Victory or Death - The Last Stand of the Savannah Volunteer Guards at Sailor's Creek by Keith Rocco
Victory or Death - The Last Stand of the Savannah Volunteer Guards at Sailor's Creek by Keith Rocco
Taking Battery A
Mort Kunstler
The Federal position located behind a stone fence was breeched in only one place, a nook in the fence later called the "angle". As General Armistead and the remnant of his command crossed over the stone fence they took the 3-inch Ordnance Rifle of Lt. Alonzo Cushing's Battery A, 4th U.S. artillery. Immediately a volley from Federal infantry tore into the left flank of the General and his men. Armistead was hit twice, once below the right knee and in the upper left arm. Neither wound broke any bone and should not have been fatal, but poor medical care and loss of blood would cause Armistead death on July the 5th. The words from the sergeant of the 53d to Armistead "If mortal man can do it, it shall be done" were prophetic, but their actions would also be immortalized.