Generals in Gray: Richard Garnett Traditional Cache

I am a Civil War buff, so this series will present biographical sketches of generals who served in the Confederate States Army. As the series progresses, I hope not only to highlight the more well-known generals, but also those that you may not be as familiar with.

Richard Brooke Garnett was born November 21, 1817 in Essex County, Virginia. Garnett graduated 29^th out of 52 in his class at West Point in 1841, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 6^th U.S. Infantry. He was stationed at a variety of posts in Florida before being given command of Fort Laramie in Wyoming, where he was a noted Indian fighter.

Garnett was stationed in New Orleans during the Mexican War. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1847. Garnett was promoted to captain in 1855, and he was stationed in California at the outbreak of the Civil War. Despite feeling that the Union should not be dissolved, Garnett resigned his commission on May 17, 1861, and joined the Confederate Army in Virginia as a major. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in August of that year, and then brigadier general that November. General Garnett was given command of the 1^st Brigade of the Valley District of the Confederate Army of the Potomac, which was the brigade originally formed by Stonewall Jackson

During the Valley Campaign of 1862, Jackson ordered Garnett’s brigade to attack a retreating division under Union General James Shields. Faulty intelligence had put the number of Shields’ forces at an equal number to Garnett’s. Shields, however, had a force of 9,000 men, twice the size of Jackson’s whole unit. Garnett found his brigade low on ammunition and fighting an overwhelming force attacking from three sides. Garnett ordered his men to retreat, which infuriated Jackson, who accused Garnett of disobeying orders.

Jackson arrested Garnett for “neglect of duty” on April 1, and relieved him of command. Garnett’s court-martial started that August, but his trial was postponed due to the start of Robert E. Lee’s Northern Virginia Campaign. Lee ordered Jackson to release Garnett, who was then assigned to take over command of an injured George Pickett’s brigade in James Longstreet’s corps. In late November, after ably leading his men at Antietam, Garnett was given permanent command of the brigade.

At Gettysburg, Garnett’s brigade was part of a division commanded by Pickett. Due to the marching order, Garnett’s men did not reach the battlefield until the third day of fighting.

On July 3, Garnett’s brigade was at the front of Pickett’s division as they prepared to assault the Union center on Cemetery Ridge. Suffering from a fever, and unable to walk from where a horse kicked him, Garnett said of Pickett’s Charge, “This is a desperate thing to attempt.” However, he insisted on leading his men from on horseback. Garnett was last seen about 20 yards from the Union line, riding into the smoke and fire.

There are conflicting reports as to what happened next. Some say that Garnett’s horse emerged riderless through the smoke, galloping back to the Confederate line. Others say the horse was found lying on the ground, wounded and dying. But whichever story is true, the fact remains that the horse was without a rider. Garnett’s body was never found.

The next day, Union General Henry Hunt, an old friend of Garnett’s, searched for Garnett’s body to no avail. It is presumed that Garnett was buried in a mass grave by Union soldiers.

Many years after the battle, Garnett’s inscribed sword was discovered by fellow Confederate General George Steuart in a pawn shop in Baltimore, Maryland. Garnett was a cousin of Confederate General Robert Garnett.