Charles Edward Hazlett | |
|---|---|
 1st Lieutenant Charles E. Hazlett during the Civil War | |
| Born | (1838-10-15)October 15, 1838 |
| Died | July 2, 1863(1863-07-02) (aged 24) |
| Place of burial | Woodlawn Cemetery, Zanesville, Ohio |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1863 |
| Rank | 1st Lieutenant |
| Commands | Battery D, 5th U.S. Artillery |
| Battles / wars | |
Charles Edward Hazlett (October 15, 1838 – July 2, 1863) was aU.S. Army1st Lieutenant during theAmerican Civil War. He was killed onLittle Round Top during the second day of theBattle of Gettysburg.
Hazlett was born inZanesville, Ohio, to Robert Hazlett and Lucy Welles Reed.[1] Hazlett's parents were abolitionists and supporters of theUnderground Railroad in central Ohio.[2] After briefly attendingKenyon College inGambier, Ohio, he was accepted to theUnited States Military Academy atWest Point, New York. During his first year at the academy, he was court-martialed and suspended for several months, but later graduated on May 6, 1861, fifteenth in his class.[3]
Initially assigned to the2nd U.S. Cavalry as a2nd lieutenant, Hazlett was almost immediately promoted to 1st lieutenant and transferred toBattery D, 5th U.S. Artillery.He was part of the battery during its near annihilation at theFirst Battle of Bull Run, fought through the battles of thePeninsula Campaign and was in command of the battery by theSecond Battle of Bull Run. Under his command, the unit also participated in the battles ofAntietam,Fredericksburg, andChancellorsville.
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On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Hazlett's Battery (3rd Division,V Corps), consisting of six three inch, 10 pounderParrott rifles, was rushed to the top ofLittle Round Top byBrig. Gen.Gouverneur K. Warren. Maneuvering the guns by hand up the steep and rocky slope of the hill was a difficult achievement. The artillerymen were exposed to constant Confederatesniper fire and could not work the guns effectively. More significantly, they could not depress the cannons' barrels sufficiently enough to defend against incoming infantry attacks.[4] While standing near the battery during the intense fighting, Brig. Gen.Stephen H. Weed was mortally wounded and asked to see Hazlett. Reportedly, Hazlett came to his aid and was shot in the head as he knelt down to hear what Weed was saying.[5] Command of the battery passed to 2nd LtBenjamin F. Rittenhouse.
Hazlett's body was originally buried at the Jacob Weikert house near Little Round Top. Later, his body was reinterred at Woodlawn Cemetery inZanesville, Ohio.
Four months after Hazlett's death, the U.S. War Department named a redoubt nearPortsmouth, Virginia, in his honor.[6]
A 19th century rock carving onLittle Round Top supposedly designates the spot where Hazlett was killed. A stone marker sitting atop the rock memorializes both him and Brig. Gen.Stephen Weed.
After the Civil War, veterans formed a local chapter of theGrand Army of the Republic in Hazlett's hometown. The chapter was named Hazlett Post 81 in honor of Hazlett and his brother, Capt. John C. Hazlett, an infantry officer who died from a wound suffered at theBattle of Stones River.[7]
In 2011, local Civil War enthusiasts replaced the Hazlett brothers' broken tombstones at Woodlawn Cemetery inZanesville, Ohio. The city designated May 14, 2011 "Hazlett Day" in honor of the event.
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