[Valin]

When blame was being sought for why his ill-fated charge was the final action of the Battle of Gettysburg, and why the Confederacy did not win the three-day battle, George Pickett suggested that "The Union Army might have had something to do with it." Pickett had been sponsored for West Point by the Illinois congressman, Abraham Lincoln.

[Pharmboy]

George Armstrong Custer also graduated last in his class from the Point.

[Pharmboy]

[Revenge of Sith]

Robert E. Lee also blamed himself for the charge since he ordered it.

[PeterFinn]

Kudos to you for Celebrating Diversity by honoring and recognizing the achievements of the Confederates who have contributed to the multicultural quilt that is America. These people are part of our heritage and the vast majority of them acted honorably and they acquitted themselves on the fields of battle as stout hearted men.

They deserve our respect and recognition.

[Plymouth Sentinel]

My understanding is that Pickett was sought by commanders/ subordinates on that day and was nowhere to be found. It's been suggested that he hid or cowered behind that house that still sits smack in the middle of the open fields his men traversed.

I have heard he fumbled or disappeared later too. Five Forks? If I recall, I read the story in a bio of AP Hill or Winfield Hancock.

The best of the stories is Armistead/Hancock. Although Francis Barlow and John Gordon's exchanges and later friendship are a great tale.

[Plymouth Sentinel]

My understanding is that Pickett was sought by commanders/ subordinates on that day and was nowhere to be found. It's been suggested that he hid or cowered behind that house that still sits smack in the middle of the open fields his men traversed.

I have heard he fumbled or disappeared later too. Five Forks? If I recall, I read the story in a bio of AP Hill or Winfield Hancock.

The best of the stories is Armistead/Hancock. Although Francis Barlow and John Gordon's exchanges and later friendship are a great tale.

[stainlessbanner]

Pickett Ping

[loreldan]

What a coincidence! I just watched "Gettysburg" again last night- one of my favorite movies of all time.

[Ciexyz]

Here's raising a glass in toast to all the brave fighters on both sides of that terrible conflict.

[kimosabe31]

Thanks for remembering the bd of George Pickett, an honorable and tragic figure of the battle of Gettysburg. Had Lee listened to his Corp Commander James Longstreet and, instead of getting his army destroyed at Gettysburg, turned south to undefended Washington DC, the capitol could have been taken along with the "busybody", war mongering, interventionist republicans and we might have been looking at quite a differant United States today.

[deroberst]

The connection between Pickett and Lincoln is interesting and I have always wondered about it. Why did an Illinois congressman nominate a Virginian to West Point? After Richmond fell in 1865, Lincoln, unbelievably alone without an escort, went to Pickett’s house there and visited with Mrs. Pickett. (The General was of course still otherwise engaged in rebellion against his country).

Does anybody know how Lincoln and Pickett were first connected?

[Witch-king of Angmar]

Pickett was quite dismayed at Lee for ordering that charge. After the war he and Longstreet visited Lee and Pickett could barely hide his hostility. As they were leaving Longstreet asked Pickett why he had such an attitude and Picket said:"The old man destroyed my division at Gettysburg!" to which Longstreet replied:"True, but he made you immortal."

[kinsman redeemer]

"High Watermark" Ping!

[dvwjr]

I always wondered what would have happened with "Pickett's Charge" if his whole division had been with him that day. The Confederates most probably would have still lost the day, but Pickett would have had the 10,000 men of his (very large) division instead of the three-fifths of the division (6,000 men) he had that day. The extra 4,000 men reinforcing the breech in the Union center made by Armistead's brigade might have made things more 'interesting' for another hour...

At that time most Confederate Infantry divisions of the Army of Northern Virginia were composed of 4 brigades (each composed of 4 or 5 regiments), with a few divisions having an "extra" fifth brigade. Pickett's division had five brigades - four from Virginia and one from South Carolina totaling around 10,000 men instead of the normal 7,500-8,000 men in most Confederate Infantry divisions. However two of his brigades (about 4,000 men) were left behind to guard Richmond, Virginia from any Union raids while the Army of Northern Virginia was on its campaign to the north. That gave Pickett a much smaller division of 6,000 men and one unusually composed of all Virginians since his only non-Virginian troops, the South Carolinians were in the Richmond area.

dvwjr