Pickett’s Charge Cost Lewis Armistead His Life. Brother Frank Searched For His Fate in 1864.

The vision of Brig. Gen. Lewis A. Armistead in the vanguard of Pickett's Charge, hat on the edge of his raised sword, is etched into the American memory. His mortal wounding and death in enemy hands on July 5 sealed his fate and set his legacy. These facts are widely known to today's students of the Civil War. But confirming his fate proved a challenge for Armistead's younger brother Frank, a fellow West Pointer who resigned to join the Southern cause.
Thanks to Jim Jacobsen for alerting me to a letter of inquiry written by Frank.
"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 and shopmilitaryimages.com.
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Image: The Virginia Historical Society.
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[@WhispersFromTheDark]

Rest in peace Mr. Armistead. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten..

[@krautyvonlederhosen]

Lewis Armistead’s legacy lives on in his great-great grandson who is my cardiologist presently. Lewis’s father was the commander of Fort McHenry (Baltimore) in War of 1812. The Armistead family is responsible for the large American Flag as displayed today at the Smithsonian Institute.

[@krautyvonlederhosen]

Sorry, the commander of McHenry was Lewis Armistead”s uncle.

[@williamcanfield2889]

Absolutely correct. His father noticed that the large flag of the fort survived the shelling by the British fleet. He took it down and the Armistead family thereafter presented it to the Smithsonian in the early 20th century.

[@WhispersFromTheDark]

That is so cool that his descendant is your Doctor.

[@krautyvonlederhosen]

@@williamcanfield2889 I learned about the flag during my latest visit to the good doctor. He was unaware of Brig. General Armistead’s fate at the Spangler Farm. I had done some research on him during his time spent in California where he was torn between his state of Virginia and the north’s position during the War of northern aggression. We now know what his decision was though he had no feelings toward keeping slaves at all.

[@krautyvonlederhosen]

@@williamcanfield2889 Mr Canfield, I also read that one reason the flag was so large, was that onboard ships, the flags of the forts were measured (if the wind was up) to get an idea of the range for bombardment purposes. The flag being larger, would make it appear that the ship was much closer than it actually was, making it more difficult to range. Flags @ many prepared positions and forts were more or less standard sized.

[@rolandmaestas5897]

So sad a battle. Armistead was a great and honorable man. One of many.

[@ironseabeelost1140]

Thank you. Some days it's so much better to hear the little things that no one else says about our Americans from then.

[@Toolaholic7]

He was good friends with Windfield Scott Hancock whom was on the Union side whom was also wounded in the 3rd day of Gettysburg surviving it.Armistead said he had regrets and wanted to apologize to Windfield Scott Hancock.Armistead wanted something sent to Hancock's wife after his death too

[@matthewclear4936]

His Bible

[@richardliles4415]

Wow! Ron, that is some incredible research. It seems back then, as is today. It is hard to believe anything that you hear. Thank you.

[@FuzzyWuzzy75]

A wonderful clip as always. One can't help but draw some comparisons between journalism today and journalism of the Civil War time period after watching this clip. One can clearly see (or hear, in this instance) how biases and outright dishonesty in journalism which warrant skepticsm (to say the least) is nothing new. Had it not been for fire brands and rabble rousers and shoddy journalism (on both sides) perhaps the great American calamity of 1861-65 could have been avoided entirely. While that would have made the study of the history of that time period far less fascinating a whole lot of suffering death and destruction could have been avoided if not for fire brands and rabble rousers and shoddy "journalists" and politicians. There are definite and obvious comparisons to be drawn (in these regards) between that time period and today.

[@thomasskrabala8044]

A wonderful snapshot of journalism during the Civil War. It's interesting how so many small, localized newspapers thrived. Well done.

[@daviddavey1727]

It was said George Pickett never forgave Robert E. Lee for that order.

[@jameshaxby5434]

People always call it " Picket's charge", but wasn't it Lee who ultimately ordered the suicidal attack ?

[@christineruss6362]

Pickett, Trimble, Pettigrew Charge

[@nathanfisher1826]

Very good

[@richardroyster6631]

Heroic deaths, fighting against their country and their father's legacy.

[@rogersheddy6414]

I'm disappointed. I thought a large part of it was looking to find where his body had been placed after his death. That's was a common theme. In fact, In the cemetery of my hometown, there were at least five men who had been sent home in metal caskets after embalming after they had died at Fort Fisher. So we would like to know the final chapter in this. In which the brother or whoever actually finds the body's location and makes sure of the final disposition thereof.

[@conradnelson5283]

Brave soldiers for a heinous cause. 😢

[@jamesmooney8933]

Slavery was only part of the reason for the Civil War. The average Appalachian farm was not going to fight for Slavery, because Slavery made the price for crops cheap. Lincoln was born in Kentucky. His father, as farmer, moved to Illinois, because Kentucky became a slave state, and he could not compete against slave labor. The average Appalachian farmer was from Scotland or Scotch-Irish. They got pushed out of their home land by the British Army. The average American in the 1850's identified by their State. Armies were raised by the State, like the Army of Northern Virginia, or Pennsylvania. So when these Appalachian farmers heard that the North invaded the Virginia, then they interpreted that as an invasion by a foreign country. The idea that States recruited Army went on until WWI. So if you ever wonder why poor Appalachian farmer fought for the Confederacy, it became of States Rights, and they considered their state a sovereign country.

[@ceh5476]

Actually they moved to Indiana from Kentucky

[@jamesmooney8933]

@@ceh5476 So what you point? Eventually Lincoln grew up in Illinois, and Lincoln was buried in Illinois.

[@SugarWildflower-si4ox]

@@jamesmooney8933 West Virginia and Kentucky did not side with the south and the confederacy. All of the poor in Appalachia did not become confederates. It was as divided in sympathy as the split in the civil war. You are making a very generalized opinion. Mary Todd Lincoln was raised in Lexington KY one of the largest slave trade markets in the south. You could not own them but you could sell them.. Her family owned slaves..some of her stepbrothers fought for the south. She was not a southern sympathizer herself..her family was split on their sympathies too when the civil war broke out. Lincoln could see the slave jail right down the hill from the original Todd house. Slavery was deeply seeded into our country for a very long time before it was considered unlawful to own other human beings… fighting for continued right to own slavery was written into the Confederate constitution by Jefferson Davis..believe it or not. Lincoln and Davis both born in KY. How ironic. They were both presidents of one country. The southern plantation owners their grand antebellum mansions built and farmed by slaves and the north even the WH was built by slaves which is nothing to be proud of. The north did not depend on just farming. The south farming was all they had acres and acres of rich farmed land owned by a few. The rest of the middle class or poor population were pulled into the civil war by loyalists to the north or the south..depending where they lived. Bad decisions were made to start that war. The price was high in loss of life for the entire states in the USA as well as economic collapse for the south. Egos and honor paid a high price to unite a country again. The bitterness is still there to this very day. It is past down from generation to generation as a badge of honor. Forgiveness will never happen and true peace until we all realize building civil war generals statues all over the south will not make it an honorable war for the destruction and pain caused to the entire country. Families were divided as well as states. Lincoln and Grant wanted peace among men as United again. Confederate Civil war memorials in state houses of government or in public parks, Court houses is not exactly instilling honor of peace and unity. It is a constant reminder of the pain the south caused itself in that first shot towards Fort Sumpter. How is that honorable? South Carolina was the beginning of the end. The daughters of the confederacy started the changes towards the glorified confederacy…statues started coming up in 1920’s and even earlier until gradually they were all over the south. Jim Crowe honored them. Racism is still flourishing only confederacy as honored is keeping it alive and well in the year 2023. People shouting for civil war are in the same mindset from the years leading up to the civil war… revenge and hateful entitled is a better word for shouting for violence against fellow Americans. We all saw what happened in 1861 and the pain and suffering during and afterwards unless you believe the rewritten altered facts of true history. View the military cemetery’s of thousands and thousands of civil war dead. It was a high price of loss of life for both sides. It means nothing to people who do not want to remember the pain sacrifice and suffering the ENTIRE country suffered not just part that fought for the south. The south and egos of a few southerners in power started a treasonous war against their own country and fellow citizens. The shot heard around the world fired towards fort Sumpter SC That was their only solution to keep slaves as their right to keep their economy and way life possible? . 1776 first shot was to free a country and its citizens from unfair taxes, extreme authoritarian monarchy Supreme power by a king. Fighting for the freedom of electing officials, a constitution, Bill of Rights or the will of the people is a just cause. USA PRESIDENTS ARE NOT KINGS. We have freedoms which are not appreciated which earned and preserved by a revolutionary war and world wars fought to preserve against true tyranny and cruel dictators. Abusers of humans and their rights.

[@jaydubbyuh2292]

The same, " heinous cause" that we seceded from the British Empire and King George lll

[@Hotrodford]

The New York Toilet Paper Times.

[@johnfoster535]

Disrespectful people have pried off commemorative plaques honoring Robert E. Lee at Washington and Lee College. Soon, these miscreants will even dig up Lee's beloved horse, Traveller, before their main target beneath the chapel...Lee himself ! I am from the north, but, am horrified at these acts of dishonor to men that General Grant referred to,saying : " They are our countrymen again"...soldiers who fought bravely with courage and honor. They deserved to be remembered ...it is our history. Armistead's courage would be mocked by ivory tower Marxists who are brainwashing our youth...especially at West Point. The " Long Gray Line" will soon be the " Long GAY Line " if Democrats continue their Bolshevik reign......God help our country !!

[@SugarWildflower-si4ox]

Whoa. Extreme

[@gaylewest3663]

You went a "bridge too far"

[@hennagaijin100]

Anti-American lefty Democrats hate this country.

[@krautyvonlederhosen]

Well spoken. So sad but true in many, many respects. But it is so politically incorrect to voice any opinions as they are never as loud as CNN.

[@gerrytyrrell1507]

Totally agree We need men of Steel Blue & Grey today to fight this evening ideology of woke Marxism.