Gettysburg Daily

Pickett’s Charge Battle Walk



Ranger-Historian Bert Barnett leads his Pickett’s Charge Battle Walk on Friday afternoon at Gettysburg National Military Park. Here the group is in their final stages as they approach the famous “angle” at the stone wall on Cemetery Ridge. This view was taken from the northeast facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.

Gettysburg National Military Park Ranger-Historian Bert Barnett presented Friday’s Battle Walk Program- Pickett’s Charge. The walk began at 3:30 at the Virginia Monument on Seminary Ridge, and finished at 5:00 PM at the outer angle, or “the angle” of the stone wall on Cemetery Ridge. Approximately 35 people attended the walk.



Bert began the program near the Virginia monument, and brought the group to the “point of woods” near Seminary Ridge. This view was taken from the west facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.



Bert Barnett has extensive working experience at Civil War sites. He began his National Park Service career in the mid 1980s at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield and Stones River National Battlefield, where he became one of the park service’s experts on field artillery. The Alexander Spangler Barn is in the background. This view was taken from the north facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.



Bert moved the group back into the shade to talk about the Confederate and Union artillery preparations and bombardment before the infantry assault. The Virginia monument is the white shaft in the background. This view was taken from the east facing west at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.



The group then moved past the artillery positions to follow in the steps of the Confederate infantry. This view was taken from the east facing west at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.



The group began its advance toward the Union lines. Big Round top is in the background on the far right, and Little Round Top is to its left. The dome of the Pennsylvania monument is visible to the left. This view was taken from the northwest facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.



The program paused in one of the first low spots or swales in the ground where the Confederates could briefly reorganize their lines. Bert explained that 13 Confederate officers decided to go into the charge mounted on horseback. This view was taken from the southwest facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.



Bert talks about the casualties experienced by Kemper’s Virginia brigade and what is occurring on the north side of the Confederate line with Pettigrew’s and Trimble’s brigades. The Pennsylvania monument is the domed monument in the center background. The Vermont monument is the shaft to the left of the Pennsylvania monument. This view was taken from the northwest facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.



Bert’s group crossed the fences at the Emmitsburg Road. This view was taken from the northeast facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.

A video of Bert’s group crossing the fences the Emmitsburg Road. This view was taken from the northeast facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.



The group then began to move up Cemetery Ridge toward the Union line. The “copse” or “clump” of trees is in the right background. This view was taken from the northwest facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.

A video of the group advancing toward the Union line. The tree growing out of the outer angle in the stone wall is in the center background. This view was taken from the southwest facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.

A video of the group approaching the outer angle of the Union lines on Cemetery Ridge near the monument to the 71st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. This view was taken from the northeast facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.



Bert finished the tour near the angle of the stone wall. In this area Confederates briefly broke through the Union lines. Maybe 200 to 300 Confederates crossed the stone wall before they were repulsed. This view was taken from the east facing west at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, July 25, 2008.