Gettysburg

Lee’s Plan
Pickett’s Division
Opening Moves
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
What of George Pickett?
Photographs
Addenda

Major General George Pickett (Library of Congress)

Pickett’s Charge, July 1^st-3^rd 1863.

Military history always seems to favour the underdog more so than the victor. The Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava, Custer’s Last Stand at Little Big Horn, Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo are all studied avidly by those who consider that if this or that had been different these defeats and blunders would have in some way changed the course of a campaign or battle. So it is with Pickett’s Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg, on that hot summer afternoon of July 3^rd 1863. The controversy that arose after the battle, and the subsequent debate and claims that have continued down the years since have done more for the name of George Pickett than he ever gained in real military terms. The sad thing is that Pickett should be remembered for a glorious failure for which he was in no way responsible, or for that matter had the slightest idea that his name would be associated with leading.

Born in Virginia in 1825, George Edward Pickett graduated from West Point (class of 1846) at the bottom of a class of 59 other graduates. He was commissioned into the infantry and won a brevet (entitling an officer to take rank above that for which he receives pay) in the Mexican War for his part in the storming of Chapultepec (13^th September 1847). He fought against Indians on the frontier, and was commended by the American government for his part in defying a British squadron off San Juan Island in Puget Sound. Resigning as Captain on 25^th June 1861, Pickett was then commissioned Colonel in the Confederate States Army. He rose to the rank of Brigadier General in 1862, and was wounded at the Battle of Gaines Mill (27^th June 1862). Promoted to Major General in October 1862 he commanded the centre of the Confederate line at the Battle of Fredericksburg (13^th December 1862) but saw little action. After Gettysburg he was made department commander of Virginia and North Carolina. He failed in his attack on New Bern in January 1864 but took an active role against Union General Ben Butler at Drewry’s Bluff (4^th-16^th May 1864). He commanded at Five Forks (1^st April 1865), and surrendered with General Longstreet at Appomattox Court House on the 9^th April 1865.[1]

[1] The above information was taken from, Cassell’s Biographical Dictionary of the American Civil War 1861-1865. Mark M.Boatner III Editor. Page.651