Pickett's Charge

Pickett's Charge was a futile, massive attack by 14,000 or so Confederate troops into the direct line of fire of Union troops positioned on higher ground (Cemetery Ridge) during the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. It was disastrous, predictably so. George Pickett himself, perhaps sensing the inevitable outcome, avoided the line of fire himself during this assault. This term has even become part of the English language, to represent a futile group attack that is disastrous to the aggressors.

Pickett, like another unsuccessful field commander named "George", George Custer, was last in his class at West Point. But Pickett's Charge was ordered by General Robert E. Lee, and Pickett's division was only one of three involved on the Confederate side.

Here is what three soldiers wrote before they died from injuries inflicted in the Battle of Gettysburg:

Sergeant Philip Hamlin, First Minnesota Infantry Regiment, wrote home on March 1, 1862 as follows:

"The example of our nation has been a fountain of light to the people of the old world foreshadowing to the struggling nationalities a future destiny gloriously delivered from the weights and embarrassments of the past which have limited privileges, combated freedom, made the distributions of blessings unequal, and restricted the culture of the mind, and the consequent elevation of man in opposition to a class endowed with special privileges only by arbitrary enactment ... May God preserve us from ourselves."

Lieutenant Sidney Carter, from South Carolina, owned a farm along with a few slaves. He wrote this letter home on January 1862:

"... One thing I must say I want you to do is if Judson will not ally you in making the negroes know their place, I want you to call on Giles to do it. If you will be prompt when they need whipping, then they will think of this when help is not present ... I think it would be best not to plant any cotton except enough to keep seeds (and one bale for house use). ... Give my love to all and accept your own part. Kiss the dear little ones for me. If I never see them again, I will try to leave them a free home."

Union Army Private George W. Ervay, 16th Michigan Volunteer Infantry, wrote the following letter on February 16, 1863, complaining about the addition of African-American soldiers, which resulted from Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation:

"... I think that I shall bee clear of the war soon for wee white soldiers are going to bee relieved by the n-----s. last pay day the officers had to pay taxes on the n-----s that are in the army and around Washington and it is in the New York herrild that every private soldier will have to forfit fifteen percent next pay day that will bee three & 1/2 dollars every two monts for the support of the counter bands some say that if they take any money out of their pay that they will disert others say that they will mutenize and I think that if they ever take any of my pay that I shall prefer the former ..."