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Maj. Gen. Henry Heth, CSA

 

 

 

Born: December 16, 1825

Black Heath, Virginia

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Died: September 27, 1899

Washington, D.C.

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1847: Brevet 2nd Lieutenant

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1861: Resigned from U.S. Army

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April 1861: Lieut. Colonel, CSA

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June 1861: Colonel, CSA

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January 6, 1862: Brigadier General

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May 24, 1863: Major General

Maj. Gen. Henry Heth

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July 1-3, 1863: Battle of Gettysburg

July 1, 1863: Inadvertently started the battle when his brigade ran into Brig. Gen. John Buford and spread out into battle information

Heth was injured when he was struck in the head by a bullet. Heth was wearing a hat that was too large and he had stuffed papers into the hat to make it fit better

Recovered enough to command during the retreat back to Virginia. Had a few minor engagement in the fall of 1863.

May 4-June24, 1864: Overland Campaign

May 5-7, 1864: Battle of the Wilderness

May 9-21, 1864: Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

May 23-27, 1864: Battle of North Anna River

May 31-June 12, 1864: Battle of Cold Harbor

June 9, 1864- March 25, 1865: Siege of Petersburg

August 18-21, 1864: Battle of Globe Tavern

August 25, 1864: Battle of Ream's Station

September 30-October 2, 1864: Battle of Peeble's Farm

October 27, 1864: Battle of Boydton Plank Road

December 8-9, 1864: Battle of Hatcher's Run

April 2, 1865: With the death of Gen. A.P. Hill, briefly took command of III Corps

March 29-April 9, 1865: Appomattox Campaign

April 6, 1865: Battle of Cumberland Church

April 9, 1865: Appomattox Court House where he surrendered with Gen. Lee

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1846: Stabbed in the leg by a bayonet

1847: West Point Graduate - Bottom of his Class 38 out of 38

1847: Commissioned as Brevet 2nd Lieutenant and assigned to 1st Infantry Regiment

Was serving as a 1st Lieutenant in the 6th Infantry when Lieut. Symmes denied to be Captain and Heth was promoted to Captain

1855: Battle of Ash Hollow against the Lakota

1858: Created the first marksmanship manual for the Army

1857-1858: Utah War

1861: After Fort Sumter, resigned from U.S. Army and joined the Confederate States Army and was promoted to Lieut. Colonel

Initial assignment was to muster and drill regiments of state militia in Southwestern Virginia

June 1861: Promoted to Colonel

January 6, 1862: Promoted to Brigadier General

Spring 1862: Command of the Army of the New River

Sent to the Department of East Tennessee to serve under Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. Was sent by Smith to make a demonstration against Cincinnati

Smith was transferred to the Trans-Mississippi Department

March 1863: Lee recalled Heth back to the Army of Northern Virginia to serve as a brigade commander in the Battle of Chancellorsville

May 24, 1863: Promoted to Major General

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Boatner, Mark M. III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: David McKay, 1967. p 398

Henry Heth. 5 May 2022. web. 9 June 2022.

Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State, 1992. p 133

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