David Lang

David Lang (May 9, 1838 – December 13, 1917) was a land surveyor, Confederate States Army officer during the American Civil War, civil engineer, and Florida politician. Early life Lang was born in Camden County, Georgia. He attended the Georgia Military Institute in Marietta, graduating in the Class of 1857 and ranked 4th of 16. He moved to Suwannee County, Florida, and became a surveyor. Civil War With the secession of Florida and the outbreak of the Civil War, Lang enlisted in the Confederate Army on April 2, 1861, as a private in Company H of the 1st Florida Infantry. Barely over a month later, he was promoted to sergeant. He was discharged in April 1862 after his term of enlistment expired. In May, Lang enrolled in the 8th Florida Infantry and was commissioned as captain of Company C. He was wounded at the Battle of Antietam in September and again at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December. Stationed in the town of Fredericksburg, Lang's men stubbornly contested Federal attempts to lay pontoon bridges across the Rappahannock River. An artillery shell fragment struck the chimney of the building that Lang occupied, and a large chunk of masonry struck him in the head, gravely injuring him. Recovering from his wounds, Lang was promoted to colonel of the 8th Florida on April 30, 1863, and fought at the Battle of Chancellorsville, where his brigade commander, Brig. Gen. Edward A. Perry, was stricken with typhoid fever. Lang led Perry's Brigade during the Gettysburg Campaign. On July 2, 1863, he attacked the center of the Union defensive line on Cemetery Ridge, advancing past the Codori farm before being repulsed by troops from the II Corps. On the following day, the brigade supported Pickett's Charge, but failed to advance far under heavy fire from Lt. Col. Freeman McGilvery's line of artillery. All told, the brigade fought well and lost about 60% of its 700+ soldiers.