GDG- "Pickett's Charge" NOT a misnomer

[jeff burk]

Greetings
   
  Beverley
   
  I prefer what the Union Vets called it.  "Longstreets Second Assult"
   
  Jeff Burk

"B. Ramsey" <ohauntieb at yahoo.com> wrote:
  Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:


Sorry, I think "Pickett's Charge" IS a misnomer, but I don't think Pettigrew-Pickett-Trimble will ever roll off anyone's tongue. BUT Names matter because words affect people and their thoughts and attitudes.

I remember hearing about "Pickett's Charge" the first time when I was a kid growing up in California. Meant nothing to me, but my impression was that if it was named after him, Pickett must have been THE leader of the gang and he must have been wonderfully heroic and porbably successful or it wouldn't have his name. Boy was I surprised when I started studying a little. Now after I hear or get into a discussion about the minutia of who did what for the Confederate Army during this event, I always kinda feel like saying, "Hey. Didn't the South get battered back after this charge aka LOSE?" So why does it matter which of the losers you name it for?

Well, the name matters to people from NC who know history since NC paid such a heavy price in casualties for this assault, never got much credit for it until recent years and constantly heard nothing but the name of Pickett, thanks to the Virginia press which immediately rushed to print the exploits of George and the Virginia men he led. 

If you wanna a quick example of how touchy who did what in this charge WAS--check out the Confederate Memorial in Raleigh which is not talking about Pickett (although taking a jibe at him) when it says "furthest at Gettysburg." 

As a quick example of how touchy who did what in this charge still IS check out the 26th NC marker just in front of the wall where the battle ended. That marker was not placed there in ancient history. Yep, still a touchy subject with the Tar Heels.

Calling it "Pickett's Charge" is not okay with me personally, either, since I am related to J. Johnston Pettigrew, who was in command of a Division that day, even though he was not a Major General. (I will not get into the twists and turns of that day prior to 1 p.m., particularly since I "have a dog" in this fight. However, those who believe that Pettigrew was merely "in support" of Pickett need to read the writings and speechs of Pettigrew's adjutant, Louis Y. Young, who lived to tell the tale. If Pettigrew was merely to support Pickett, Pettigrew didn't know it, and didn't act like it.) 

It's not Pickett's charge but neither was it Pettigrew's alone or Trimble's. So rather than dump Pettigrew and Trimble for the sake of brevity I think the more accurate method to name this event is to go with rank. People who are in the know about the Civil War should call it the "Longstreet Assault," or the "Longstreet Charge." That's as easy to say as "Pickett's Charge" and puts the emphasis where it belongs as far as who was responsible for the maneuver, its success or failure. 

Since the North and South called battles by different names all the time, maybe we ought to let the winner name this charge and simply call it "The Union Stand" at Gettysburg. (Of course this reasoning would make "Custer's Last Stand" into "Sitting Bull's Charge" but I could live with that too.) Surely we can call it something shorter without throwing over the fact that Pettigrew's and Trimble's troops were right there along with those Virginians, trying and dying to accomplish the impossible. (I have lived in Virginia for 20+ years, by the way. I just have an affinity for NC)
Beverley Ramsey 




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