Lincoln, the unknown

168 • LINCOLN THE UNKNOWNGeorge Pickett led his Southern troops in the most dramatic anddisastrous charge that ever occurred in the Western world.Strangely enough, this general who led the assault on theUnion lines was an old friend of Lincoln's. In fact, Lincoln hadmade it possible for him to go to West Point. He was a picturesquecharacter, this man Pickett. He wore his hair so longthat his auburn locks almost touched his shoulders; and, likeNapoleon in his Italian campaigns, he wrote ardent love-lettersalmost daily on the battle-field. His devoted troops cheered himthat afternoon as he rode off jauntily toward the Union lines,with his cap set at a rakish angle over his right ear. Theycheered and they followed him, man touching man, rank pressingrank, with banners flying and bayonets gleaming in the sun.It was picturesque. Daring. Magnificent. A murmur of admirationran through the Union lines as they beheld it.Pickett's troops swept forward at an easy trot, through anorchard and corn-field, across a meadow, and over a ravine.All the time, the enemy's cannon were tearing ghastly holes intheir ranks. But on they pressed, grim, irresistible.Suddenly the Union infantry rose from behind the stone wallon Cemetery Ridge where they had been hiding, and fired volleyafter volley into Pickett's defenseless troops. The crest of thehill was a sheet of flame, a slaughter-house, a blazing volcano.In a few minutes, all of Pickett's brigade commanders, exceptone, were down, and four fifths of his five thousand men hadfallen.A thousand fell where Kemper led;A thousand died where Garnett bled;In blinding flame and strangling smokeThe remnant through the batteries broke,And crossed the fine with Armistead.Armistead, leading the troops in the final plunge, ran forward,vaulted over the stone wall, and, waving his cap on thetop of his sword, shouted:"Give 'em the steel, boys!"They did. They leaped over the wall, bayoneted their enemies,smashed skulls with clubbed muskets, and planted theof the South on Cemetery Ridge.battle-flagsThe banners waved there, however, only for a moment. Butthat moment, brief as it was, recorded the high-water markof the Confederacy.