Death of Pelham: An Eyewitness Account

This morning while researching Harry Gilmor, the Confederate cavalryman known for his daring raids, I found his memoirs, “Four Years in the Saddle,” which he wrote during his time as a prisoner of war. They were published in 1866. Inside, I discovered a passage about the death of Major John Pelham, whose name and face are familiar to many students of the Civil War. Here's what I learned.
"Life on the Civil War Research Trail" is hosted by Ronald S. Coddington, Editor and Publisher of Military Images magazine. Learn more about our mission to showcase, interpret and preserve Civil War portrait photography at militaryimagesmagazine.com.
This episode is brought to you in part by Kurt Luther and his team at Civil War Photo Sleuth, a free site that uses face recognition and classic research techniques to identify faces of Civil War soldiers. Learn more at civilwarphotosleuth.com.

[@user-sp2le5kx9f]

Ron you do those brave soldiers North and South proud with the way you present the program.

[@andrewthomas3478]

My mother is a Pelham. John Pelham was my mothers great uncle.

[@noapologizes2018]

You can picture yourself there watching as the shells fell around the men. They horsemen and officers holding steady. Without a moments notice, a crashing filled the air, with a sudden push by the wind as the concussion from the shell expanded from the center of the explosion. It read like a movie. Good work. . .

[@travisbayles870]

It is good to see gallantry in one so young General Robert E Lee

[@kirkfitzhugh2409]

In his Civil War memoirs, my great grandfather, Dr. Thaddeus Fitzhugh, 5th Virginia Cavalry, has an account of being with Pelham after he was mortally wounded: “Dr. Fontaine, on learning I had been dismounted, informed me that Major Pellam [sic] had been mortally wounded and wished me to move him to a good shade on the side of the road and gave me imperative orders to remain with him until he was taken back to the hospital. Major Pellam was one of the most distinguished young officers in the army, and his loss was a sad one. In the Fredericksburg fight, he was handling his artillery with the most fatal effect on the enemy, when Jackson rode to the front and remarked to General Stuart - ‘There was one of the most brilliant artilleriest [sic] he had ever seen on the field of battle.’ The battle was a bitter one and we were driven back to the brow of the hill bordering the bluff above which we were located and I momentarily expected to be taken in their lines, but I determined to remain with Poor Pellam at all hazards. About that time Fitzhugh Lee charged with his entire force; he and Stuart led the advance in person, in which charge, the federal advance was not only checked, but driven back to the river, when they crossed that night leaving their dead and wounded in our hands. In this charge Major Fuller of our regiment was killed and an ambulance was rushed to the front to get his body and on its return we placed Major Pellam in the same ambulance. They were taken back to Culpepper Cour[t] House, where Major Pellam died that night, having been struck on the head by a fragment of a shell, after which we [sic] was never conscious.”

[@lifeonthecivilwarresearchtrail]

Thanks for sharing. Do you happen to have a Civil War period portrait of your great-grandfather?

[@kirkfitzhugh2409]

Unfortunately I don't. Only two photos ca. 1880's and 1896.

[@provost5752]

I was stationed at Camp Pelham Korea named after this brave man. We were to closet artillery battalion to the DMZ

[@VideoSaySo]

The Gallant John Pelham is buried in the same cemetery as my grandparents in Jacksonville, up by the university.

[@kurtworkmaster1372]

This is the same Pelham, the “boy major”, who rode far ahead of his lines at Fredericksburg with two cannon and preceded to disrupt the union formations for hours. At one point during his cannonading General Stonewall Jackson himself sent him a cryptic message, endearingly commanding Major Pelham “to get back from destruction you infernal, gallant fool”. This he did, has he relayed back, once he had expended all of his munitions. 5:18

[@frederickschwarz3883]

Heartbreaking

[@brentbrumley4640]

I use to live in Pelham, Alabama which is maybe ten miles south of Birmingham. Pelham himself didn't live there, he lived in Jacksonville which is more eastern Alabama. Trying to learn how Pelham (the city) got it's name introduced me to the man, which is how I got interested in the Civil War. Thanks for this video.

[@Jason4Star]

What a great find that is. Thank you for sharing.

[@jude999]

I love the backdrop.

[@jmsdeco]

Excellent channel !

[@alex88907]

He was famous for killing with the cannon and was killed by the cannon. Fitting.

[@paulkoza8652]

I started looking at your channel because I'm intrigued with history. But so far, your analysis is focused on the south.

[@lifeonthecivilwarresearchtrail]

Thanks, Paul. I have more than 300 videos, each posted weekday mornings. You will find a variety of stories about soldiers on both sides of the conflict.

[@Odonanmarg]

Very touching, indeed - but he was fighting for slavery.

[@pittsyltucky]

Nah. He was fighting for independence. God bless the patriot.

[@RGF19651]

@@pittsyltucky The myth of the lost cause was invented after the war to revise history. If one looks to statements by southern leaders prior to the war, and statements made by Confederate leaders during the war, you will find that they state that the root cause of secession was to perpetuate slavery. After the war, propAganda by southern journalists, and the Daughters of the Confederacy sought to persuade the myth of a gallant struggle for freedom, and not a struggle to save slavery.

[@johnfoster535]

...many...like Lee himself...fought because their homes were being ATTACKED and needed to be defended !! Jubal Early and Lee were Unionists who believed their highest duty was to defend their homes and families. Both would have followed the course of Virginia, if she had remained in the Union.

[@johnfoster535]

...so many tragic deaths of brave and courageous men on both sides. For the South, the loss of the flower of a generation...for the North whole towns and villages of their men gone, with victory provided only by massive replacements of new regiments from Ireland and Germany recently arrived in New York, while the original Yankees perished. They were Americans ALL and their character, honor and sacrifice need to be remembered TODAY...