The Battle of Gettysburg took place July 1-3, 1863, in Pennsylvania, as Union forces turned back an invasion of the North by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The Union victory inspired President Abraham Lincoln to call for “a new birth of freedom” in his address a few months later dedicating the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg. C-SPAN's American History TV was LIVE on June 30 from Gettysburg National Military Park covering events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the battle, including remarks by scholars such as Harold Holzer, Allen Guelzo, and Doris Kearns Goodwin, as well as your calls and tweets for Civil War Institute Director Peter Carmichael and novelist Jeff Shaara.

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American History TV joined historian Carol Reardon and Col. Tom Vossler to learn the story of the three-day Battle of Gettysburg through a selection of their favorite monuments.

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The Siege of Vicksburg took place from May 18th to July 4th, 1863. After failing to take the city by force, Union General Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee laid siege to the city, held by Confederate General John C. Pemberton and his forces. On July 4th, after 47 days, General Pemberton surrendered; and Vicksburg—the last major Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River—was turned over to General Grant and the Union. In this program, we tour Vicksburg National Military Park with Tim Kavanaugh, the park's supervisory ranger for interpretation.

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Vicksburg National Military Park marks the 150th anniversary of the siege of Vicksburg with a ceremony to rededicate the Iowa State Monument, which honors the contributions of Iowa troops to the Union victory. The fall of Vicksburg - the last major Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River – came on July 4, 1863, a day after the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg. In this program, Iowa governor Terry Branstad joins former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour to commemorate the Iowa soldiers who fought and died on the Mississippi battlefield. 
 

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The Civil War Battle of Chancellorsville was fought April 30th to May 6th, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Many historians consider the battle to be Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s greatest victory. Facing a Union Army more than twice the size of his own, Lee divided his forces, sending 27,000 men under “Stonewall” Jackson on a 12-mile march to deliver a flank attack. In this program, we continue on a tour with two National Park Service historians as they walk the same ground exactly 150 years after Jackson launched his attack. This is the second of a two-part program, and picks up with the Union 11th Corps in retreat, and the Confederates in pursuit.

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Military historian Gregory Hospodor looks at the year-long campaign by the Union Army and Navy to take Vicksburg – the last major Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River. He discusses Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s series of strategic maneuvers that led to a prolonged siege and ultimately the fall of the fortified city on July 4, 1863. The Kansas City Public Library hosted this event.

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The Civil War Battle of Chancellorsville was fought April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Many historians consider the battle to be Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s greatest victory. Facing a Union Army more than twice the size of his own, Lee divided his forces, sending 27,000 men under “Stonewall” Jackson on a 12-mile march to deliver a flank attack. In this program, we follow two National Park Service historians on a tour as they walk the same ground exactly 150 years after Jackson launched his attack.

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Historians John Marszalek and James McPherson examine the Battle of Gettysburg, with a focus on the second and third days of the fighting. The three-day battle fought in Pennsylvania from July 1-3, 1863, was the bloodiest of the war -- resulting in an estimated 51,000 total casualties -- and many historians consider it to be the turning point of the Civil War. Harold Holzer, chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation Chairman, moderates the discussion. This is the second in a two-part series on the battle hosted by the New-York Historical Society.
 

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Author Catherine Clinton discusses how both President Abraham Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis suffered the loss of a child while in office and how it impacted their wives. In 1862, the Lincolns lost their 11-year old son, Willie, from what was believed to be typhoid fever. In1864, the Davises lost their four-year old son, Joseph, in a fatal fall at the Confederate White House in Richmond. Professor Clinton also explores mid-19th century mourning practices and etiquette. The National Archives in Washington, DC, hosted this event.
 

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Author Harold Holzer examines Civil War artifacts featured in his book, "The Civil War in 50 Objects,” drawn from the New-York Historical Society’s collection. He’s joined by Columbia University history professor Eric Foner -- who wrote the introduction for the book -- in a discussion on the collection’s history and themes. Objects include Confederate flags, Grant’s handwritten terms of surrender at Appomattox, and framed leaves from Abraham Lincoln's funeral bier. The New-York Historical Society hosted this event. It’s just under an hour.  

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