The Boy Major - Benner's Hill - Battle of Gettysburg
The Boy Major
Major Joseph W. Latimer's Artillery - Benner's Hill
Battle of Gettysburg
July 2, 1863
by Mark Maritato
19 Year old Joseph White Latimer was the youngest Major in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Having studied artillery tactics at the Virginia Military Institute under the tutelage of Thomas Jonathan Jackson; Latimer demonstrated outstanding leadership skills in the opening days of the Civil War. Latimer's natural skill as an artillerist earned him the praise from his superiors and subordinates alike. During the Gettysburg Campaign Latimer was brevetted to the rank of Major, commanding a battalion of 16 guns of Johnson's Confederate Division. On July 2nd 1863 Latimer placed his cannons on a sloping rise of ground named Benner's Hill. For over two hours, Latimer's guns faced off against Union artillery stationed on Cemetery Hill and Steven's Knoll. Latimer rode amongst his men shouting encouragement but was soon brought down by an artillery shell that killed his prized horse and wounded his right arm. Latimer was evacuated to a hospital where his arm was amputated. Latimer would die almost a month later from complications of the amputation. Latimer died only two weeks short of his 20th Birthday. One of his subordinates lamented "No heavier loss could have befallen the artillery of this Corps."
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