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Birth
George Edward Pickett is born on his family's plantation in Henrico County, Virginia. -
West Point
Pickett graduates West Point in 1846. Due his severe number of demerits and his tendency to play pranks, he is last in his class. He graduates with several other well known names, including Ambrose Powell “A.P.” Hill, John Gibbon, George B. McClellan, and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. -
Mexico
Shortly after graduating West Point, Pickett is appointed second lieutenant in the 8th U.S. Infantry. He is sent to the Mexican- American War and, while there, receives two brevet promotions for his gallantry on the battlefield. -
Frontier Fighting
He is promoted to first lieutenant and then captain while serving with the 9th U.S. Infantry. -
Resignation
Despite not supporting slavery, Pickett resigns the United States Army and joins the Confederate States of America. -
Promotion
Pickett is promoted to brigader general, shortly following his rise to colonel. -
Battle of Williamsburg
Pickett and his brigade are called to fight in the Battle of Williamsburg. They are charged with relieving A.P. Hill and B.G. Wilcox from their attack. Pickett proves himself to be an able leader and his men mount an attack on the Union, pressing against the artillery and infantry of the 70th New York. -
Battle of Seven Pines
Pickett and his brigade help strengthen the lines of A.P. Hill when they attack a Union line near Seven Pines. -
Battle of Gaine's Mill
Under the command of Longstreet, Pickett is ordered to help conduct a divisionary attack to stablize Confederate lines until Stonewall Jackson's arrival. His brigade attempts a frontal assault and is beaten back under heavy fire, and Pickett himself is wounded in the shoulder. Due to his injury, he leaves active service for the remainder of the summer. -
Return and Promotion
Pickett recovers from his injury and is sent back into the field in autumn, winning a promotion to major general. -
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The Battle of Fredericksburg
Pickett is largely kept in reserve during this battle, seeing very little action on the outskirts of the battle. -
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Siege of Suffolk
Pickett's division probes the Union picket lines, searching for weaknessess during the siege. Finding none, they withdraw. He attempta to find a route around Suffolk in the Dismal Swamp, but fails at that as well. Longstreet soon realizes that any action will have to happen on the river, so he pulls the troops around to the river front. Eventually, the Confederate army withdraws entirely after their failure to capture the Federal garrison at Suffolk. -
Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg
On the third day of the battle at Gettysburg, about 12,500 men line up and start to march towards the Union lines over nearly 1000 yards of open ground. The Confederate assault stretches nearly a mile long. They manage to pierce the Union line but are soon beaten back under heavy fire. The Confederates end up with 6,555 casualities. At least 1,123 Confederates are killed, and a good number of the injured are also captured. This loss destroys Pickett psychologically. -
Battle of New Berne
Pickett is ordered by General Robert E. Lee to take the coastal city of New Berne, North Carolina, from Union control. Pickett tries and fails miserably, still shaken from the battle of Gettysburg. He reportedly strikes out at fellow officers and is angry and frustrated throughout the battle. When he finds out that a group of Union prisoners are in fact, former Confederates who had deserted, he court- martials them and 22 are hanged in North Carolina. -
The Battle of Five Forks
Union troops attack Lee's right flank at Five Forks, ending their ten month siege and forcing the fall of Richmond. Pickett leaves his troops poorly positioned when he leaves the lines for a long lunch with Fitzhugh Lee, Robert E. Lee's nephew. The battle is lost while Pickett is eating, and he is removed from command eight days before the final surrender at Appomattox Court House. -
Escape to Canada
Pickett returns home to his wife and infant son, but soon the U.S. War Department begins to investigate him for the hangings of the 22 Confederate deserters. He flees to Montreal, Canada, but returns several months later when Ulysses S. Grant says there will be no formal punishment. -
Death
Pickett lives out the rest of his years as an insurance salesman. He finally succumbs to his failing health on July 30, 1875 at the age of fifty. -
How effective was Geroge Pickett? (part 2)
the stress of the war are what lead to his failures towards the end of the Civil War. In reality, General Pickett was a brave and brilliant general who deserves to be remembered for his accomplishments and prowess on the battlefield, which can seen in each war he fought. -
How effective was George Pickett? (part 1)
George Pickett was a competent leader. He had many success, including some of his frontier fighting. The main reason people consider him to be such a failure is because of Pickett's Charge, the last attempt to save the Battle of Gettysburg. The truth is, though, General Lee ordered that charge, and Pickett had nothing to do with it. His name was attached to it simply because he lead his division first, because they were the freshest troops. The failure of that charge and
