"The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity."
What do you do when you are leading up to a big game and you
notice that you have a friend on the opposing team? Is it okay for you to go
over and say hello or should you just ignore your “enemy” on the other side?
What would you do? I’m sure that General Armistead and General Hancock asked
these questions and more when they looked across the battlefields of Gettysburg
and saw each other’s battle flags.
 |
| General Hancock |
On July 2, Union General Winfield (Win or Winnie) Hancock, later a
Democratic Party Presidential candidate, was preparing his men for the defense
of the “high ground” that his men had helped taken control of on Jul 1. As he
planned his defense, on that day he saw the battle flags of the Confederate
Virginia regiment that his long-time friend Lewis Armistead served under. This was the first time that they
opposed each other since they shared a tearful goodbye when the Civil War started
almost three years before.
This video gives a little taste of their friendship...only the first two minutes gives Lo/Winnie information.
Winnie and Lo (Armistead) served and fought in the US army
together. My grandpa, who recently passed away, was in the US army and fought
in the Korean War. While serving, he made many good friends. I couldn’t imagine
him having to fight against that friend after experience so much of life
together. However, this is the reality of Winnie’s and Lo’s friendship…
| |
On July 2, as noted in my previous blog, their divisions
clashed and Lo was shot and died two days later. Hancock was also wounded but
was not killed and went on to be a prominent political figure in the US. One day before he was shot, Lo asked General Pete Longstreet to give his personal bible to Mrs. Hancock in case he were to fall in action at Gettysburg.
Here is another video clip with Lo giving an emotional account of their friendship...it gets real good about 2:45 minutes in.
The Battle of Gettysburg was filled with all kinds of
different stories. This story of friendship had a tragic ending and stills
fills my heart with sorrow 150 years later.
"Win was Like a brother to me..."
Lo Armistead
"Win was Like a brother to me..."
Lo Armistead
