Overview
Richard Brooke Garnett (1817–1863) of Virginia was a Confederate Brigadier General during the Civil War, known for his battlefield leadership and untimely death during Pickett’s Charge during the Battle of Gettysburg (1863). Garnett graduated from West Point (1841) and served in the U.S. Army before resigning in 1861 to join the Confederacy. Although a capable officer, his career was marred by controversy, including an incident in which he was removed from command by General Stonewall Jackson. After he was reinstated, he determined to redeem himself but was killed at Gettysburg as he led the center of General George Pickett’s Division during the ill-fated attack on Cemetery Ridge.
Personal Facts
- Full Name: Richard Brooke Garnett
- Born: November 21, 1817, Essex County, Virginia
- Parents: William Henry and Anna Maria (Brooke) Garnett
- Education: United States Military Academy (1841)
- Occupation: Military officer
- Positions: Captain (USA), Brigadier General (CSA)
- Spouse: None
- Died: July 3, 1863, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
- Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia
Biography
Early Life and Education
Richard Brooke Garnett was born on November 21, 1817, probably at “Rose Hill,” one of his family’s three plantations in Essex County, Virginia. Garnett was one of the twin boys and six girls born to William Henry and Anna Maria (Brooke) Garnett. His father was a wealthy planter who served with the Virginia militia during the War of 1812.
As a youngster, Garnett attended the Norfolk Academy. On September 1, 1837, he entered the United States Military Academy, along with his cousin, Robert Garnett, who later became the first general officer killed during the American Civil War. Among Garnett’s classmates at the Academy were future Union generals Don Carlos Buell, John F. Reynolds, Nathaniel Lyon, and Horatio G. Wright. In 1841, Garnett graduated twenty-ninth in his class of fifty-two cadets.
U.S. Army Officer
Following his graduation from West Point, Garnett received a commission as a brevet second lieutenant on July 1, 1841, and joined the 6th U.S. Infantry Regiment in Florida during the Second Seminole War (1835–1841). Garnett remained with his regiment for the next twenty years, serving in the West, where he campaigned against American Indians and helped to settle territorial disputes. From September 6, 1845, to March 9, 1851, Garnett served as aide-de-camp to his uncle, Brevet Brigadier-General George Mercer. During that period, he attained the rank of first lieutenant on February 16, 1847. Garnett further advanced to the rank of captain on May 9, 1855.
Confederate Officer
Like his cousin Robert, Garnett’s anti-secessionist beliefs did not prevent him from resigning his commission in the United States Army when his home state of Virginia left the Union. Following his resignation, on May 17, 1861, he traveled from California to Virginia to accept an assignment as a major in an artillery unit. By September, Garnett had advanced to the rank of lieutenant colonel of Cobb’s Georgia Legion. On November 14, he received a promotion to the rank of brigadier-general in command of the 1st Brigade of the Valley District of the Confederate Army of the Potomac.
Controversy at the First Battle of Kernstown
Garnett’s rapid rise in the Confederate Army stalled in March 1862 at the First Battle of Kernstown, during General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1862. Before the battle began, Jackson deployed Garnett’s brigade in a defensive position along the ridge opposite a federal division of approximately 8,500 men. The Confederates possessed the better ground, but the Federals had far more men. The Rebels held their position against an afternoon Union assault until they began to run out of ammunition. Faced with the possibility of being overrun, Garnett ordered his men to abandon the ridge. As Garnett’s men fell back, other Confederates joined the withdrawal, and the retreat became a rout.
On April 1, Jackson arrested Garnett for “neglect of duty” and relieved him of his command for ordering the retreat without Jackson’s authorization. A court-martial convened on August 6, 1862, for one day—long enough for Jackson and his aide to testify. The next day, Jackson set out for Culpeper, Virginia to prepare for the Battle of Cedar Mountain (August 9, 1862). The court-martial never reconvened nor did it render a verdict. On September 5, Robert E. Lee reinstated Garnett and assigned him to General James Longstreet‘s Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia.
Battle of Antietam
Garnett commanded the injured George Pickett‘s brigade at the Battle of Antietam (September 15, 1862). He assumed permanent command of the brigade on November 26, after Pickett became a divisional commander. Garnett was eager to restore his reputation on the battlefield, but his unit did not take part in the next two major engagements of the Army of Northern Virginia. His brigade stood in reserve at the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 11–15, 1862) and was not present at the Battle of Chancellorsville (April 30–May 6, 1863).
Jackson’s Funeral
Apparently, Garnett harbored no hard feelings toward Stonewall Jackson for his mistreatment after Kernstown. Following Jackson’s death at Chancellorsville, Garnett served as a pallbearer at the stricken general’s funeral. Reportedly, he had tears of grief running down his cheeks.
Death at Gettysburg
When General Lee began his second invasion of the North (June 1863), Pickett’s division, which included Garnett’s brigade, served as the army’s rearguard. As a result, Garnett did not arrive at the Battle of Gettysburg until the afternoon of July 2. Because Pickett’s division was fresh, Lee selected it to take part in the ill-fated assault on Cemetery Ridge, commonly known as Pickett’s Charge, on July 3. Garnett was suffering from a fever and an injured leg that prevented him from leading his men on foot. Despite his condition, Garnett viewed his assignment as the long-awaited opportunity to restore his reputation. Thus, Garnett led his brigade into battle on horseback, making him an easy target. As the brigade neared the stone wall at the top of Cemetery Ridge, Garnett received a mortal wound, probably from grapeshot.
Even though Garnett wore a Confederate general’s uniform, his body was never identified after the fighting. Almost certainly, Garnett was buried in a mass grave that Union soldiers dug for the Confederates who died at the Battle of Gettysburg. In 1872, the remains from that grave were removed to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, presumably Garnett’s final resting place.
Significance
Richard Brooke Garnett was significant because of his service as a military officer during a pivotal moment in American history. After graduating from the United States Military Academy and serving in the Mexican-American War, he resigned from the U.S. Army at the outbreak of the Civil War and joined the Confederacy, rising to the rank of brigadier general. Garnett played a key role in several significant battles, including the Battle of Gettysburg, where he was mortally wounded while leading his troops. His legacy is complicated by his role in the Confederate Army, which fought to uphold slavery and secede from the United States. However, his leadership and tactics on the battlefield are still studied and recognized by historians as an important aspect of the Civil War.
Accomplishments and Milestones
- 1817, November 21 — Richard Brooke Garnett was born.
- 1837, September 1 — Garnett entered the United States Military Academy at West Point.
- 1841, July 1 — He graduated from West Point, ranked 29th in a class of 52 cadets, and was commissioned as a brevet second lieutenant in the 6th U.S. Infantry Regiment.
- 1845, September 6 — Garnett began serving as aide-de-camp to Brevet Brigadier General George Mercer.
- 1847, February 16 — He was promoted to first lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
- 1851, March 9 — Garnett concluded his service as aide-de-camp to Brevet Brigadier General George Mercer.
- 1855, May 9 — He was promoted to captain in the U.S. Army.
- 1861, May 17 — Garnett resigned his U.S. Army commission to join the Confederate Army.
- 1861, September — He was appointed lieutenant colonel of Cobb’s Georgia Legion.
- 1861, November 14 — Garnett was promoted to brigadier general and given command of the 1st Brigade of the Valley District in the Confederate Army.
- 1862, April 1 — He was arrested and relieved of command by General Stonewall Jackson for “neglect of duty” at the First Battle of Kernstown.
- 1862, August 6 — Court-martial proceedings were held but rendered no verdict regarding Garnett’s conduct at Kernstown.
- 1862, September 5 — He was reinstated by General Robert E. Lee and assigned to General James Longstreet’s Corps.
- 1862, September 15 — Garnett commanded George Pickett’s brigade during the Battle of Antietam due to Pickett’s injuries.
- 1862, November 26 — He assumed permanent command of Pickett’s brigade after Pickett’s promotion to divisional commander.
- 1863, April 30–May 6 — Garnett did not participate in the Battle of Chancellorsville.
- 1863, May 10 — He served as a pallbearer at General Stonewall Jackson’s funeral.
- 1863, July 2 — Garnett arrived late at Gettysburg due to serving as the rearguard during General Robert E. Lee’s second invasion of the North.
- 1863, July 3 — He led his brigade during Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg while mounted on horseback due to illness and an injured leg; Garnett was mortally wounded during the assault.
- 1863, July 3 — His body, although dressed as a Confederate general, was never identified after the battle and was likely buried in a mass grave for Confederate soldiers.
- 1872 — Remains from the Gettysburg mass grave were transferred to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, presumed to include Garnett’s final resting place.
