Brig Gen William Barksdale is connected now

Question

I added his parents and connected them to a set of grandparents.  William is now connected to the Barksdale part of his family tree.

Now to add some to his parents' profiles before I retire for the night.

Comments

Nice work, Kathryn!

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Thanks for honoring this Southern hero!

Answer 1

Very interesting, wondering if 16th Vt. (one of the units rebelling Picket's charge) had anything to do with death. My GR GR Grandfather, Arms-72, was company B's Captain. Also, Gen Barksdale and Cpt. Robert Arms are related.

Answer 2

I have a Question instead of an Answer.

The date of death listed for General Wm Barksdale is 3rd July.  Yet, he lead the Mississippi Brigade on a charge against the Peach Orchard on 2nd July.  Then the next day was the finale with Pickett's Charge on 3rd July.   Every account says he died on the battlefield the day of the charge against the Peach Orchard----July 2nd.  

Q:  Why is his date of death listed as 3rd July??

BTW, I had a direct ancestor who was in the 17th Mississippi Regiment, which was under General Barksdale's brigade.  He was present in the regiment, so I have to conclude he was in that most famous charge of the War.  

Comments

Here's the report in War of the Rebellion by General Doubleday, which says Barksdale died on the third day. On a quick search I found other references in War of the Rebellion to his death, but none to the date, but I suspect I missed some. This report says he was wounded in the evening of the 2nd, but of course that doesn't mean he died on the 2nd. 

I found reports of his death on the 3rd online, but no sources (see for example 'Gettysburg off the beaten path'). 

Hmm. Heitman's register (available on Fold3) says that he was 'killed 2 July 1863 at Gettysburg Pa.'

The Wikipedia page says that he died the next morning, but doesn't cite a source.

I checked the 148th Pennsylvania's regimental history, which does have a story about Barksdale's death, but doesn't say whether he died before or after midnight.

Sorry--I thought it would be easier than this to find the answer!

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Thanks for checking into this.  I do know that they recorded his last dying words.  And they way it is described is that he spoke it lying right there on the field.  

I, too, am wondering why it is not that clear.  Oh!!  I know a Park Ranger who works at the Museum.  He is a real expert.  Gimme a few days to get an answer.

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Here is what the Ranger said. 

General Barksdale died overnight of July 2-3 at the Hummelbaugh Farm after the surgeon of the 148th PA examined his wounds and pronounced them mortal. A black attendant looked after him the back yard of the house and he was dead by the next morning. They buried him soon after in a marked grave near a tree northwest of the back of the house.

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Nice work, Steve!

Answer 3

Thank You Kathryn.

Answer 4

I wondered if Barksdale AFB was named after him but it turns out that the AFB is named after Eugene Hoy Barksdale, an aviator. I made his profile and connected him and he and the General are 2nd cousins, 2x removed.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barksdale-534

Comments

I was able to connect another cousin, Edwin Abner Barksdale, a WW2 vet who served with my father. He is Gen William's 3rd cousin 4x removed, and your Eugene's fifth cousin 2x removed ;)

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barksdale-458