Richard Garnett's Ride to Death.

Very interesting thread! In my opinion Ricard Brooke Garnett is a character who is much too overlooked between all these larger than life characters acting in the Civil War. In the German edition of McPherson's "Battle Cry for Freedom" he is not even listed in the index of names. Therefore it is about time to commemorate him and I'm glad that this thread offers the opportunity to favour him.

As Foote in his "Civil War : a narrative", vol. 2 , p. 533 describes Garnett as strikingly handsome, therefore I think we should add a face to his name:
garnett.gif

From: http://schwartz.eng.auburn.edu/ACW/lrtmap.docs/garnett.gif

When I read first about Pickett's Charge (or the Pickett/Pettigrew assault, as it should be named properly), I simply thought it bad luck for Garnett that he had been injured so that he had to ride a horse to lead his men to battle which made him an easy target. Meanwhile I think there was much more to it. It might have been "suicide by enemy" as @M E Wolf stated, but I think it was even more archaic. In my opinion he was seeking nothing less than an ordeal by battle. As @War Horse in his introduction already stated, Garnett was from an old military family. Being accused of disobedience and cowardice was something he simply could not bear, not in his own eyes and not in the eyes of his family. A court martial would probably have cleared his name (Foote in vol. 2 says he even had demanded a court martial), but he was never formally tried so he was denied the chance to clear his name in court. And to oppose a dead hero (Jackson) surely is nothing to be desired in public. So he might have seen his only chance to clear his name in an act of extreme bravery. He knew exactly what awaited him. Mcpherson in his work "Hallowed Ground" on p. 155 quotes him remarking to Armistead about the planned assault:"This is a desperate thing to attempt". So he might have thought that taking part in in, on a horse, would either clear his name for all times from every suspect of cowardice or, if things would go bad, the memory of his courage would remain. Welsh in his "Medical history of ´Confederate Generals" states that he was actually unfit for for duty, suffering from fever and chills, but donned an immaculate new uniform for the assault. If he was to die, he might thought that he wanted to be prepared in every aspect.

@Northern Light, as much as I agree with you as far as the result is concerned - in my mind, too he should not have felt to be forced to bring this ultimate sacrifice of his life, nevertheless I think it is too much modern and to much female thinking. 150 years ago being a male with a strong military background, he must have felt he had no other choice.
Heartbreaking.

As for Jackson, I always have difficulties to symathize with him. He claimed to be a Christian in every aspect, but in his daily life I think he did not always follow Christian principles. Or those of the Old Testament, glorifiying sacrifices.



I think because Garnett lead Jackson's famous "Stonewall Brigade". The Stonewall Brigade in Jackson's eyes should never be connected with retreat. He simply could not/did not want to see that they had no chance. Maybe he even thought it better to vanish in glory than to admit defeat. I will read as many books as there are about Jackson, I will never be able to understand him, I think.

That picture has been identified as probably Robert and not Richard. As far as anyone knows, there are no existing photos of Richard Garnett.

R
 
While I can't entirely discount the honor motive, from a practical perspective, Garnett had to ride. He was barely able to walk due to an injury and, if he was going to lead the attack, he had to ride.

And he was hardly the only one. Kemper rode as did both of their staffs. Of course, nearly everyone who rode was hit but, really, the casualty rates for officers during the attack was high regardless of mode of transportation.

I think a lot of the honor discussion is an after the fact perspective that, while interesting, is complete speculation.

R
 
Here is a detail of a picture of the Richard Garnett's sword, the same he carried in Gettysburg:

Expired Image Removed
Notice anything interesting?

Also worth mentioning, that his cousin, Robert S. Garnett was the first CS General to die in the war (Battle of Corrick's Fort, 7/13/61)
Now that's interesting! It is so beautifully engraved!
 
While I can't entirely discount the honor motive, from a practical perspective, Garnett had to ride. He was barely able to walk due to an injury and, if he was going to lead the attack, he had to ride.

And he was hardly the only one. Kemper rode as did both of their staffs. Of course, nearly everyone who rode was hit but, really, the casualty rates for officers during the attack was high regardless of mode of transportation.

I think a lot of the honor discussion is an after the fact perspective that, while interesting, is complete speculation.

R
I agree he was not the only one to ride. I do think he was on a personal mission to regain his reputation and honor. I know it's said he could not sit this one out. Why couldn't he? He had a high fever and couldn't walk. A.P Hill was on sick leave if I remember correctly.
 
I agree he was not the only one to ride. I do think he was on a personal mission to regain his reputation and honor. I know it's said he could not sit this one out. Why couldn't he? He had a high fever and couldn't walk. A.P Hill was on sick leave if I remember correctly.
I wonder if there was another reason as well. Lee thought, hoped, prayed that this charge would break the Yankee centre and become a decisive victory that would end the war. Would you have want to be left out of that event because you were sick? I doubt it! I think there was more than one reason for Garnett to ride that day. Just my opinion.
 
I wonder if there was another reason as well. Lee thought, hoped, prayed that this charge would break the Yankee centre and become a decisive victory that would end the war. Would you have want to be left out of that event because you were sick? I doubt it! I think there was more than one reason for Garnett to ride that day. Just my opinion.
Very true! Just like the movie "Perhaps today will be The Last Day"
 
I agree he was not the only one to ride. I do think he was on a personal mission to regain his reputation and honor. I know it's said he could not sit this one out. Why couldn't he? He had a high fever and couldn't walk. A.P Hill was on sick leave if I remember correctly.

AP Hill was a corps commander. As such, and the divisions were assigned to Longstreet.
 
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I agree he was not the only one to ride. I do think he was on a personal mission to regain his reputation and honor. I know it's said he could not sit this one out. Why couldn't he? He had a high fever and couldn't walk. A.P Hill was on sick leave if I remember correctly.

The problem with that supposition is that there is no evidence of that as a motivation.

As I said, I can't entirely discount it but the mundane is just as likely. Something along the lines of "I can't walk so I'll have to ride" and "The boys need to see me today".

R
 
The problem with that supposition is that there is no evidence of that as a motivation.

As I said, I can't entirely discount it but the mundane is just as likely. Something along the lines of "I can't walk so I'll have to ride" and "The boys need to see me today".

R
Honestly, I doubt that. Pickett's charge was no war game, it was grim reality and nothing you do not want to miss for the fun of it. Given his background, I'm convinced he saw it as s chance. his only chance maybe, to restore his honour.
As for the photo, I'm sorry. Lots of websites show this man as Richard Garnett, I did not know him personally, so I believed them.
 
Honestly, I doubt that. Pickett's charge was no war game, it was grim reality and nothing you do not want to miss for the fun of it. Given his background, I'm convinced he saw it as s chance. his only chance maybe, to restore his honour.
As for the photo, I'm sorry. Lots of websites show this man as Richard Garnett, I did not know him personally, so I believed them.

Even Wikipedia has the wrong picture. Hard to know, unless you have period documented images. Ergo:

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2719653732_f08579905a_z.jpg


Robert Selden Garnett pictured in the above. There is this photo, labelled as Franklin Gardner, who people think that it could be of Richard Brooke Garnett:

Franklin_Gardner_or_Richard_B_Garnett.jpg


Because Franklin Gardner looks like this:
Franklingardner.jpg



Potential misspelling (or even misidentification) of Garnett to Gardner is not out of question, but it could be his cousin also...
 
Even Wikipedia has the wrong picture. Hard to know, unless you have period documented images. Ergo:

Expired Image Removed

2719653732_f08579905a_z.jpg


Wow I am quickly learning this picture thing is dangerous stuff. Lol

Robert Selden Garnett pictured in the above. There is this photo, labelled as Franklin Gardner, who people think that it could be of Richard Brooke Garnett:

Franklin_Gardner_or_Richard_B_Garnett.jpg


Because Franklin Gardner looks like this:
Franklingardner.jpg



Potential misspelling (or even misidentification) of Garnett to Gardner is not out of question, but it could be his cousin also...
 
I do know that the scene of Garnett's horse coming back riderless during the charge is one of the most haunting moments in the Gettysburg movie...at least for me.

I can understand HIM wanting to be there but why did his superiors allow him to participate if he was that bad off? From the descriptions it sounds like he could barely hold himself together. They honestly thought that despite his various conditions he was still deemed fit to command?
 
As for Longstreet I dare say he understood Garnett's motive. It really must have been a desperate thing for all who watched. No wonder that Longstreet later remarked that day 3 at Gettysburg was the most depressing day in his life. Not only because of Garnett of course, but watching a valiant officer challenging his fate because of false accuses sure did not much to cheer him up!
 
Honestly, I doubt that. Pickett's charge was no war game, it was grim reality and nothing you do not want to miss for the fun of it. Given his background, I'm convinced he saw it as s chance. his only chance maybe, to restore his honour.
As for the photo, I'm sorry. Lots of websites show this man as Richard Garnett, I did not know him personally, so I believed them.

He knew, as did Pickett, what was coming. Before starting forward, Pickett told Garnett not to stop and fire but to keep moving because they were "going to catch hell". That's a very good reason to lead from the front like Armistead and Kemper did (not to mention the officers from Pettigrew and Trimble's Divisions).

I simply don't think there has to be an underlying reason for him riding in front of his men. Generals did it all the time during the war.

R
 
I do know that the scene of Garnett's horse coming back riderless during the charge is one of the most haunting moments in the Gettysburg movie...at least for me.

I can understand HIM wanting to be there but why did his superiors allow him to participate if he was that bad off? From the descriptions it sounds like he could barely hold himself together. They honestly thought that despite his various conditions he was still deemed fit to command?
I believe he insisted on it! Despite his fever he made a valiant charge charge. Eyewitness accounts state he was waiving his hat cheering his men on only a few feet from the stone wall. One account states his horse was shoot from under him. When the animal fell it fell on Garnett's body which he freed from under the animal. He recognied the General and removed his pocket watch and turned it in to the proper authorities after the battle. Garnett would have it no other way! I believe he intended to set the record straight that afternoon in life or in death. I do also believe that he thought "maybe just maybe this would be the last day"
 
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