Henry Heth
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| Henry Heth | |
|---|---|
 Unknown author · Public domain · source | |
| Name | Henry Heth |
| Birth date | December 16, 1825 |
| Birth place | Virginia |
| Death date | September 27, 1899 |
| Death place | Washington, D.C. |
| Allegiance | United States of America, Confederate States of America |
| Branch | United States Army, Confederate States Army |
| Rank | Major General |
Henry Heth was a career United States Army officer who served in the Mexican-American War and as a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He is best known for his role in the Battle of Gettysburg, where his division was the first to engage the Union Army on July 1, 1863. Heth was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he was classmates with other notable officers such as Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and Stonewall Jackson. He also served under Zachary Taylor during the Mexican-American War and was involved in the Battle of Monterrey and the Battle of Buena Vista.
● Early Life and Education
Heth was born in Virginia to a prominent family and was educated at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he graduated in 1847 alongside other notable officers such as James Longstreet, John Bell Hood, and George Pickett. During his time at West Point, Heth was exposed to the teachings of prominent military strategists such as Dennis Hart Mahan and Henry Wager Halleck. After graduating, Heth was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army and served in the 6th Infantry Regiment under the command of Colonel David E. Twiggs.
● Military Career
Heth's early military career was marked by service in the Mexican-American War, where he fought in the Battle of Monterrey and the Battle of Buena Vista under the command of Zachary Taylor and James Wilkinson. He also served in the Comanche Wars and the Utah War under the command of Albert Sidney Johnston and John E. Wool. In 1855, Heth was promoted to Captain and served as a quartermaster in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps. He also served under Robert E. Lee during the John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry and was involved in the Battle of Harpers Ferry.
● American Civil War
During the American Civil War, Heth served as a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army and played a key role in the Battle of Gettysburg, where his division was the first to engage the Union Army on July 1, 1863. He also fought in the Battle of Chancellorsville under the command of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, and the Battle of Cold Harbor under the command of Jubal Early and Richard S. Ewell. Heth's division was also involved in the Overland Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg under the command of Ulysses S. Grant and George Meade. He also served under P.G.T. Beauregard during the Battle of Fort Sumter and was involved in the Battle of First Bull Run.
● Later Life and Legacy
After the American Civil War, Heth returned to Virginia and worked as a farmer and a writer. He wrote a memoir of his experiences during the war, which was published in 1897 as The Memoirs of Henry Heth. Heth also served as a veterans' advocate and worked to promote the interests of Confederate veterans. He died on September 27, 1899, at the age of 73, and was buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, alongside other notable Confederate leaders such as Jefferson Davis and J.E.B. Stuart. Heth's legacy is still debated among historians, with some viewing him as a competent and brave officer, while others see him as a symbol of the Confederate cause.
● Command History
Heth's command history includes service as a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army, where he commanded a division in the Third Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia under the command of A.P. Hill and Robert E. Lee. He also served as a quartermaster in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps and as a regimental commander in the 6th Infantry Regiment. Heth's commands included the 5th Alabama Infantry Regiment, the 6th Alabama Infantry Regiment, and the 11th Virginia Infantry Regiment, among others. He also served under other notable Confederate commanders, including James Longstreet, John Bell Hood, and Stonewall Jackson.