On the late morning of July 3, a solitary figure appeared on horseback coming up the draw behind soldiers of the 4th Virginia who were trapped behind a ledge of rocks just in front of the Federal works, at that point and time held by the 149th New York and 122nd New York. It was Major Benjamin Watkins Leigh, who was the Acting Adjutant General on Maj. Gen. Ed Johnson's staff. Perhaps Leigh was delivering an order from Johnson, or else had decided to intervene after spotting a flag of surrender that one of the soldiers had prematurely hoisted. In either case, the major never had a chance to deliver his message. As he rode into an open space, a hail of gunfire erupted from the Federal trenches. As his horse fell, thrashing about, Leigh was able to jump free, but he managed only a few more steps before being riddled by six minie balls that brought a quick death. The next day, soldiers of the 7th Ohio visited his lifeless body and retrieved his sword, revolvers, watch, and $85 in gold. Leigh also unwisely carried papers that revealed information about the Confederate troops engaged. In recognition of his bravery, Major Leigh was buried close to the graves of fallen Union soldiers of the Second Division, Twelfth Corps. This generous gesture likely had unintended consequences. A month or two after the battle, Leigh's grave was marked by Rev. J. R. Warner of Gettysburg, but apparently his CSA affiliation was not indicated, or was overlooked, or had worn away on the original wooden headboard. So it is not surprising that he was initially interred with the Federal dead in Gettysburg's National Cemetery, under a marker labeled “B. W. Laigh.” If we accept the newspaper article as being accurate, his remains went to Richmond in 1866. I need to get over to the Shockoe Hill Cemetery to see if I can locate it.
Sources include:
- John W. Geary, OR, part 1, p. 830
- Diary of M. S. Schroyer,
http://www.fruithills.com/civilwardiary.htm
- Lawrence Wilson, Robinson Family Papers, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Mss 1R5685c
- George S. Greene, OR, part 1, p. 858
- Charles P. Horton, The Bachelder Papers, 1:297
- Gregory A. Coco, Gettysburg’s Confederate Dead (Gettysburg, PA: Thomas Publications, 2003).