Virginia Civil War Biographies Page

Major-General George Edward Pickett was born at Richmond, Va., January 25, 1825, son of a planter of Henrico county. He was graduated at the United States military academy in the class of 1846, which included George B. McClellan, J. L. Reno, Thomas J. Jackson, George Stoneman, Dabney H. Maury, D. R. Jones, C. M. Wilcox, S. B. Maxey and others who attained prominence in the war of the Confederacy. Going into the war with Mexico he was promoted second lieutenant, Second infantry; was transferred to the Seventh and finally to the Eighth infantry, and participating in all the important engagements of Scott's army, was brevetted first lieutenant for gallantry at Contreras and Churubusco; earned the brevet of captain at Chapultepec, and finally took part in the capture of the Mexican capital. He subsequently served with the Eighth infantry on frontier duty in Texas until 1855, when he was promoted captain Ninth infantry, and given a year's assignment to Fortress Monroe. He was afterward on duty in Washington territory, until the spring of 1861. In 1856 he occupied San Juan island with sixty men, and forbade the landing of British troops, winning the thanks of the territorial legislature for his gallant and firm discharge of duty, and the commendation of General Harney for "cool judgment, ability and gallantry. " His loyalty and firmness saved the rights of the United States until the title to the island was confirmed by international arbitration, and "Fort Pickett" guarded one end of the island until the British finally retired. His first commission in the Confederate service was as major of artillery, regular army. On July 23, 1861, as colonel in the provisional army, he was assigned to temporary command on the lower Rappahannock, with headquarters at Fredericksburg, and on February 28, 1862, being promoted to brigadier-general, he was ordered to report to General Longstreet. Commanding a brigade of Longstreet's corps, he won commendation for "using his forces with great effect, ability and his usual gallantry, " at Williamsburg. On the second day of the battle of Seven Pines he was particularly distinguished for his good generalship during an attack by Hooker's command. An order to withdraw was received, which was obeyed by the other brigade commanders after the repulse of the first attack; but "Pickett, the true soldier," as Longstreet writes, "knowing that the order was not intended for such an emergency, stood and resisted the attack," holding his ground against odds of ten to one for several hours longer. The enemy attempted to creep -up quietly and capture the Virginians, but they met him with a fearful fire that drove him back to the bushes, which ended the battle. At Gaines' Mill, fighting on the right with Longstreet, his brigade broke Porter's line just west of the Watts house, attacking with such vigor as almost to gain possession of the Federal reserve artillery. In this assault Pickett fell severely wounded, and he was for some time absent from his brave command, which under his leadership had won the title of "the gamecock brigade." In October, 1862, he was promoted to major-general and assigned to a division of Longstreet's corps, composed of his old brigade under Garnett, and the brigades of Armistead, Kemper and Corse, all Virginians, and Micah Jenkins' South Carolina brigade. Though there were five or six other Virginia brigades, in other divisions, this was distinctively "the Virginia division" of the an-ny, and comprised all the Virginia brigades in Longstreet's corps except Mahone's. He held the center of the line at Fredericksburg, and after that battle was sent with his division to Richmond, which was supposed to be threatened by the Federal-,movements. He was reinforced by Hood's division, and General Longstreet, in command, operated against Suffolk. Pickett went into the Gettysburg campaign with three brigades, Garnett's, Kemper's and Armistead's, and Dearing's artillery. He reached the battlefield with his men on the forenoon of the third day of battle, and was selected to make the attack upon the Federal center on Cemetery hill, Heth's division under Pettigrew to form the left of the line, which should be supported by Pender's division under Trimble. The attack was to be made after the enemy's artillery had been weakened by the massed fire of the Confederate artillery, which began at 2 o'clock. After a terrific artil- lery battle there was a lull in the Federal fire, and the Confederate ammunition being near exhaustion, General Alexander sent a note to Pickett: "For God's sake, come quick. The eighteen guns are gone; come quick, or my ammunition won't let me support you properly. " Pickett handed the note to Longstreet, who had strongly objected to the proposed assault with the forces available. To Pickett's question, "General, shall I advance?" Longstreet said nothing, but nodded his head. Pickett then accepted the duty with apparent confidence and rode gaily to his command, " before going into the fight writing on the envelope of a letter to his betrothed: If Old Pete's nod means death, then good-bye and God bless you, little one. " The story of the charge has been often eloquently related. The Federal artillery was supplied with ammunition in time to work havoc in the Confederate ranks-the shattered lines closed up and gained the summit of the ridge and planted the stars and bars in the Federal lines-and disappeared in a tornado of fire. Very few came back unhurt. In September, 1863, Pickett was assigned to command of the department of North Carolina, embracing Petersburg and Southern Virginia. He made a demonstration against New Bern in the latter part of January, 1864. In May he joined Lee on the North Anna, and from that time commanded his old division, Armistead's, Pickett's, Corse's and Kemper's brigades, now under Barton, Hunton, Corse and Terry, until the close of hostilities. On June 16th, Lee arrived at Drewry's bluff with Pickett's division, and witnessed the gallant recapture of the Confederate lines from Butler. He wrote to Longstreet: "We tried very hard to keep Pickett's men from capturing the breastworks of the enemy, but could not do it. " He remained before Bermuda Hundred until March, 1865, when he was sent to Lynchburg to oppose Sheridan's raid, and then marched with Longstreet north of Richmond in an attempt to intercept the Federal cavalryman, whom he finally met on March 31st and April 1st at Dinwiddie Court House and Five Forks. In these hard-fought battles Pickett commanded the infantry, Fitzhugh Lee the cavalry, and as Longstreet writes: "His execution was all that a skillful commander could apply. Though taken by surprise, there was no panic in any part of the command. Brigade after brigade changed front to the left and received the overwhelming battle as it rolled on, until crushed back in the next. In generalship, Pickett was not a bit below the 'gay rider.'" Reinforced too late to avoid defeat, he rallied and checked the cavalry pursuit at Amazon creek, preventing worse disaster. Here again, as at Gettysburg, he had been fated to make the decisive fight, with insufficient forces, and the inevitable followed. He marched with his division from Petersburg, escaped from the disaster at Rice's Station with 600 men of his splendid division, and finally was surrendered April 9, 1865, with the last of the army of Northern Virginia. Subsequently he engaged in business at Richmond, but did not survive the first decade following the war, dying at Norfolk, July 30, 1875.

Confederate Military History, Vol. III, pp. 650-654.

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