Jim Martin
None were cowards!
Fri Apr 27 11:29:21 2001


This account of your son's ancestor hiding in a tree after the charge is very similar to a host of accounts related by participants in Pickett's Charge. I recall reading just a few days ago an account of another Confederate soldier and his friend who laid on the ground behind a small rock attempting to get up the nerve to make a dash back to the Confederate lines. His friend attempted to stand and was immediately struck in the head by a bullet. The author of this story stated that he waited a few more minutes trying to decide whether to surrender or make a run for it. He recounts jumping up and running with his back to the enemy as bullets "buzzed" all around him. As he neared the Confederate lines he became worried that he might be shot in the back and "what would the folks at home think?". He turned his face to the Union lines and backed the rest of the way to Seminary Ridge.

There are also many accounts of Confederate laying for many minutes or in some cases hours in a low swale or in the depression of the Emmittsburg Road to avoid the fire from Cemetery Ridge after the assault.

The fire directed at Pickett's, Pettigrew's and Trimble's men was beyond human endurance as is evidenced by the overwhelming casualties of the participants in this charge.

In my opinion, no man who stepped out of that treeline on Seminary Ridge and took one step towards Hancock's position could ever be considered a coward. Your boys can take great pride in the war record of their grandfather.

Jim Martin