My Trip to Gettysburg - Confederate Brigadier General James Lawson Kemper

Brigadier General James Lawson Kemper was thirty-nine years old at the time of the battle of Gettysburg. His only military experience had been as a volunteer captain in Mexico, though he reached Taylor's army too late for the battle of Buena Vista. He had graduated from Washington College (now Washington and Lee) at Lexington, Virginia, and studied law in Charleston; had turned to a legislative and legal career, served ten years in the Virginia House of Delegates, and for a term was Speaker. He volunteered on the outbreak of the war, commanded the 7th Virginia at First Manassas, served in turn under Early, Longstreet, and A. P. Hill, and finally was assigned under Pickett.

Kemper was the only Confederate brigadier general to survive the assault on July 3rd, he described his wounding in an 1886 letter to W.H. Swallow, Gettysburg National Military Park.

I think I was shot from my horse about the instant at which the general rout began. I know that I was then near enough to the enemy's line to observe the features and expressions of the faces of the men in front of me, and I thought I observed and could identify the soldier who shot me. Quickly after I fell, a federal officer with several men took possession of me, placed me on a blanket, and started to take me (as the officer said) to a federal surgeon, when some of my men came up and firing across my body, recaptured me and carried me in the same blanket to our own rear.

From Captain Robert A. Bright's, Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg

General Lee said, "Captain, what officer is that they are bearing off?"

I answered, "General Kemper."

General Lee said, "I must speak to him," and he moved Traveller toward the litter. I moved my horse along with his. The four bearers, seeing it was General Lee, halted, and General Kemper, feeling the halt, opened his eyes. General Lee said: "General Kemper, I hope you are not very seriously wounded."

General Kemper answered, "I am struck in the groin, and the ball has ranged upward; they tell me it is mortal."

General Lee said: "I hope it will not prove so bad as that. Is there anything I can do for you, General Kemper?"

The answer came, after General Kemper had seemingly with much pain raised himself on one elbow: "Yes, General Lee; do full justice to this division for its work today."

General Lee bowed his head and said: "I will."

General Kemper survived his wounds and later went on to become governor of Virginia.