land owner close by, came by one day. His family owned the same property he lives on, since before the Civil War. He guided us to a spot back in the woods where a large depression on the ground was where a number of Confederate soldiers were buried.

I am learning so much about Gettysburg!! Thankyou History Underground 😊😊

Nice video, been to Gettysburg many times including Spangler's Spring but had not previously seen the mark left by Cobbler. That was aweseome!

I have a picture of my dad drinking from the spring. I guess they used to have a fountain there.

Thanks to you and your wife who helps to do these video”s. Just make me more grateful for the freedom the soldiers gave.

Excellent narration, and description, as always you give us more than we expect.

Awesome video once again! I check every day for the next! Happy D Day everyone let’s not forget!

What a great series of videos! Can’t wait to get back to Gettysburg.

It's amazing that people still feel like history of war can only be used in war. Thank you for pointing out that lessons can be learned for everyday life. When we are battling a season in our life, don't hit it straight forward. Take a break and calm down. There will always be another way to fight the problem. History is a valuable tool if we learn from it. Thanks JD for all you do.

Another excellent installment! You’ve inspired me to get out my books on Culp’s Hill and read that part of the battle again. The unit I portrayed when I did CW living history was deployed across Rock Creek from Spanglers Spring as skirmishes. Thanks to the American Battlefield Trust, that land is now being conveyed to the Gettysburg NPS.

Been there many times. And there is one that walks with me everytime. I dont feel intimidated but like clock work I can go back 1 or 2 times a day and he comes mornings or dusk. I often think who he is. Thanks for this episode.

Love this channel. Been taking on some major growth as a man, husband and a father of two. Watching this channel is a good thing to keep in my "life's" toolbelt whenever I get a minute to watch. Keep it up.

Great video. Thank you for that. A full frontal assault is terrifying, those men really were so brave.

Once again an informative video. Spangler Springs is one of my favorite locations when I visit Gettysburg. Not many places to get fresh water during the battle. July is blasted hot in Pennsylvania. Just imagine the dehydration factor along with everything else. Thank you for all your efforts JD. God Bless.

Thanks so much for these videos! You do a fantastic job bringing history alive!

Up until now, I always thought you did these in one take! :) I liked the lesson at the end there!

Simply the best documentaries, the best music and video editing. Excellent job, as always. So grateful for what you do.

Thank you very much for these glimpses into Gettysburg history. I love the history of the War Between the States. Thank you for your service.

i guess who ever gave the order didn’t know about the advantage of “the high ground”.

Culp's Hill gets little notice and in all my reading and viewing I never hear of Spangler's Spring. Thanks for the informative, moving report. You make the battle live by telling the soldiers' experiences. Wondering - what is tattooed on your lower left arm? Currahee Mountain.

I live about 45 minutes north of Gettysburg. We went on a Field Trip to Gettysburg when I was in grade school. Of course that was early 80’s. My parents camped often at “The Little Drummer Boy” camp ground. I spent a lot of summers in that little town climbing the towers, playing on the rocks at Devils Den ....something about Spanglers Spring was my favorite. Nice video! Be sure to check out the pub on the square. Welcome fo PeeeeeAa. 😉

Thank you for your content. I enjoy watching it with my 8yo.

love the bloopers

Once again you bring us closer to understanding the battle and those who fought and those who died.

If I ever see you in the park I'll stop and say high buddy. I really enjoy your work.

Love your channel, i have to admit i am very jealous of all the fantastic places you have been....

Another fascinating video. I knew that Culps hill was fought over on the first and second days of the battle. I never knew that on the third day there was a last engagement for it. Glad to see you returned to finish this series can't wait till you get to Pickett's charge.will be waiting to see it. Also don't forget the calvary fight between Custer and Stewart on the third day that happened simultaneously with the attack on the union center.

Love your channel. I learn so much just from watching your videos. Your also a great video editor Such a professional job with the productions!

I've been to Gettysburg at least a dozen times and thought that I've seen all that there was to see. Thank you for showing me how wrong I was. Ill definitely be heading back there some time.

That was something I didn't know & thank you for teaching me. I am enjoying every one of your episodes very much.

I really enjoy talking about some of the lesser known stories of Civil War battles. Everyone knows about the 20th Maine and Pickett's Charge, but nobody hears about the fight for Cemetery Hill or Culps Hill or the charge of the U.S. Regulars into the valley of death at Plum Run.

I like how this guy is always trying to learn from battles and not just rubbernecking.

Always interesting and well worth the time.

Thank you for this video... I've been wanting to return there and now I will. Great information given from this spot.

JD the beauty of your videos is exactly what you displayed in this one. A little known area of the battlefield comes to life and shows us all something that the novice civil war buff or history buff for that matter didn't know. I really appreciate all your hard work. Can't wait to go back to Gettysburg

Another interesting video. I know that this is a section of the battlefield we didn’t visit when we were there. I now wish we would have. Thank you for the knowledge you put into all of your videos.

Thank you JD, I had no idea. I assumed Pickett’s charge was the only act of insanity. It just goes to show that men are men and they obeyed orders. Circling in from behind seems like the best course of action providing they are light footed and very quiet. It might have called for leaving what you didn’t need other than their canteens, cartridge boxes, cap pouches and bayonet. Leave the rest behind, sack coats, bummers maybe even brogans. I know stealthiness was probably not a a common practice. All that said in July vegetation is drying out and can give you away. Too bad they didn’t all carry revolvers instead. But you have to get pretty close.

Great video, thanks for covering this particular subject.

Hi.....Have you heard of the Hollywood cemetery in Virginia? I would just be so excited if you would do a vlog from there.

I did not know about this. Thank you JD. 👍🏻😎

I so envy that you have the time the ability and the love of our history to present to us this representation of time and place. So, thank you for this. I will now enjoy a cup of coffee as I listen to your video

"Do not attack entrenched infantry over open ground" was a hard lesson that was learned by both sides on July 3rd, 1863. The foot soldiers all knew that was a bad idea. The general officers of both sides learned that lesson the hard way at Gettysburg.

It is astounding how the leaders on both sides would arbitrarily order the deaths of so many men without the knowledge of battlefield tactics and the consequences to the men who so bravely marched into total carnage. 'Madness'. Like the story on the name etched into the rock. Thanks.

I am a longtime visitor to Gettysburg since the 70’s as a kid and I never knew about the Cobble story. Thank you!

The attack was more of a tragedy than is widely known. According to "The Gettysburg Campaign - A Study in Command" by Edwin B. Coddington, the order was based on faulty intelligence that the enemy was weak and retreating, when in fact Johnson had brought up four fresh regiments. The order to attack was delivered orally and it was "completely garbled." There were supposed to be skirmishers, and the attack was to be on the enemy flank. Colonel Mudge sent a runner to confirm the order but the runner ran into the officer who delivered it in the first place. When the runner returned with the confirmation is when Colonel Mudge made the comment about it being "murder."

Really appreciate and enjoy all your videos.

I enjoy watching your videos as well as listening to your talks about the sites that you visit. I just subscribed!

Another great one . Thank you.

Excellent Vlog...Thanks....

Another great episode. I was at Spangler's Spring last fall and met a family from the Midwest whose son (he was running around with a toy rifle) was named after Joshua Chamberlain. I guess he was the line between the two flanks at that moment.

Great video. Found the Coble rock this fall while on a tour with Eric Lindblade, who is the LBG on done of your other GB videos.

Gives meaning to war is hell,thx JD for another lesson at Gettysburg 🖒.. cA

Although a full frontal attack against heavily defended heights did work 77 years ago today in Normandy... albeit very costly. Sometimes there just ain’t no other choice. Great info in these videos! The history is amazing!

How do you learn all this stuff ?? You are unbelievable !! Thank you Frank from montana... P s you are not an idiot ! We need more people like you .. So stop putting your self down. That's an order. (Probably the first one on D. Day ) ...

Great one. Ty for sharing. On to the nextplave JD.

Another great vid. Wow, that etching by Mr. Cobble............

Thanks JD, another good one, terrain is everything.

Awesome as always 👍🏼

Madness. Pure madness😭

Thanks for sharing this.

Awesome video man! So cool to see you standing right where so much human drama played out and especially to see that man's name carved in stone wow thank you!

Giant's of the 27th Indiana. Some great stories from that regiment during the fight.

This was excellent. Never heard of This part of the battle. Thanks JD

Love your channel. Keep up the amazing videos