“FATHER”

The Civil War is sometimes called the “brothers’ war” because some families were split in allegiance.  Some family members joined the Union Army and others the Confederate Army.  During the Seven Days Battle fought outside Richmond in 1862.  The last battle was the Battle of Malvern Hill. Gen. McClellan’s Yankees were in a very defensible position and Gen. Lee made a mistake similar to Pickett’s Charge.  The Rebels launched an assault that was repelled with heavy losses.  After the failure, the Rebel officer called to his side an older soldier who had a reputation of being a crack shot.  The officer said “Do you see that young officer on the hill?”  The older man could clearly see a young officer waving his sword, encouraging his men.  “As long as the Yankees are led by that man, we won’t be able to capture that hill.  Do you think you can hit him from this distance?”  “Well sir, I reckon I can try.”  He propped his rifle on a tree limb, aimed carefully and squeezed the trigger.  The officer went down.  The Rebels immediately launched another attack and this time, with their dashing leader down, the Yankees did not put up much of a fight and retreated.  After the fighting died down, the old sharpshooter decided to return to the battle site.  He felt kind of guilty for having to shoot such a brave leader and perhaps he was just wounded and he could help him. He found the officer’s body face down.  Upon turning him over, the young man opened his eyes, looked at the older man, said one word, and died.  The word was “father”.  In a tragic footnote, the father was so distraught that he rushed to the nearest fighting and made a suicide charge.

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/malvern.htm