Richard Brooke Garnett A career officer in the United States Army and a general in the Confederate Army. Date of Birth: 21.11.1817 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Military Career
2. Allegiance and Service in the Confederacy
3. Kerns Town and Arrest
4. Redemption at Antietam and Fredericksburg
5. Return to Richmond and the Battle of Gettysburg
6. Picquet's Charge and Garnett's Death
7. Legacy

Early Life and Military Career

Richard Brooke Garnett was born in Essex County, Virginia, to William Henry Garnett and Anne Marie Brooke. His twin brother, William, died in Norfolk in 1855. He was the cousin of Robert Selden Garnett, another Confederate general who became the first general to die in the Civil War.

Both brothers graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1841, with Richard ranking 29th and William 27th out of 52 cadets. Richard was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 6th Infantry.

He served in various roles in Florida, fighting against the Seminoles, commanded Fort Laramie in the West, and participated in the Mormon Wars. During the Mexican War, he served on staff duty in New Orleans and was promoted to first lieutenant on February 16, 1847. He was promoted to captain on May 9, 1855, and served in California, where he learned of the outbreak of the Civil War.

Allegiance and Service in the Confederacy

Garnett supported the Union but returned to Virginia to fight for his home state and the Confederacy. He resigned from the U.S. Army on May 17, 1861, and joined the Confederate Army. In May, he was appointed as a major of artillery and on August 31st as a lieutenant colonel in Cobb's Georgia Legion. He was promoted to brigadier general on November 14, 1861, and given command of the 1st Brigade of the Army of the Potomac in the Shenandoah Valley. This brigade was formed by "Stonewall" Jackson and became known as the Stonewall Brigade, with Jackson now commanding all troops in the Shenandoah Valley.

Kerns Town and Arrest

In 1862, during the Valley Campaign, the Battle of Kernstown badly damaged Garnett's career. Jackson, attempting to crush Nathaniel Banks' Federal detachment, received faulty intelligence on March 23rd that General James Shields' Federal division had only 4 regiments. Garnett and his brigade were ordered to attack.

However, Shields' had a full infantry division of 9,000 troops, outnumbering Jackson's force by two-to-one. The attack failed, the brigade was battered from three sides, and Garnett ordered a retreat. An enraged Jackson accused Garnett of disobeying orders, specifically that he should not have retreated without Jackson's direction. Garnett was arrested and relieved of command on April 1st.

In August 1862, a court-martial was convened, with only Jackson and his aide testifying. However, it was suspended due to the beginning of the Northern Virginia Campaign and the Second Battle of Bull Run. This arrest prevented Garnett from participating in the Seven Days Battles.

Redemption at Antietam and Fredericksburg

Lee ordered Jackson to release Garnett from arrest and assigned him to command the badly battered Pickett's Brigade of Longstreet's 1st Corps. Garnett ably led the brigade at the Battle of Antietam, and it was finally assigned to him permanently on November 26th, with Pickett being promoted to division command. In December, Garnett participated in the Battle of Fredericksburg. Like most of the commanders in Longstreet's corps, he did not participate in the Battle of Chancellorsville, being stationed in Suffolk.

Return to Richmond and the Battle of Gettysburg

After General Jackson was mortally wounded at Chancellorsville, Garnett returned to Richmond, where the general's body was transported. Despite their differences, Garnett bore no ill will towards him and was reportedly seen weeping at his coffin. He was one of the pallbearers, along with Longstreet, Ewell, and others.

By the time the Battle of Gettysburg commenced, Garnett's brigade was guarding communications with the rest of Pickett's division and did not arrive on the field until noon on July 2nd. The brigade missed the first two days of fighting. On July 3rd, Pickett's division was committed to a massive assault on the center of the Federal positions. Garnett's brigade was on the division's left flank in the front line.

Garnett led the attack with difficulty—he was suffering from a fever and, after falling from his horse and injuring his leg, could barely walk. However, he was haunted by his "crime" at Kernstown and the postponed court-martial. Against the protests of his officers (and Pickett's orders), he personally led the attack on horseback, making himself an excellent target for Federal sharpshooters.

Picquet's Charge and Garnett's Death

Before the attack, Garnett discussed the upcoming assault with Lewis Armistead. Garnett reportedly said, "It will be a desperate undertaking," to which Armistead replied, "It will be a perfect slaughter."

Garnett was seen as close as 20 yards from the stone wall when he disappeared. His body was so badly mangled by canister shot that it was rendered unrecognizable. His demise was only known when his horse, "Red-Eye," returned riderless to Seminary Ridge. Garnett was one of 17 generals who died in the battle.

Legacy

Garnett has been portrayed in film by American actor Andrew Prine in "Gettysburg," based on Shaara's book "The Killer Angels," and again in "Gods and Generals" in 2003.