Maj. Gen. George Pickett
Born: January 16, 1825
Richmond, Virginia
Died: July 30, 1875
Norfolk, Virginia
1846: West Point Graduate
Brevet 2nd Lieutenant
September 1847: Brevet Captain
1855: Captain
June 25, 1861: Resigned U.S. Commission
March 16, 1861: Major CSA
April 1861: Colonel CSA
January 14, 1862: Brigadier General
October 10, 1862: Major General
Maj. Gen. George Pickett
1846: West Point Graduate - Last in class of 59 Commissioned a Brevet 2nd Lieutenant in 8th Infantry Regiment
1846-1848: Mexican-American War
September 13, 1847: Battle of Chapultepec - was wounded but Lieut. Longstreet handed him the colors which he carried to the roof of the palace
Received a Brevet promotion to Captain for his actions
1849: Serving on the Texas frontier, was promoted to 1st Lieutenant
1856:While in the Washington Territory, commanded the construction of Fort Bellingham on Bellingham Bay
1859:Dispatched in command of Company B, 9th U.S. Infantry to San Juan Island. The confrontation was known as the Pig War
March 16, 1861: Obtained commission as a major in the CSA
Within a month, was appointed Colonel in Command of the Rappahannock Line of the Department of Fredericksburg under Gen. Theophilus Holmes
January 14, 1862: Wiath Holmes influence, received a commission to Brigadier General
March-July 1862: Peninsula Campaign
May 4-5, 1862: Battle of Williamsburg
May 31-June1, 1862: Battle of Seven Pines
June 27, 1862: Battle of Gaines Mill - was shot off his horse while leading his brigade. Pickett was wounded in the shoulder, this wound kept him out of action for three months. Missed the Battle of Antietam
Was given command of a two brigade division commanded by Maj. Gen. Longstreet
October 10, 1862: Promoted to Major General
December 13, 1862: Battle of Fredericksburg - was only lightly engaged
July 2-3, 1863: Battle of Gettysburg
July 3, 1863: After a two hour artillery barrage which was to soften up the Union defenses, 3 divisions stepped off across the open fields almost a mile from Cemetery Ridge. Pickett inspired his men by shouting, Up men, and to your posts: Let no man forget today that your are from Old Virginia.
Pickett's Charge was a huge failure. The Union lost 1,500 soldiers while the Confederate army lost 6,000. This is over 50% of the men sent across the fields.
Pickett's three brigade commanders and all 13 regimental commanders were casuallties
Gen. Lee told the returning soldiers the failure was all my fault.
After Gettysburg, Commanded the Department of Southern Virginia and North Carolina
Was ordered to capture New Berne, North Carolina. The battle resulted in a Confederate defeat.
After the battle, Pickett ordered the execution of 22 Union soldiers. After the war, Pickett escaped to Canada to avoid an investigation into the executions. Returned to the U.S. after General Grant state he would not face prosecution
Pickett served as division commander in the Defenses of Richmond
May 1864: Bermuda Hundred Campaign
May 4-June 24 1864: Siege of Petersburg
April 1, 1865: Battle of Five Forks
April 9, 1865: Battle of Appomattox Court House
Surrendered with Gen. Lee's army and was paroled on April 12, 1865
Boatner, Mark M. III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: David McKay, 1967. p 337-339, 651-652
George Pickett. 1 June 2022. web. 2 June 2022.
Coddington, Edwin B. The Gettysburg Campaign A Study in Command. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1979. p 487-532
Rollins, Richard, ed. Pickett's Charge Eyewitness Accounts at the Battle of Gettysburg. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole, 1994.
p 152-217
Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State, 1999. p 239-240