Existing comment:
Hamilton documented Barksdale's condition in detail in his diary entry for July 2nd:
The Rebel Gen. Barksdale, McLaws Div, Longstreet Corps, was brought in, wounded through the breast from behind, came out above the heart, his left leg was broken off below the knee -- He said he was in the house of Reps. eight years from Miss[issippi]. He was clad in the grey jacket trimmed with gold braid on the sleeves from the cuff to elbow. There were three stars on the collar on each side next to chin -- two striped of gold braid down each leg of grey Kentucky jean, two pair of drawers, & a white fine shirt completed his attire. He was corpulent, bold and refined in appearance.
Hamilton's chapter in the 148th Pennsylvania's regimental history tells more:
I attended General Barksdale... He was shot through the left breast from behind, and the left leg was broken by two missiles.... I gave him what I had to relieve him. He asked several times whether I considered his wound necessarily mortal. I told him I did. He desired peace, but only upon terms that would recognize the Confederacy. He was large, corpulent, refined in appearance, bald, and his general physical and mental makeup indicated firmness, endurance, vigor, quick perception and ability to succeed whether as politician, civilian or warrior. He told me he was a member of Congress under Pierce and Bachanan. He asked about our strength and was answered that heavy re-enforcements were coming. Said he, "Militiamen under McClellan?" He said that Lee would show us a trick before morning; that before we knew it Ewell would be thundering in our rear. He was dressed in the jeans of their choice. His short roundabout was trimmed on the sleeves with gold braid. The Mississippi button, with a star in the center, closed it. The collar had three stars on each side next the chin. Next to his body was a fine linen or cotton shirt which was closed by three studs bearing Masonic emblems. His pants had two stripes of gold braid, half an inch broad, down each leg. |