A staunch secessionist, he was mortally wounded during the Battle of Gettysburg during an attack on U.S. Army forces near Cemetery Ridge.

[4] Barksdale was considered to be one of the most ardent of all the "Fire-Eaters" in the House and became known as one who would quickly resort to fisticuffs when the temperature of the debate grew hotter.

Before the American Civil War, Barksdale inadvertently helped stop one of the most notorious incidents of violence in U.S. legislative history.

An embarrassed Barksdale put it back on backward, causing both sides to break out laughing and stopping the fight.

In the Northern Virginia Campaign, Barksdale's brigade was stationed at Harpers Ferry and thus did not participate in the Second Battle of Bull Run.

In the Maryland Campaign, the brigade was assigned to the division of Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws in Lt. Gen. James Longstreet's First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia.

At the Battle of Fredericksburg, Barksdale's brigade defended the waterfront of the city from U.S. soldiers attempting to cross the Rappahannock River, sniping at infantry and engineers from buildings that had been turned into rubble by U.S.

Sedgwick's assault was successful, and Barksdale pulled back after delaying the U.S. forces, but he rallied the brigade and retook the lost ground the next day.

The plan from General Robert E. Lee was for Longstreet's Corps to maneuver into position and attack northeast, up the Emmitsburg Road, to roll up the U.S. left flank on July 2.

Barksdale's sector of the attack placed him directly at the tip of the salient in the U.S. line anchored at the Peach Orchard, defended by the U.S. III Corps.

"[9] Although Barksdale ordered subordinate commanders to walk during the charge, he rode on horseback "in front, leading the way, hat off, his wispy hair shining so that it reminded [a Confederate staff officer] of 'the white plume of Navarre'.

The streets in the Potomac Crossing subdivision in Leesburg, Virginia, are named (in part) after the regimental commanders of the Battle of Ball's Bluff (October 21, 1861).