Valiant Charge at the Angle - by Ron Lesser

[CSA Today]

Brigadier General Richard Brooke Garnett and his Brave Virginians of Pickett's Division at Gettysburg -- July 3, 1863

Brigadier General Garnett, reaching the Angle, calls out to the 28th Virginia, "Faster men - faster! We're almost there." The Rebels approached the wall, their line in complete disarray. When they got to within 20 yards of the stone wall, the 69th Pennsylvania unleashed a devastating volley directly into their midst. Staggered and shattered, the Confederates kept on coming.

General Garnett was struck and killed instantly. His body was never identified.
General Garnett's black charger - Red Eye - amazingly survived the onslaught and was later seen galloping toward the Confederate lines.

 

[rpkennedy]

View attachment 65815

Brigadier General Richard Brooke Garnett and his Brave Virginians of Pickett's Division at Gettysburg -- July 3, 1863

Brigadier General Garnett, reaching the Angle, calls out to the 28th Virginia, "Faster men - faster! We're almost there." The Rebels approached the wall, their line in complete disarray. When they got to within 20 yards of the stone wall, the 69th Pennsylvania unleashed a devastating volley directly into their midst. Staggered and shattered, the Confederates kept on coming.

General Garnett was struck and killed instantly. His body was never identified.
General Garnett's black charger - Red Eye - amazingly survived the onslaught and was later seen galloping toward the Confederate lines.

More than a little artistic license there.

R

 

[CSA Today]

More than a little artistic license there.

R

For one thing, too many color bearers still on their feet at the wall.

 

[rpkennedy]

A good number of flags were captured in that area so that doesn't bother me.

Garnett was never that close to the wall. He was probably killed about 30 yards west of this view. In addition, there are too many Union troops in the picture. By the time Garnett's men (not to mention Fry's Brigade who arrived simultaneously with Garnett's) approached the wall, the 69th Pennsylvania's right flank was refusing back and the left companies of the 71st Pennsylvania had fallen back to the regiment's main line.

R

 

[ole]

And note that the wind didn't affect all flags in the same way. But I do like the painting.

 

[rpkennedy]

I found another problem. The 69th Pennsylvania's colors were not at the Angle but were closer to the Copse.

R

 

[Stony]

How many paintings are realistic of the civil war? Most show both sides right on top of each other.

 

[Tom Elmore]

"Red Eye" is described in one source as a black war horse that sustained a huge gash in "his" (most mounts seem to have been mares) shoulder from an apparent shell fragment; it galloped along the lines after its rider was shot off. But another source described "Red Eye" as a "magnificent bay thoroughbred" valued at $1400, making it the second highest priced horse in Longstreet's Corps.

 

[ole]

"Red Eye" is described in one source as a black war horse that sustained a huge gash in "his" (most mounts seem to have been mares) shoulder from an apparent shell fragment; it galloped along the lines after its rider was shot off. But another source described "Red Eye" as a "magnificent bay thoroughbred" valued at $1400, making it the second highest priced horse in Longstreet's Corps.

But it died from its wounds. Giving rise to the supposition that Garnett got a load of canister face on. And that's why his body wasn't found.

Yeah. It's speculation. I've seen no one who knows.

 

[rpkennedy]

"Red Eye" is described in one source as a black war horse that sustained a huge gash in "his" (most mounts seem to have been mares) shoulder from an apparent shell fragment; it galloped along the lines after its rider was shot off. But another source described "Red Eye" as a "magnificent bay thoroughbred" valued at $1400, making it the second highest priced horse in Longstreet's Corps.

Garnett owned two horses at Gettysburg. The other was a gelding loaned to a staff member and was also killed during the attack (the horse, not the man).

R

 

[unionblue]

All I know is that private Jacob Lee Hambleton, CSA, my great-great grandfather of the 19th Virginia Infantry Regiment, the Nelson County Grays, was captured at the Angle on that day.

 

[1SGDan]

Also note how pristine the flags are. By this time in the war most were shot full of holes.

 

[rhettbutler1865]

More than a little artistic license there.

R

I'm still chuckling at this one...

 

[rhettbutler1865]

But it is a nice painting!

 

[CSA Today]

One of the first things that caught my eye was too many Confederate enlisted men wearing kepis, Confederates wearing kepis by July 1863 would have been uncommon.

 

[AUG]

One of the first things that caught my eye was too many Confederate enlisted men wearing kepis, Confederates wearing kepis by July 1863 would have been uncommon.

Well it would depend on when that particular unit received their last new issue of uniforms. I think the troops of the ANV were probably supplied with more kepis and forage caps throughout the war than the AoT and others in the western theater.

In Don Troiani's "Toward the Angle" he depicts a large number of men wearing kepis in Garnett's Brigade.

 

[rpkennedy]

Well it would depend on when that particular unit received their last new issue of uniforms. I think the troops of the ANV were probably supplied with more kepis and forage caps throughout the war than the AoT and others in the western theater.

In Don Troiani's "Toward the Angle" he depicts a large number of men wearing kepis in Garnett's Brigade.

IIRC, Pickett's Division's clothing and equipment were in pretty good shape based on the June 30th returns. That is a generality as a few units reported bad supplies.

R

 

[Tom Elmore]

E. P. Alexander's description of Garnett wearing an old army blue overcoat in the charge was challenged by James W. Boyd in Confederate Veteran magazine, vol. 12. Boyd writes that a few days before the battle Garnett was kicked on the ankle by Maj. Robert Bright's horse, and thus he remained mounted in the charge since he was still in great pain. Boyd said Garnett was not sick, nor did he wear his overcoat on that hot day. In fact, he was wearing "a fine, new gray uniform" that he had bought the previous month while passing through Richmond, which supports the idea that an artillery blast mangled him and his uniform beyond recognition. Perhaps it came from one of Cushing's guns, firing one of its last rounds of canister.

 

[texaswildcat]

Don Troiani's work is great in terms of quality and accuracy as he goes deep into reports, diaries, and even going over the actual grounds on anniversaries. He is not perfect, but he is definitely the best in my book when it comes to military artwork on this period of time.

As for Garnett, like is has been said, Garnett's body was never positively identified, but his sword was recovered in a pawn shop well after the war. It is not known where he died in the charge, but if I remember it, he was hit by a cannon shell directly that mutilated his body beyond recognition.

 

[rpkennedy]

We had a discussion about Garnett's fate a few months back.

We don't know what he was wearing as there are several stories describing his coat (it was either grey, blue or black).

There were actually several eyewitnesses to Garnett's death. Lieutenant Finley of his brigade wrote that he turned after reaching the wall and saw Garnett fall from his horse, shot down (probably from the volley fired by the 72nd Pennsylvania on the crest of the ridge). Garnett's aide, Private Irvine, fell when his horse was killed under him about 50 yards from the wall and watched Garnett continue his advance until he turned to urge some of his men on when he was struck in the back of the head by a bullet. In addition, Colonel Hall, whose brigade helped repulse Pickett's attack, reported that Garnett's body was identified and recovered after the attack.

The major problem with the idea that Garnett was killed by canister is that Cushing's guns had already been silenced when he was hit and no witness saw him get hit by artillery fire.

R