Accurate Route of 28th VA during picketts charge?

[bill shack]

Southern Historical Society Papers.
Vol. XXXVII. Richmond, Va., January-December. 1909.
General Armistead's Portrait Presented.
An Address Delivered Before R. E. Lee Camp No. 1, C. V., Richmond, Va., January 29, 1909.
By Rev. JAMES E. POINDEXTER, Late Captain in 38th Virginia Regiment, Armistead's Brigade, Pickett's Division.
Mr. Commander and Comrades:
It was my wish that this address should be made by Col. Rawley W. Martin, of Lynchburg, who led the Fifty-third Virginia in Pickett's charge, and fell by the side of Armistead on Cemetery Ridge. But this could not be, and so I come to take his place. For the task assigned me I feel myself but poorly equipped. Unlike Col. Martin, I followed our old Commander, as St. Peter followed the Master, "afar off." It is, I may say, with unfeigned diffidence that I venture to speak of war to the veteran soldiers who are here to-night.
On me, however, through your kindness, is this honor conferred, that I should present to the Camp the portrait of Lewis A. Armistead. I thank you for it with all my heart.
[excerpt]
That opportunity came at Gettysburg. Of the charge made by Pettigrew and Pickett on Cemetery Ridge, I do not propose to speak at length. On the controversies which have raged around it, I shall not touch. But in order to appreciate the heroism of Armistead we must picture in few words the part played by Pickett's Division.
During the artillery duel which preceded the charge we lay quiet and (some of us) hugged the ground. When the cannonade subsided we fell in at the word of command and moved in line of battle over the wooded ridge in front, past our artillery, and down the slope to the edge of the woods. Here, for the first time, we caught sight of the field of battle. A thousand yards away lay Cemetery Ridge, curving around on the left to Culp's Hill, and off to our right stood Round-Top and little Round-Top, crowned with artillery. Beyond that ridge and on its crest lay eighty thousand men, every breastwork finished, every reserve posted, every gun in position, awaiting our assault. Between us and Cemetery Ridge was a field as open as this floor, not a tree, not a stone to shelter one man from the storm of battle. The scene which met the eyes of Armistead's men as we descended the
slope was splendid. Before us, one hundred and fifty yards away, moving on like waves of the sea, marched Garnett and Kemper, their battle-flags flashing in the sunlight. The regiments of Armistead, marching in perfect order, with disciplined tread, followed where they led.
Soon the heavy guns on Round-Top were trained upon us, and howling shells burst around us or crashed through our ranks. The further we advanced the more tremendous was the cannonade. Our own artillery on the heights behind thundered over our heads at the enemy's guns on Cemetery Ridge. And so we marched "vaulted with fire."
As we crossed the plain beyond the Codori house, we halted at the word of command, moved by the left flanks till opposite the point we aimed to strike, then in line of battle, the guns on Cemetery Ridge blazing in our faces, and every regiment of Armistead's brigade dressed on its colors as straight as the line of yonder door.
The gallant men who met our onset thrilled with emotions of fear and admiration—they tell it themselves—at the "grandeur" of the scene, at the "magnificence" of our advance. To the Count de Paris, as he watched the Confederate column bearing down all opposition, buffeting with unshaken courage the fierce volleys that met it, "it seemed," he says, "to be driven by an irresistible force."
Meanwhile the fire of the enemy grew ever more violent, ever more destructive. The cannon on Round-Top "volleyed and thundered." From Cemetery Ridge grapeshot and canister tore through our ranks. We marched, says Longstreet, "through a fearful fire from the batteries in front and from Round-Top." "The slaughter," he says, "was terrible, the enfilade fire from batteries on Round-Top very destructive." But worse remained behind. From the stone wall which sheltered their ranks the hostile infantry "poured down," as Longstreet says, "a terrific fire." The hiss of bullets was incessant. Men fell at every step; they fell, I thought, like grass before the scythe.
Such were the scenes which some of us witnessed that day. The severity of our loss attests how deadly were the perils through which we passed. Of three Brigadiers, two were buried on the fields and one left weltering in his blood. Of the fifteen men who led the regiments of Pickett not one escaped. Seven were disabled, some with ghastly wounds, and eight of them were slain outright. Of all the field officers in the whole division only two remained unhurt. "It was a miracle," says the Count de Paris, "to see them safe and sound."
And now, bearing these things firmly in mind, let us follow Armistead. "A short time," says Col. Martin, "before the advance was ordered, the General, as his custom was, marched up and down in front of his troops, encouraging them in every way," for the shock of arms so soon to follow. "Remember, men, what you are fighting for. Remember your homes and your firesides, your mothers and wives and sisters and your sweethearts."
When the signal guns were fired, he promptly called "attention," and instantly every man was on his feet. Coming then right to the front of the Fifty-third Virginia, which was that day the battalion of direction, he said to Color-Sergeant Blackburn; "Sergeant, are you going to plant those colors on the enemy's works over yonder ? .... Yes, General," was the firm reply, "if mortal man can do it, I will." Then the chief exhorted his men to follow their colors and to remember the brave words of Sergeant Blackburn, and giving the command, "Battalion, forward; guide-centre, march," he placed himself in front of the Fifty-third Virginia, and, marching on foot, twenty yards ahead of his brigade, watched and directed our advance. It was not long before the battle was raging in all its fury.
]]]]]The brigades of Garnett and Kemper were in our front, and as we drew near the advance lines Kemper rode back to Armistead, who marched on foot, and said: "Armistead, hurry up; I am going to charge those heights and carry them, and I want you to support me." "I'll do it," he replied. Then, glorying in the conduct of his men, he said to Kemper: "Look at my line; it never looked better on dress parade."
And now came the supreme test. He quietly gave the order, "Colonel, double-quick." And putting his black felt hat on the point of his sword, he led the advance, all the time in front of his line of battle, marching straight ahead through a hail of bullets, "the very embodiment of a heroic commander." The sword pierced through the hat, and more than once it slipped down to the hilt, and we saw above it the naked steel. As often as the hat slipped down the old hero would hoist it again to the sword's point. And so, borne aloft with matchless courage, it caught the eye, it nerved the hearts of his devoted men, a standard as glorious, as worthy to be sung, as the plume that floated at Ivry above the helmet of Navarre.
]]]]]And now the battle raged with redoubled fury. "As we got within forty yards of the stone wall," says Lieutenant Whitehead, "came all along the line the order of charge, and charge we did. From behind the fence the Yankee infantry rose and poured into our ranks a murderous fire. Garnett's brigade and Kemper's had almost entirely disappeared; their brave commanders, their gallant officers, with hundreds of the rank and file, were stretched on the field, and it remained for Armistead's men to finish the work. After a desperate fight the Yankees began to give way; and as they fell back our men rushed forward to the stone wall with unfaltering steps, Armistead still leading the charge."
The advance line halted here, but only for an instant. The veteran Armistead took in with the eye of a trained soldier the whole situation, and saw in a flash that to halt there meant ruin and defeat. Just ahead, bristling with cannon, was Cemetery Ridge. Just beyond it Hancock, "a foeman worthy of his steel," was hurrying up his heavy reserves. On the right and on the left the enemy's lines were still intact. On both flanks fierce assaults would soon be made on Pickett's men. "Colonel," said Armistead to the commanding officer of the Fifty-third, "we cannot stay here."
A word to Martin was enough. "Forward with the colors," he cried, and over the wall they went, Armistead and Martin; and with them went a gallant band resolved that day to conquer or die. The flag of the Fifty-third regiment, borne by Lieutenant Carter, flashed like a meteor in the van. The indomitable Armistead, his hat on the point of his sword, towered before them like a pillar of fire. "Follow me, boys; give them the cold steel." A hundred and fifty undaunted men followed their chief.
]]]]They left behind them the stone wall. They passed the earth works. They seized the cannon that, double shotted at ten yards distance, had torn our ranks with canister. Victory seemed within their grasp. But alas! the support they looked for never came. In the nick of time Hancock's reserves were hurried to the front. They came on, he says, "four lines deep," and firing: at close range, poured into the little band that followed Armistead a destructive volley. In that "hell of fire," as Bilharz says, "nothing could live." The intrepid Martin fell maimed for life. Forty-two of his brave Virginians lay dead around him. And there, in the Bloody Angle, our heroic chief, grasping a captured cannon to turn it on the foe, fell amongst his devoted men, pierced with mortal wounds, and sealing with his heart's blood the high-water mark of the Confederate cause."
]]]]As they bore him to the rear they met the gallant Hancock hurrying to the front. (*) Each recognized the other. They had been comrades in the old army. And learning who he was, Hancock dismounted, and grasping Armistead's hand, told him with a soldier's sympathy, how sorry he was to see him wounded, and promised to send mementoes and messages to his loved ones in Virginia, and tried to cheer him with the hope that his wounds would not be mortal, as our hero said. But Armistead was right. He knew that death was near at hand.
Carried from the field a prisoner, he lingered through the 4th of July and died on the 5th, "leaving," says Martin, "an example of patriotic ardor, of heroism and devotion to duty which ought to be handed down through the ages."
When his kinsmen heard of his glorious death they came and took his body, took all that was mortal of him, down to Baltimore, and with reverent hands laid him to rest amongst his own people, in the church-yard of old St. Paul's, the hero of Gettysburg besides the hero of Fort McHenry. A granite obelisk marks the spot where he fell on Cemetery Ridge. The sword which dropped from his dying grasp you may see it now in the Confederate Museum.
[end of excerpt]
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absolutely excellent, best I've read

[trock]

and the home site has been found!

at some point soon i may write this all out in a narrative that time lines and makes sense.

thanks again all!

and thanks for all the helpful links and tips, they made this all possible

[34 NC Co. H]

This may have been mentioned by try using Travel Brain's Gettysburg CD, which recreates the battle and where units were. Good resource to look at to at least get a general idea of the 28th's path.

[trock]

since it is the 147th anniversary (July 19, 1863) of Hezekiahs death in a field hospital at Gettysburg (schwartz farm, first division, third corps). i thought i would post part of my outline of the story of Maj (then Capt) Michael P. Spessard and his son Hezekiah during Pickett's charge. It has been a long journey and i hope someday to complete my doc with pics of places, people, etc.

i hope this is interesting to some, and it was done to honor their story, so much of which is already lost to histroy. if you can see anything that needs corrected please let me know

thanks!

Hezekiah Carper Spessard
Born – Jan 8, 1845 in Virginia
Parents – Michael P Spessard and Elizabeth Carper Spessard (B – July 31 1825 – D – July 25, 1854)
Siblings -
- Sister Susan Elizabeth Spessard (B – Oct 22, 1848 – D – Oct 11, 1855)
- Hezekiah also has 2 unnamed siblings who die very young.

Maj Spessard was a farmer whose home was right by what is today the “Craig Creek Mercantile” store, off modern day RT 311 in Craig County VA. There is an existing picture of the house in the Craig Historical society; however the house itself was torn down 15-20 years ago (according to info from the Craig county historical society)
(find and insert picture of house here)
Hezekiah turned 18 Jan 8, 1863 and enlisted in February to serve in the war. He was assigned to his father’s company which was CO C, 28th VA infantry, assigned to Garnett’s brigade, Picketts Division. I am not sure when he arrived with the unit, or where the unit was when he arrived. I do know in some places it is written he was a drummer boy (this is not confirmed for sure but does show up in some articles).
From the information I have gathered the 28th was on Guard duty July 1-2 at Chambersburg PA (see Wilson’s diary on the Gettysburg march for more info on route and dates taken by the 28th) and did not move to the battlefield until the early morning hours of July 3rd. In the account I found they apparently arrived around 9am and were directed behind Alexander’s battery by the Spangler farm to await being part of Picketts charge.

(insert google earth image of starting point here)

The 28th began their attack with the rest of the formations of Picketts charge. They angled east and north and cleared the Codori orchard (just west of the Emmitsburg road) then crossed over behind the barn where Captain Nathaniel C Wilson (is this the right person?) rallied them. Apparently Hezekiah was in this group but I am not sure if Capt Spessard was.

(Insert google image here of Codori farm)

The account from here goes that Wilson stepped from behind the barn and was struck down, mortally wounded and that a few steps further Hezekiah was then hit. From this account I figure that Hezekiah was then hit and mortally wounded a little east and a few steps north of the Codori barn. The exact location of course cannot be known but if the information is correct in the account then the Codori barn would have been the barn they rallied behind and if you read that Capt Wilson was immediately struck down coming out from behind it and that Hezekiah was then hit a few steps further you can pretty well ascertain the location as being quite close to the barn, just a little north and possibly east of it, in the back yard area of the house.
Here is where you will find most of the accounts online. Capt Spessard finds his son and cradles his head in his lap, crying out “My poor Boy colonel, look at my poor boy”. He asks Hezekiah if he wants him to stay with him but Hezekiah responds that he wants his father to continue the charge and fight the Yankee’s to the finish. (Find and post article here)
Capt Spessard continues the charge in a blind rage and leads his troops to the wall and over, where his sword is taken from him but he is so crazed he throws rocks at the Yankees who let him go and he makes his escape (find article and post link here).

From here things get a little murky. Some facts I have found
1) Capt Spessard was able to find his son and spend most of the July 4th comforting him. (find and post article here)
2) The best guess is Hezekiah may have been at the Lohr farm hospital since most of Picketts wounded were either taken there or Black Horse tavern, and there was an extensive list of wounded kept for Black horse and Hezekiah’s name is not on it. However we do not know any of this for sure. (see NPS email for this info)
3) July 4th is the last time Father and Son see each other
4) July 5th the 28th pulls out of Gettysburg. Or very late on the 4th, not sure exact time.
5) From NPS records it is probably that Hezekiah stays in the same field hospital till around July 5-6th (?) or so when he is moved to the First Division, Third Corps Union hospital located at the Schwartz Farm off White Church rd southeast of Gettysburg.
6) Confederate wounded were apparently treated and kept in the barn until moved outside into tents when sanitary commission arrives. (Post pics of barn)
7) Hezekiah is wounded in the groin and the thigh, the groin wound is the one that causes death. (From letter to Hezekiah’s mother from John Marshall in Gettysburg who was with Hezekiah when he died)
8) Hezekiah dies the morning of july 19th 1863
9) After his death no record has been found of where he is buried, however according to NPS records the dead were buried on the Schwartz farm until 1873 when all confederate dead were disinterred and moved to Hollywood cemetery in Richmond VA.
10) We summarize this is where Hezekiah is now
11) Capt Spessard was promoted to Maj for gallantry at Gettysburg and serves for the remainder of war. He surrenders with Lee at Appomattox where his parole reads that he was paroled with 2 horses and personal baggage
12) He returns home alone to an empty house.
13) His story after the war is fascinating also and one of success and hopefully happiness.
14) He is buried in a known location off rt 311 in a gated plot with the name spessard on it.