General Barksdale's Charge at Gettyburg

This Don Troiani Print is titled "Barksdale's Charge" and I decided to post it, and others like it in the future, because many academic historians, led by Gary Gallagher, detest these prints. Perhaps they think that they are not PC or that they glorify war and the Lost cause. (See Mark Grimsley's post)

The focus of this print is General William Barksdale's charge on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Barksdale, a Mississippian, had been a fiery general and fighter in Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. He had been anxious join into battle at Gettysburg and when he received his order to commence his portion of the fight he is reported to have said: "Attention, Mississippians! Battalions forward! Dress to the colors and Forward to the foe! Onward, Brave Mississippians! For Glory!"

Barksdale's Mississippians joined the fight against Union forces and and experienced success, but the cost of that success was Barkdal's life. This is historian David J. Eicher's account of the results of the battle:

• "As Barkdale's men surged eastward, northeast of Trotsle's Farm, it was supported by the brigade of Brig. Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcox. The charge of the Mississippians was a success. In the aftermath of the charge, however, Barksdale was spotted lying on the ground, and a private, Joseph C. Lloyd of the 13th Mississippi Infantry, gave the fallen general a drink of water from his canteen. Union Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Carr had first given an order to fire at a Confederate officer mounted on a white horse, believed to be Barksdale. Struck above the left knee, Barksdale nonetheless continued the fight. He was then hit in the left foot by a cannon shot. Still, Barksdale continued on. Only the third wound, a Minie bullet delivered to the chest, knocked him from his horse onto the ground, where he was found by Lloyd. The young private was shaken when the water Barksdale drank came oozing out of his chest. In the oncoming milky twilight, the general was captured and taken to the Jacob Hummelbaugh House in the rear, where he died the following day." (See Eicher, The Longest Night, pp. 533-534)