Unfortunately, during this last election cycle I suspect I have lost several friends due to my “politics.” One would hope that friendship would transcend the latest political issues of the day but sadly it appears not has not always been that way.
Many times, I have walked the terrain at Gettysburg while teaching military strategy. On this battlefield where thousands of soldiers died is one of the most hallowed pieces of ground in America where on July 3,1863 the ill-fated Picket’s Charge resulted in a horrendous loss of life. Even during this horror, the humanity of man prevailed. Here where the politics of the day collided, Confederate General “Lo” Armistead valued his friendship to his longtime friend Union friend General Winfield Scott Hancock.
Lewis Addison Armistead was born February 18th, 1817, in New Bern, North Carolina and received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1834. He married his first wife Cecelia Lee Love, a cousin of Robert E Lee. Armistead received a promotion to Captain for actions during the Mexican American War. His first wife died in 1850, and he remarried in 1853. Armistead continued doing military duty at various posts in the west and sadly he lost both his second wife as well as his two children. He was in command of a garrison in San Diego, California when the Civil War started along with his good friend Winfield Scott Hancock. Out of loyalty to his home state Armistead resigned his commission and joined the Confederacy.
Subsequently Armistead arrived on the scene at Gettysburg along with the rest of General George Pickett’s Division on the evening of July 2, 1863. The next day Armistead led his men in what would be forever know as Pickett’s Charge, a direct frontal attack on the union lines where the Confederate casualty rate was over 50% in a futile attempt to break the Union lines. Leading his men directly from the front he faced relentless artillery and musket fire where he then reached the Union lines at the “Angle” later known as the high-water mark of the Confederacy. In the process he was wounded multiple times.
After the charge failed Armistead was taken by Union troops to a field hospital for treatment of his wounds. Despite his mortal wounds, he insisted repeatedly that he be informed about the fate of his longtime friend General Hancock who was also on the field of battle fighting for the Union Cause. It was only after he was assured that his friend Hancock was safe and unharmed, and he stipulated that his Bible be passed to Hancock’s wife after he died.
Despite that fact that both men could not have held more diverse political beliefs and fought against each other, their bond of friendship transcended political differences. A different era perhaps but the bonds of friendship should transcend day-to-day politics which are only fleeting. Let’s hope we can return to that civil state once again.
