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Re: General Garnett in official union report?

Here's an interesting article that was published in The Washington Times just a few weeks ago.

Keith

Court-martialed general finds Gettysburg glory

June 30, 2007

By John E. Carey
SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES - After the Battle of Kernstown, Va., Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson ordered the court-martial of Brig. Gen. Richard Brooke Garnett for cowardice and "unauthorized retreat." Garnett was deeply hurt by the injustice of the accusation. Nevertheless, Garnett wept at Stonewall's funeral and served as one of his pallbearers.

Before the disastrous attack that came to be known as Pickett's Charge, Richard Garnett went with his friend Gen. Lewis A. Armistead to survey the field. "This is a desperate thing to attempt," Garnett said. Armistead agreed. "Yes it is. But the issue is with the Almighty, and we must leave it in His hands."

The Almighty took Garnett a short time later.

"General Garnett was gallantly waving his hat and cheering the men on to renewed efforts against the enemy," recorded James W. Clay, a private in Company G, 18th Virginia Infantry. "I remember that he wore a black felt hat with a silver cord. His sword hung at his side."

Reportedly, Garnett urged his men forward with the words, "Make ready, Men! Take good aim. Fire low. Fire!"

Though he was wearing a new, heavy coat clearly marked with his general's rank and carrying a sword engraved with his name, Garnett's remains were never found. Confederates suspected that Union soldiers intentionally buried the general in a mass grave with his men, much the way Confederate soldiers buried Col. Robert Shaw of the 54th Massachusetts with his men later in the war. Consequently, Richard Garnett's exact resting place cannot be determined with certainty.

Also, although nearly every general, North and South, had his photograph taken, Garnett may be the sole exception. In modern times, images thought to be that of Richard Garnett were determined to be of his cousin Robert Seldon Garnett, Richard's inseparable boyhood companion, West Point classmate and fellow brigadier general in the Confederate army in Virginia. Robert Garnett was mortally wounded in July 1861, the first general killed in the war.

Richard Brooke Garnett (1817-1863) grew up the son of privilege at Rose Hill, the family mansion in Essex County, Va. Educated near home and in Norfolk, Garnett went to West Point with his cousin in 1838.

Richard Garnett graduated from West Point in 1841. He served in the Seminole War in Florida and in the Western campaigns against the Indians. He missed fighting in the Mexican War while assigned staff duties in New Orleans.

Garnett later commanded Fort Laramie, Wyo., against the Sioux. While serving in California during the winter of 1860-61, he learned of the South's secession and resigned his U.S. Army commission. He joined his home state as an officer in the Army of the Confederate States of America.

Garnett's Civil War service before March 1862 was largely unremarkable.

However, at Kernstown on March 23, 1862, after two hours of unceasing combat, Garnett's command began to run low on ammunition. The supply wagons had been left behind. Facing superior Union numbers attacking from three directions, Garnett made the only logical military decision: He ordered his forces to fall back.

Stonewall Jackson was incensed. His anger resulted in the charge of cowardice. Garnett was arrested.

Garnett explained his retreat at Kernstown this way: "Had I not done so, we would have run imminent risk of being routed by superior numbers, which would have resulted probably in the loss of part of our artillery and also endangered our transportation."

Maj. Walter Harrison of Gen. George Pickett's staff described Garnett's "brave, proud and sensitive spirit." He said the accusation of cowardice deeply wounded Garnett. It "was a cruel blow," Harrison wrote.

Stonewall died at Chancellorsville, and Gen. Robert E. Lee reassigned Garnett, allowing the issue to die. Still, by the time of Gettysburg, Garnett had not fully lived down the accusations, which weighed heavily on his mind.

Despite severe illness, he refused to excuse himself from leading his men. On July 3, 1863, before the commencement of Pickett's Charge, Garnett's colleagues asked him to forgo the attack. Garnett saw an opportunity to clear his name once and for all. He insisted that he would lead his men into battle, mounted on his charger, Red Eye. The other generals were appalled: All the other attackers would be on foot. The mounted Garnett would be an easy target for the Union Army.

This prediction proved true, and Garnett died leading his beloved men of the 8th, 18th, 19th, 28th and 56th Virginia infantry regiments. Red Eye came galloping back into the Confederate line riderless.

"General Garnett's black war horse came galloping toward us with a huge gash in his right shoulder, evidently struck by a piece of shell. The horse in its mad flight jumped over Captain Campbell and me," James Clay reported.

Lee reported his losses to President Jefferson Davis, including this line: "Generals Garnett and Armistead are missing, and it is feared that the former is killed and the latter wounded and a prisoner."

The Confederates were insulted when Garnett's body and final resting place were never identified. Clay wrote, "General Garnett wore a uniform coat, almost new, with a general's star and wreath on the collar, and top boots, with trousers inside, and spurs. It is, therefore, inexplicable that his remains were not identified."

In 1872, remains of Confederate dead were brought from Gettysburg and reburied at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. The Hollywood Memorial Association erected a cenotaph in Garnett's honor in 1991, assuming that his remains were among the others.

Years after the war, Garnett's sword was located in a Baltimore pawnshop and purchased by former Confederate Brig. Gen. George H. Steuart. The Baltimore Sun reported in articles published in November and December 1905, "The sword is after the pattern for artillery officers in the United States Army, and is inscribed 'R.B. Garnett, U.S.A.,' with the name of the maker. The blade is of fine metal, elaborately embellished, and is in perfect order. The scabbard is of fine steel, but somewhat rusty."

Col. Winfield Peters wrote in the Baltimore Sun that "General Steuart died November 22, 1903. Mr. James E. Steuart, his nephew, is now enabled to forward the sword to its rightful possessor by descent, who is the wife of Col. John B. Purcell, Richmond, Va. General Garnett was the only remaining brother of Mrs. Purcell's mother, who was deeply attached to him, and, through Col. Purcell, has assured Mr. Steuart, that the sword will be treasured by her, a niece of General Garnett, as a precious heirloom."

The marker for CSA Gen. Richard Brooke Garnett in the Confederate Section of Hollywood Cemetery reads:

"Among the Confederate Soldiers' Graves in this area is the probable resting place of Brigadier General Richard Brooke Garnett C.S.A. who was killed in action July 3, 1863, as he led his Brigade in the charge of Pickett's Division on the final day of the battle of Gettysburg. First buried on the battlefield, General Garnett's remains were likely removed to this area in 1872 along with other Confederate dead brought from Gettysburg by the Hollywood Memorial Association. Requiescat in Pace

"Richard Brooke Garnett 1817-1863."

Richard Garnett suffered the ignominy of being accused of cowardice. His remains were never found. Even his likeness may not survive.

He saved his reputation by bravely attacking a much stronger enemy behind stone fortifications. He proved for all eternity his honorable bravery and willingness to sacrifice his own life.

His sword was returned to his relatives. His honor was never lost.

John E. Carey is a frequent contributor to the Civil War page.

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General Garnett in official union report?
Re: General Garnett in official union report?
Re: General Garnett in official union report?