Henry Heth

Henry Heth was a career United States Army officer who became a Confederate States Army major general during the American Civil War. A cousin of the famed George Pickett, he is most historically noted for initiating the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. His military service spanned major campaigns in the Eastern Theater under Robert E. Lee, and his postwar career included work in the insurance industry and for the War Department.

Early life and education

Born at the family estate in Chesterfield County, Virginia, Heth was part of a prominent Virginia family. He secured an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1843, graduating near the bottom of his class in 1847. His classmates included future Civil War generals like Ambrose Burnside and John Gibbon. Following graduation, he was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Infantry.

Military career

Heth's early service included garrison duty during the Mexican–American War and frontier postings in Texas and Florida. He later served as an instructor of infantry tactics at West Point and saw action in the Third Seminole War. In 1855, he transferred to the newly formed 10th U.S. Infantry, where he served under then-Colonel Robert E. Lee during the Utah War against the Mormons. This period solidified a professional relationship that would prove crucial during the American Civil War.

Civil War service

Resigning his U.S. commission in April 1861, Heth joined the Confederate States Army as a colonel. He initially served in western Virginia under generals John B. Floyd and Robert E. Lee during the Cheat Mountain Campaign. Promoted to brigadier general in early 1862, he commanded a brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia during the Seven Days Battles and at the Battle of Chancellorsville. His promotion to major general came in May 1863. At the Battle of Gettysburg, seeking shoes for his men, his division clashed with Union cavalry under John Buford west of town, inadvertently triggering the massive three-day battle. Heth was wounded on the first day but remained in command. He later fought throughout the Overland Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg, surrendering with Lee at Appomattox Court House.

Postwar life and death

After the war, Heth struggled financially before finding employment in the insurance industry. He later worked as a surveyor for the United States Coast Survey and held a position in the War Department's Office of Indian Affairs. His final years were spent in Washington, D.C., where he authored his memoirs. He died in 1899 and was interred at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, the final resting place of many notable Confederates including Jefferson Davis and J.E.B. Stuart.

Legacy and historiography

Heth's historical reputation is inextricably linked to the first day at Gettysburg, a subject of extensive analysis by historians like Douglas Southall Freeman and Edwin B. Coddington. While sometimes criticized for precipitating a general engagement contrary to Lee's wishes, he is also recognized as a dependable division commander within the Army of Northern Virginia. His autobiography, published posthumously, remains a valuable primary source for scholars studying the Confederate States Army and the leadership dynamics under Robert E. Lee.

Category:1825 births Category:1899 deaths Category:Confederate States Army major generals Category:People of Virginia in the American Civil War