A Confederate Hero?

"If I live for a hundred years I shall never forget that moment or the command as given by General Lewis A. Armistead on that day."

Lt. John Lewis of the Fourteenth Virginia


This quote is from a book I read called the "Most Glorious Fourth" and is response to Armistead action during Pickett's Charge on July 3, 1863



Lewis Armistead

Introduction:

As I stood at the “HIGH WATER MARK” (this is what historians call the point of furthest advancement by the Confederates during Pickett’s charge on July 3, 1863) during my visit to Gettysburg a few months ago, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of sorrow. Not because the Union nearly lost the battle at this point; rather, because of the many heart wrenching and heartwarming stories that have yet to be told about the Confederates who fought in this war.  Stories of friendship and love, tales of heroism and sacrifice saturate the letters and diaries of southerners. Don’t get me wrong; I am as big a fan of A. Lincoln as you will find but not telling the accounts of those who fought for the south leaves a void in the big picture of Gettysburg. Here is the tale of General Lewis Armistead who was the man who was mortally wounded at the “HIGH WATER MARK”.  

Location where Lo was wounded

 

Who was Armistead?

Lewis Armistead (or Lo), who’s Uncle George Armistead was commander of the U.S. Army during the War of 1812’s Battle of Fort McHenry where the “Star Spangled Banner” was written, was a Virginian who fought in the Civil War as a Brigade General under Lee. This solider, who didn’t own slaves, also served in the U.S. Army during the Mexican War and was commander of a small force in San Diego at the start of the Civil War. He died, as a result of battle wounds on July 5^th, 1863 suffered two days earlier. He was the only Confederate officer to break the Union lines during Pickett’s charge on July 3 and if there were more troops backing him and his men up, the Confederates may have taken the field that day and won the battle and possibly the war. If that were the case, I would be refereeing to Armistead, not Chamberlain (see my last post) as the “man who won the war."
 

For a taste of Armistead as a leader or dare I saw, a hero, check out this Video clip. BTW, he is the man in the grey uniform.

Why am I wasting time writing about a Confederate in a Blog about Hero’s of Gettysburg?

Well, I am writing about Armistead because he is a hero to many. Yes, I do have some Confederate blood in me (I have relatives from TN who fought in the Civil War) but that is not why I’m discussing Lo’s story. I’m looking at this man because he, like Chamberlain, showed a great deal of courage during this battle and exhibited a high level of respect for those who he looked after. A hero is someone who shows courage and is admired by others… Armistead, to his men, was just that; their hero. Maybe he is not your hero of mine, but his actions on July 3, 1863 warranted this blog posting.

When I stood next to the spot where he was mortally wounded, I sincerely felt admiration for Armistead and wanted to learn more about his life and his story. I’m thankful that this blog has given me that opportunity.



 

Video 2 depicts some of Lo’s courage and leadership on July 3

For some reason, I could not connect the easy access view of the video but just click on the link to view. Trust me, you will enjoy it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUHnL6R39VM

 

Was Lo a Hero?

In my opinion, he was. In addition to the reasons given above, I believe that Armistead executed his duties with integrity and also had a genuine human side what I could relate well with.  What do you think? Was he a hero or do Confederates not deserve that title?

Field that Armistead marched across on July 3 (Picture personally taken)

Last video and a sneak peek into my next blog!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm6kHM2TPuE

Who was this Hancock guy Lo was referring to? In my next blog, I will look at an intense friendship between two people (Armistead and Hancock) fighting within yards of each other at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863.