Native New Yorker Survived Pickett’s Charge – with the 11th Virginia Infantry!

By Joe Bordonaro · Originally published October 2019 · pp. 18

Native New Yorker Survived Pickett’s Charge – with the 11th Virginia Infantry! — lead photograph from the original article

Native New Yorker Survived Pickett’s Charge – with the 11th Virginia Infantry! By Joe Bordonaro Visitors to Fairfield Cemetery in Spencerport, N.Y., may be surprised to see a Southern Cross of Honor and a Point Lookout Survivor’s marker on a gravestone. The grave is that of DeWitt Clinton Guy. He was born in Lockport, N.Y., in 1842 and named after the then-governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Guy and his family returned to their former home near Lynchburg, Va., after his father’s death while working on an Erie Canal lock. So it was that on April 23, 1861, Guy joined the Lynchburg Home Guard, later to become the 11th Virginia Infantry. The following information was supplied by Mrs. Charles A. Hutton, of Churchville, N.Y. She is a descendent of DeWitt Guy: “(Guy) saw hard service, fighting a major engagement nearly every month until his capture at Five Forks on April 1, 1865. Guy saw action at First and

Second Manassas, Williamsburg, Frazier’s Farm, Malvern Hill, Sharpsburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Brandy Station, Drewry’s Bluff, and Five Forks. The 11th participated in Pickett’s Charge as part of Kemper’s Brigade, Longstreet’s Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. Their losses in this charge were high: 18 men killed, 95 wounded, 73 captured, and six missing in action. DeWitt Guy was wounded three times. After an injury in the

Sergeant Guy’s Grave Stone.

Confederate Sergeant DeWitt Clinton Guy. Courtesy of Mrs. Charles A. Huttton.

Members of the 11th Virginia hold a Silent Vigil at Sgt. Guy’s grave site. (David Berndt)

Native New Yorker Survived Pickett’s Charge – with the 11th Virginia Infantry! — photograph 2 from the original article

Battle of Seven Pines on May 31, 1862, he returned to service and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on November 16, 1862. He was wounded on July 3, 1863, in the grand charge at Gettysburg, then again at Drewry’s Bluff on May 16, 1864. Captured at Five Forks, Guy was sent to Point Lookout, Md. He was released from that Union prison camp on June 12, 1865.” After his release from prison, DeWitt returned to New York and married his childhood sweetheart, Martha Flagg. They moved to Lynchburg, Va., but often traveled back to Western New York to visit Martha’s family. After DeWitt’s death in 1889 at the young age of 47 (like many Civil War soldiers, DeWitt died young, probably as a result of wounds suffered, exposure to the elements, poor diet, and other hardships), he was buried in Lynchburg. Honoring Martha’s dying wish (she died in 1891), her sister had DeWitt’s remains moved to Fairfield Cemetery and laid them to rest next to his wife’s grave. Perhaps hoping to avoid

(David Berndt)

still bitter enemies desecrating DeWitt’s grave, it was left unadorned for over 100 years. In 2000, a Southern Cross of Honor and a Point Lookout Survivor’s marker were installed on the grave. A ceremony was held that included relatives, reenactors, and local residents. In 2005, a Civil War reenactment group was started in Guy’s honor. The photos show some of its members engaged in a “Silent Vigil” at Sgt. Guy’s grave. Joe Bordonaro is a USAF veteran (1973–1977), Glassboro State College graduate (1980), Catholic school teacher (St. Joseph’s ProCathedral, 1983–1988), and retired public school teacher (Mullica Township School, 1988–2009). He has been involved with Civil War reenacting/living history since 1999. Joe began submitting articles to the Civil War News in 2005 and has been covering events for the News on a regular basis since 2016. Joe lives in Mount Laurel, NJ, and has been married to his wife Karen for 29 years. If you wish to contact Joe, you may send an email to [email protected].