Ah, George Pickett. The namesake of Pickett’s Line near Ft. Eustis and several other streets dotted around the Hampton Roads area, with a special mention going to the former Fort Pickett about 100 miles west of here in Southside VA near Blackstone. His name might also ring a bell if you’re a fan of military blunders.
Born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1825, Pickett is best remembered for leading one of the most disastrous charges in military history. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Young George had a rather unremarkable start. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point and managed to graduate, though not without some hiccups. Landing at a stellar 59th out of 59 cadets, Pickett proved that you don’t need to be at the top of your class to make history. Sometimes, being at the very bottom works just as well.
Pickett’s early military career was a mixed bag. He participated in the Mexican–American War and later in the Pig War (yes, you read that right) – a bloodless confrontation with the British over a slain pig. It’s not every day you find a military officer who can boast about a war named after livestock.
But it was during the Civil War that Pickett truly shone… or, more accurately, fizzled out. As a Confederate general, he’s most (in)famous for Pickett’s Charge during the Battle of Gettysburg. This was a bold move, where thousands of Confederate soldiers marched across an open field, directly into Union fire.
The result? A catastrophic bloodbath… for the Confederates. It’s said that after the battle, Pickett was heartbroken, lamenting the decimation of his division. One might wonder if a little more strategy and a little less bravado could’ve changed the outcome.
Post-war, Pickett’s life was, well, less than glamorous. He fled to Canada for a while, perhaps hoping the cooler climate would help him forget the heat of Gettysburg. Eventually, he returned to Virginia and took on the role of an insurance agent.
From leading military charges to selling insurance policies for barns and livestock – quite the career shift. But perhaps his experiences during the Pig War finally came to fruition.
Pickett eventually passed away in 1875, but his legacy lives on. Not as a brilliant military strategist, but as a cautionary tale of what can go wrong when ambition overshadows reason.
So, the next time you think of George Pickett, remember him not just for his ill-fated charge, but for his unique ability to turn almost any situation into a memorable debacle.
