Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/32

 28 Southern Historical Society Papers.

Department U. C. V., who was instrumental in having General Gar- nett's sword returned to the General's nearest kin, sends the fol- lowing article to The Sun:

Pickett's division at Gettysburg consisted of the brigades of Arm- istead, Garnett and Kemper, numbering fewer than 5,000 rifles. The brigades of Corse and Jenkins were detached to protect exposed points in Virginia. Garnett' s brigade consisted of five skeleton regiments, viz: from right to left, the Eighth, Eighteenth, Nine- teenth, Twenty-eighth and Fifty-sixth Virginia Regiments. In Pick- ett's charge Garnett' s and Kemper 's brigades were aligned, with Armistead's brigade in the rear of Garnett' s enchelon until nearing the enemy's line, when Armistead obliqued to the left and aligned on Garnett, so that the division was aligned when they car- ried the enemy's line and were repulsed, frightfully decimated, be- cause not supported, and reinforcements having also reached the enemy.

The following correct story is told by Mr. James W. Clay, pri- vate in Company G, Capt. Archer Campbell, Eighteenth Virginia Infantry, of how Brig. General, Richard B. Garnett met his death at Gettysburg, on the afternoon of July 3, 1863.

"General Garnett was killed while leading his brigade in Pickett's charge across the field and up the slope between the two contend- ing battle lines. Immediately after the great artilery duel, during which many of the enemy's guns were silenced, orders came for the general advance of Pickett's division, but it was not until we had covered nearly the entire distance between the two lines that the General received his death wound.

I was struck down (hit in the forehead by a fragment of shell) about 100 yards from the clump of trees near the farthest point reached by our brigade (reduced to a mere handful), now indicated by a bronze tablet; also the place is marked where General Garnett was killed. Semi-conscious, my blood almost blinding me, I stumbled and fell among some rocks, severely injur- ing my knee and preventing further locomotion. The last I saw ot General Garnett he was astride his big black charger in the fore- front of the charge and near the stone wall, just beyond which is marked the farthest point reached by the Southern troops. The few that were left of our brigade advanced to this point.

KILLED BY A GRAPE SHOT.

"General Garnett was gallantly waving his hat and cheering the