. >> someone who does know a lot is civil war historian earl coates. i meet him on the gettysburg battlefield. battlefield. pickett's charge. he c >> you certainly are. this is one of the iconic sites of the civil war. >> what was pickett's's wate contribution? >> general pickett to that timet was a certainly known as a confederate commander but after the charge he was known the n world over. >> pickett serves under general james longstreet in july, 1863 here at gettysburg in the army of northern virginia, commanded by general robert e. lee. >> general lee was looking for a great victory on union soil. great victory on union soil. l a high ground. after twottac days of failing t break through, lee orders a controversial attack -- ange assault on the center of the union line. general picketts' troops are te assigned to break through the et middle. we're on the 's confederate side. >> yes,visi in fact, you're mov ho pretty much along the ground that pickett's division came across. you'll see how the ground slopes away here. then you start up a steady slo

. >> someone that knows a lot about general pickett, civil iar historian earl earl coats, i mem on the battle feel. >> you are one of the icon excites of the civil war. >> what was pickett's contribution? >> general pickett to that time was known as a confederate commander, but after the charge he was known world over. >> pickett's under james long street in july 1 1863 in gettysburg. commanded by general robert elee. >> he was looking for a great victory on union soil. >> federal army holds high ground, lee orders a controversial attack, an assault on center of the union line, general pickett's troops are assigned to brake through the middle. >> quit right now we're on the confederate side. >> on the ground that pickett's division came across, you see how ground slopes away here, then you start off, steady slope up to where the trees are. union ca cannons on the ridgeli. >> they have the edge. >> and they use it. >> pickett's men advance to heavy fire, union guns now down the rebels. >> what did the scene look like after. >> this seal was -- field was littered with dead, a scene of de