J. Johnston Pettigrew

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J. Johnston Pettigrew
Brigadier general (CSA)
Unit
Commands held
  • 1st SC Militia Rifle Regiment
  • 22nd NC Infantry
  • Pettigrew's Brigade
  • Pettigrew's Division
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

James Johnston Pettigrew (July 4, 1828 – July 17, 1863) was an American author, lawyer, and soldier. He served in the army of the

Gettysburg Campaign commanding a brigade, Pettigrew took over command of his division after the division's original commander, Henry Heth, was wounded. In this role, Pettigrew was one of three division commanders in the disastrous assault known as Pickett's Charge on the final day of Gettysburg. He was wounded, in the right hand, during the Pickett-Pettigrew Charge on July 3, 1863 and was later mortally wounded during the Union Confederate rearguard action while the Confederates retreated to Virginia near Falling Waters, Virginia (now West Virginia)
on July 14, dying several days thereafter on July 17, 1863.

Early years

Pettigrew circa 1855

Johnston Pettigrew was born at his family's estate "Bonarva" in

James Louis Petigru.[5] He was also an author, writing a book about the culture of Spain titled Notes on Spain and the Spaniards in the Summer of 1859, With a Glance at Sardinia.[6]

Returning to the United States, Pettigrew was elected to the

international slave trade, which, along with his participation as a second in a duel, lead to Pettigrew losing his reelection attempt. Believing that civil war in the United States was inevitable and that the war would be long, rather than short as most expected, Pettigrew was active in milita affairs. He also traveled to Europe in 1859 to participate in the Second Italian War of Independence but saw no combat.[6] In November 1860, Pettigrew became a colonel in a South Carolina militia unit.[7] After the secession of South Carolina, Pettigrew became a military aide to the state's governor. Pettigrew ordered the occupation of Castle Pinckney, and was stationed with the South Carolina forces at Charleston Harbor through the Battle of Fort Sumter in April 1861.[6]

Civil War

When war began, Pettigrew joined the

Peninsula Campaign.[8]

Peninsula Campaign

During the Peninsula Campaign in the summer of 1862, Pettigrew was severely wounded at the

Gettysburg Campaign in June 1863.[11]

Gettysburg Campaign

Bronze plaque commemorating the site of Pettigrew's death near Bunker Hill, West Virginia

The Confederate War Department had assigned Pettigrew's Brigade to Gen.

26th North Carolina Regiment, the largest Confederate regiment at Gettysburg. Not having been in serious combat for nearly a year, his brigade mustered a strength over 2,500 officers and men.[14]

Pettigrew's Brigade tangled with the Iron Brigade on July 1, 1863, at the McPherson and Herbst farms to the west of Gettysburg, where all four of his regiments suffered devastating losses—over 40 percent—but were successful in driving the Union forces off of McPherson's Ridge.[14] That afternoon, General Heth suffered a head wound that kept him out of action, and Pettigrew took over command of the battered division.[15]

On July 3, 1863, Gen. Lee selected Pettigrew's division to march at the left of Maj. Gen. George Pickett's in the famous infantry assault popularly known as Pickett's Charge.[16] Pettigrew's old brigade, now commanded by James K. Marshall, had been roughly handled on the first day of the battle, and was not in good condition for the charge.[17]

Pettigrew's division ran into a heavy fire from Union general

Birkett Fry, now commanding James Archer's brigade was wounded, Marshall was killed. Pettigrew's division suffered heavy casualties and were unable to break Hays' line. The division was driven off, and Pettigrew had his horse shot out from under him, requiring him to lead his division on foot. Pettigrew also suffered a painful arm wound.[18]

During the Confederate

rear guard unit. Union cavalry probed the southern defenses throughout the night as Lee's army crossed the pontoon bridges into West Virginia. On the morning of July 14, 1863, Pettigrew's brigade was one of the last Confederate units still north of the Potomac River when the Union attacked his position.[19] On foot and in the front line, Pettigrew was directing his soldiers when he was shot by a Union cavalryman from the Michigan Brigade at close range, the bullet striking him in the abdomen.[19] He was immediately carried to the rear and across the Potomac, having refused to be left in federal hands.[19] He died three days later at Edgewood Manor plantation near Bunker Hill, West Virginia,[20] likely due to peritonitis.[21] His brigade, which lost an estimated 56% casualties, had been ruined as an effective combat organization.[22]

Legacy

Tyrrell County Confederate Monument noting the death of General J. Johnston Pettigrew

An official day of mourning was held for him in North Carolina.[23] His death also affected Lee, who remarked: "The army has lost a brave soldier and the Confederacy an accomplished officer."[24] General Pettigrew's body was returned to North Carolina and interred at his family estate, "Bonarva", which is now part of Pettigrew State Park in Washington and Tyrrell Counties.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Warner 1959, p. 237.
  2. ^ Tagg, p. 343.
  3. ^ "John Gibbon". battlefields.org. American Battlefield Trust. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "James Johnston Pettigrew". ehistory.osu.edu. Ohio State University. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  5. ^ "Pettigrew Family Papers Overview". University of North Carolina. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Powell, William S. "Pettigrew, James Johnston". ncpedia.org. Dictionary of North Carolina Biography. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Welsh 1995, p. 170.
  8. ^ Warner 1959, pp. 237–238.
  9. ^ Hess, pp. 38-40.
  10. ^ Trotter 1989, pp. 193, 196–197.
  11. ^ Sears 2004, p. 50.
  12. ^ Sears 2004, pp. 50–55.
  13. ^ Sears 2004, p. 206.
  14. ^ a b Busey & Martin, p. 286.
  15. ^ Sears 2004, p. 358.
  16. ^ Sears 2004, pp. 358–359, 415–417.
  17. ^ Sears 2004, p. 417.
  18. ^ Sears 2004, pp. 429–434.
  19. ^ a b c Sears 2004, pp. 490–491.
  20. ^ Don C. Wood (n.d.). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Edgewood" (PDF). State of West Virginia, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Historic Preservation. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
  21. ^ Welsh 1995, p. 171.
  22. ^ Gottfried, p. 606.
  23. ^ "Under Both Flags - James Johnston Pettigrew". North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  24. Official Records
    , Series 1, Vol. 27, Part 3, page 1016.
  25. ^ "Pettigrew State Park - History". North Carolina State Parks. Retrieved February 22, 2020.

Bibliography

Further reading

External links
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