| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 54.1 | The Orphan Brigade | OGOMTS::RICKER | Lest We Forget, 1861 - 1865 | Fri Nov 15 1991 05:07 | 27 |
|
One of the most illustrious units in the Confederate Army was
the Orphan Brigade, an all-Kentucky unit whose men were not able to
go home after their state fell into Union hands in the early stages
of the Shiloh campaign.
The brigade originally consisted of four infantry regiments ( 3rd
through 6th ) Kentucky, Provisional Army of the Confederate States,
plus two batteries and a company of cavalry under Capt. John Hunt
Morgan. When most of Kentucky was captured by the Yankees in late
1861, the brigade had to complete its organization and training in
Tennessee.
Its first commander was Simon B. Buckner and its second was John
B. Breckinridge, former U.S. vice-president. At Shiloh, the brigade
was led by Col. Robert Trabue of the 4th kentucky, and was temporarily
reinforced by two units from Alabama, one from Tennessee and one from
Mississippi.
The Orphan Brigade fought with distinction at most of the West's
major battles - Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg, Baton Rouge, Stones River,
Jackson, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Atlanta - and earned a
reputation as one of the most reliable units in the Army of Tennessee.
This valor and courage, however, brought high battle losses that
could not be replaced because Kentucky was behind Union lines.
Reduced from over 4000 men to under 500, the brigade was mounted as
cavalry in the war's last months. It was one of the last Confederate
units in the East to surrender in May of 1865.
The Alabama Slammer
|
| 54.2 | The Irish Brigade | COOKIE::LENNARD | Rush Limbaugh, I Luv Ya Guy | Fri Nov 15 1991 14:03 | 14 |
| It'll be a little tough dealing with brigades or battalions on the
Union side. There were very few "named" battalions, and brigades
were in large part merely command_and_control units for multiple
regiments. But....how about the Irish Brigade at Fredericksburg?
When they made their assault on the Stone Wall, observers talk of
the rebel rifle fire being so heavy that the Irish actually seemed
to "lean" into it. They failed, of course, as did all other brigades
making the assault that day. Seems the CO (Meagher?) was never the
same after that assault. Took to drinking, etc.
Plenty of famous Union Regiments though. How about the Fifth New
Hampshire which had the highest rate of casualties of any northern
unit for the whole war?
|
| 54.3 | more on the Irish Brigade | JUPITR::ZAFFINO | | Mon Nov 18 1991 18:35 | 40 |
| The Irish Brigade was originally planned to be raised by Michael
Corcoran, and was to be composed of regiments from Massachusetts,
New York, and Pennsylvania. After Corcoran's capture at the first
Battle of Mannassas, the task fell to Meagher; who had raised a
company of Irish zouaves for the 69th New York. Only the New York
regiments, the 63d 69th and 88th, went to Virginia in the fall of
'61. The 29th Massachusetts, a non Irish regiment, was sent in
place of the 28th when the 28th was sent to South Carolina. The
28th Massachusetts and the 118th Pennsylvania didn't join the
brigade until the fall of '62. The first battle fought by the
whole brigade comprised of the 5 regiments raised for it was the
Battle of Fredericksburg. The Irish Brigade was the unit which
made it closest to the confederate lines on Marye's Heights, to
within 100 yards of the stone wall. Praise was heaped on their
courage and steadfastness by both sides. Out of over 1200 who
stormed the wall, only 280 answered roll call the next morning.
Sometime after either Fredericksburg or Chancellorsville (I can't
remember which) Meagher resigned in disgust due to not being
allowed to take his shattered regiments home to recruit, and was
replaced by <fill in the blank> (again I can't remember). The
Irish Brigade again charged into history at Gettysburg. The regiment
sized brigade was given it's final rights by Father Corby of the 88th
New York, and plugged the gap which Longstreets Corp had plunged
through between Little Round Top and the end of Cemetary Ridge on the
second day. Miraculously, these brave Irishmen who planned on dying
to a man in the charge, managed with a few hundred men to stave off a
disaster. Throughout the rest of the war, the brigade served with
distinction. It ceased, for all intent and purpose, to exist as a
fighting force after the final storming of the trenches at Petersburg.
The 28th Massachusetts was transferred to Birney's brigade. Of over
2000 regiments raised by the north in the war, numbers 6 and 7 on the
highest casualties list belong to the 69th NY and the 28th MA
respectively.
Now to pose a question: can anybody tell me anything about the
Garibaldi Guard? I've only recently heard of them, and I know nothing
about them. They apparently were the Italian equivalent of the Irish
Brigade. I hope that someone can fill in the blanks for me.
Ziff
|
| 54.4 | errata | JUPITR::ZAFFINO | | Tue Nov 19 1991 02:10 | 6 |
| I checked a reference, and found that I'd made a mistake in my last
entry. All references to the 118th Pennsylavania should read 116th
Pennsylvania. Also, Meagher resigned command of the Irish Brigade
on May 14, 1863.
Ziff
|
| 54.5 | the "Bloody Fifth" | JUPITR::ZAFFINO | | Tue Nov 19 1991 05:21 | 6 |
| Slammer, I know you subscribe to CWTI. Since you're the primary
resident-reb in this file, why don't you enter the story of the 5th
Texas here? If not you, I know that Wess will probably pick it up
as he's the resident Texan. I thought it was a real great story.
Ziff
|
| 54.6 | Meagher | MACNAS::TJOYCE | | Fri Nov 22 1991 11:05 | 27 |
|
.3 is a great account of the Irish Brigade. The officer who replaced
Meagher was Thomas Smyth of Fermoy, County Cork. After Smyth, two
other officers called Burke and Nugent commanded the brigade in
turn.
Smyth was later killed by a sharpshooter just two days before
Lee's surrender.
Meagher had quite a reputation as a drinker - he was said to be
drunk at Antietam, and his hospitality was legendary. He is
remembered in Ireland primarlily as a fiery young revolutionary
of the 1840's (the Famine era). He was tried and convicted of
treason after the abortive "Young Ireland Rebellion" of 1848.
This farcical episode is also known as the "Battle of Mrs.
McCarthy's Cabbage Patch" - but that's another story!
Transported to Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania) Meagher escaped
and made his way to the U.S.A.
He later was made territorial governor of Montana by President
Johnson but died in mysterious circumstances - apparently one
night he fell off a riverboat (drunk?) and was drowned - but there
were rumours of assassination by a political faction in the
territory.
Toby
|
| 54.7 | The Iron Brigade | NEMAIL::RASKOB | Mike Raskob at OFO | Fri Nov 22 1991 14:46 | 30 |
| Since no one else has mentioned it yet, I'll stick in the little I know
about the Iron Brigade.
This was the 1st brigade, 1st division, I Corps in the AoP (which the
soldiers felt was cause for pride, 'cause if the whole army ever
assembled in one place for review, they would stand at the extreme
right of it ;^}), and consisted of the 6th, 7th, and 9th Wisconsin and
the 19th Indiana, later reinforced after Antietam by the 24th Michigan.
The brigade wore black slouch hats instead of the regulation forage
cap, and were known as the Black Hat Brigade. The name "Iron Brigade"
supposedly came from a remark by McClellan as he watched the attack on
the pass over South Mountain; the brigade was advancing uphill against
heavy fire when Little Mac said, "That brigade must be made of iron!"
It had a reputation as a tough fighting force. I think it was first
commanded by Gibbon. At Gettysburg it was essentially destroyed in the
first day's fighting on Seminary Ridge, taking something like 80%
casualties. There's a story that the Confederates, who had thought the
dismounted cavalry of Buford's brigade might be militia, said when the
Iron Brigade came into line, "Here're them damned black-hatted fellers
again. 'Tain't no militia - that's the Army of the Potomac!"
In the regimental-level simulation game I have of Gettysburg, the Iron
Brigade is one of very few units that can never be "routed" -
demoralized temporarily from casualties. Another such unit is the
Stonewall Brigade (just FYI, Slammer! ;^} ).
More data from others would be welcome.
MikeR
|
| 54.8 | One more plug for the Irish Brigade | CST23::DONNELLY | | Fri Nov 22 1991 15:04 | 43 |
|
Okay, since the base noter kindly gave us Irishers a chance to tout the
Ould Brigade, I'd like to add to the previous replies. A reader
unfamiliar with the whole history of the brigade might get the
impression that its main contribution was taking a beating in good
style at Frederickburg. Consider:
At Fair Oaks the IB was thrown into battle at a critical time when the
ANV was winning the day. Gen. "Bull" Sumner told them something to the
effect that they were his last hope of regaining the field and if it
got too hot and they decided to run, he'd run right along with them.
The made a notable spirited bayonet charge which took the field and
basically bought the Union a draw instead of a defeat.
During the Seven Days an observer watched in amazement as the IB, who
had been stopping attacks cold all day, were suddenly caught in a
swift flank attack. He fully expected them to fold and a disaster to
ensue when several sections of the line wheeled in perfect order to
meet the attackers and drive them back. They then returned to their
original posts to help beat back back the frontal assault. This was a
disciplined outfit.
At Chancellorville, 116th Penn. Regt. of the IB was trusted to cover
the retreat of the AOP. They performed brilliantly under terrible fire and
were given credit by many of preventing a complete disaster. Major
Mulholland of the 116th later received the Medal of Honor for this
action.
Near the end of the war, at Deep Bottom, the remnant of the IB along
with several other war-weary veteran outfits finally ran out of gas.
When ordered on one more suicidal attack they refused and were accused
of mutiny. It was their widespread reputation for valor that kept them
facing serious charges.
If you read the official history of the Second Army Corps, you will get
a feel for just how tough, dependable, and repected these guys were in
battle.
So, it isn't just marketing hype. These fellas got their laurels the
old fashioned way--they earned 'em.
TD
|
| 54.9 | More Iron brigade info | ASABET::D_SWEENEY | | Sat Nov 23 1991 13:07 | 12 |
|
A little more on the Iron Brigade, just got through reading a little
about these guys in Vol 1 of S. Foote's series.
They were surprised by Stonewall Jackson at the out set of the 2nd
Manassas. They were indeed under Gibbons, and although this was the
first action they had scene the fought the vaunted Stonewall brigade
to a stand still before finally leaving the field to await
reinforcements. They hold the distinctin of being the Union Brigade
with the highest casualty rate.
Dan
|
| 54.10 | | SMURF::CALIPH::binder | As magnificent as that | Mon Nov 25 1991 12:52 | 4 |
| Just IMHO, a high casualty rate is prima facie evidence of an inept
commander...
-dick
|
| 54.11 | Casualty rates as a measure | CST23::DONNELLY | | Tue Nov 26 1991 16:05 | 20 |
| re .10
Maybe...
But "famous" brigades did not get that way ONLY because they had a high
casualty rate. They tended to find themselves in the hottest spots
(The Bloody Lanes, The Devil's Dens, The Bloody Angles), mostly I think
because they earned reputations for being dependable and the division
commanders looked for them when they needed the best. Esprit de corps
also contributed to a high casualty rate. They fought stubbornly and
with spirit.
The 442nd Combat Regmt. in WWII is a similar case. They didn't have
more purple hearts than any other regiment in U.S. history because
they were poorly lead. Hell, their leaders had to run to keep up with
them! They took the casualties because they went for broke every time.
They wanted to prove something and I imagine the crack regiments of the
Civil War were much the same.
TD
|
| 54.12 | | COOKIE::LENNARD | Rush Limbaugh, I Luv Ya Guy | Tue Nov 26 1991 16:23 | 19 |
| Yes....I also don't agree with .10, although God knows there were
plenty of inept commanders. The really good units tended to stand
their ground regardless of how hot things got. This is not of course
to say that some of the really good units didn't also know when the
time had come to "skedaddle".
Reminds me of the 37th Mass at the Bloody Angle. They were right at
the apex, and so heavily engaged for over 24 hours that they could not
be relieved. Their muskets were so carboned-up, that units sent up
to relief them just passed cleaned weapons up to them so they could
keep the fire up.
The 37th was also the unit at "second" Fredericksburg that when
charging the infamous Stone Wall refused orders to withdraw and went
over the top anyhow. They basically knew they would take casualties
during the withdrawal, and would almost certainly be sent back up
again anyhow. I am in sheer awe at the guts of many of the regiments
of the AoP.
|
| 54.13 | Stonewall Brigade | OGOMTS::RICKER | Lest We Forget, 1861 - 1865 | Wed Nov 27 1991 06:15 | 90 |
|
Re: To Raskob's challenge in 54.7 :^)
One of the most famous brigades in American history - and certainly
the most renowned in Confederate military history - initially was known
as Virginia's First Brigade. In time it officially and popularly was
called the Stonewall Brigade. It and its first commander, Thomas J.
Jackson, recieved their nicknames simultaneously at the baptism at
First Manassas. Cherished by its namesake, and serving with him until
his death, the brigade achieved a reputation almost without parallel
for agility, gallantry, and pugnacity.
Whether called "Stonewall's Band," "Jackson's Foot Cavalry,"
"The Men of Manassas," or the Stonewall Brigade, this organization
made an impact on history few units can match.
They were rough fighters, these men of Stonewall Jackson.
Eventually they came to the conviction that they could defeat any given
number of Ynakees at any time - a conviction amply justified by their
war record. They achieved a reputation for invincibility accepted by
North and South alike.
Confederate troops seemed to grow in confidence if they knew the
Stonewall Brigade was charging in an assault with them. Federal
soldiers came to feel that the brigade possessed some superhuman power,
a quality which they attributed to the unpredictable and mysterious
Jackson. A New York prisoner once asked a staff officer of Jackson's:
"What sort of man is your Stonewall jackson anyway? Are his soldiers
made of gutta-percha, or do they run on wheels?"
The dazzling reputation achieved by the brigade stood in marked
contrast to the simplicity of its origins. All members were from around
the Valley of Virginia. Most were of Scottish-Irish, German, Swedish,
or English descent, nurtured in the rustic surrondings of small
hillside farms, raised in the wholesome outdoors of an invigorating
climate, and by nature hardy, robust, and fun-loving.
One veteran of the brigade estimated that no more than one out of
thirty of the members owned slaves. Yet they were strongly Virginian
in their sentiments, moreover, they were exceedingly clanish in their
associations. Partly as a result of their devotion to locale, friends,
and family, members of this organization, unlike those of most Civil
War units, attached little significance to the regiment to which they
belonged. Their pride lay more in their membership in the Stonewall
Brigade.
The battle flags of the brigade fluttered amid the smoke of thirty
nine engagements. Its original muster rolls list a total of 2,600 men,
and it is reasonable to assume that more than 5,000 served in the unit
during the course of the war. Yet at Appomattox only 210 men remained -
none above the rank of captain. That Jackson's special affection for
the brigade may have been more hazardous than beneficial is suggested
by the comment of one of the survivors: "Whenever there was an extra
hard duty to be performed, General Jackson always sent his old brigade
to the post of duty for fear the other brigades under his command would
think and say he favored his old command."*
The brigade was characterized by a combination of Jackson's iron-
cored discipline and a feeling of confidence derived from success.
It fought savagely and devotedly, marched long and hard, and only once
during the war ever disappointed a commander. On the other hand, it
discarded tents and knapsacks, preferring the open bivouacs and the
bare necessities in order to lighten its burden on marches.
The men served under commanders they did not like, even having the
audacity to threaten the murder of one if the Yankees did not oblige
them in battle. If ordered to cook three day's rations prior to a
campaign, they did so willingly, then promptly ate the food rather than
carry it with them into action. For experience soon taught these men
that they could always secure abundant supplies from the Yankees who
were forced to flee before them. :^)
When all was lost at Appomattox, the survivors of the brigade
returned home and lived out their last days in fond recollection of
their war record. Their positions as survivors of the Men of Manassas
seemed to place them a little higher than other fragments of an army
known for gallantry. That they gloried in their status during the war
is evidenced by a familiar verse:
From John Esten Cooke, "The Song of the Rebel,"
And men will tell their children,
Tho' all other memories fade,
How they fought with Stonewall Jackson
In the old "Stonewall Brigade".
A confidence gained on many battlefields as a result of hard-won
victories gave the unit a cockiness that, to say the least, sometimes
hampered its discipline. Moreover, it had its share of cowards,
deserters, and stragglers. It was an exceptional brigade, but by no
means a perfect one. Yet its weaknesses, when viewed against its
achievements, are so negligible taht it does stand out as a model
brigade worthy of its fame.
* John O. Casler, "Four Years in the Stonewall Brigade."
The Alabama Slammer
|
| 54.14 | 5th Alabama Battalion, Company A | OGOMTS::RICKER | Lest We Forget, 1861 - 1865 | Wed Nov 27 1991 07:27 | 55 |
|
My bias opinion here! :^)
The officers and men of the North Sumter Rifles, made up mostly of
young men from the Gainsville and Warsaw areas of Alabama. The company
became Company A of the 5th Alabama Battalion, Archer's Brigade, Heth's
Division, A.P. Hill's 3rd Corp's., A.N.V. They too forged a gallant
fighting record with the Army of Northern Virginia.
From the 5th Alabama's Record Book
-Formed; 26 May 1861 -
-June 5th ordered to Richmond-
-Left June 17th, 1861-
- Mustered into Confederate service June 23rd, 1861, by Major H.L.
Clay, at Lynchburg, Virginia.-
-Left Lynchburg July 4th, arrived at Manassas, Va. July 5th.-
-Manned heavy artillery, Commanded by Captain Branch F. Sterret,
C.S. Navy, stayed until January 17th, 1862, per order #250.-
-Ordered to Dumfries, Va., formed 5th Alabama Battalion. Commanded
by Colonel F.B. Sheppard. Attached to Whiting's Brigade.-
-Left Cockpit Point, March 8th, 1862, for Fredericksburg, Va.-
-Arrived at Fredericksburg, Va., March 12th, 1862., Battalion
attached and under command of 6th N.C. troops.-
-March 21st, 1862, performed Provost Guard duty.-
-Left Fredericksburg Va., April 17th, 1862, attached to General
Field's Brigade, 47th Va. Regt. until June 14th, 1862.-
-Transferred to General Archer's Brigade.-
-Engaged in the Seven Day's Battles before Richmond-
-Wintered, Camp Gregg, Guiney Station on the RF+P Railroad.-
- April 29th, 1863, left for Chancellorsville.-
-Engaged in battle May 3rd, 1863, at Chancellorsville.-
-June 4th, 1863, Provost Guard for 3rd Corps., Station Hamilton's
Crossing on the RF+P Railroad.-
-June 6th, 1863, started for Pennsylvania.-
-June 28th, 1863, reported to the Brigade.-
-July 1st, 1863, deployed as skirmishers, first to fire at
Gettysburg.-
-July 2nd, 1863, no report listed.-
-July 3rd, 1863, charged enemies works. (Pickett's Charge)-
-July 4th, 1863, retreated back to Virginia, Battalion decimated-
-Wintered at Orange Court House-
-Left May 4th, 1864, for Provost Duty.-
-Participated in the defense of Petersburg-
-September 13th, 1864, assigned as A.P. Hill's Provost Guard.-
-April 3rd, 1865, retrieved A.P. Hill's body from Union lines
after his death on April 2nd, 1865.-
-Evacuated Richmond with Lee-
-April 8th, 1865, 5th Alabama's Battalion's last war casuality, Pvt.
Jesse Hutchins, killed on the eve of the surrender. His grave may
been seen at Appomattox Court House today still.-
-April 12th, 1865, formally surrendered arms at Appomattox Court
House.-
The Alamaba Slammer
|
| 54.15 | Er, a word of mitigation here | SMURF::SMURF::BINDER | As magnificent as that | Sun Dec 01 1991 19:40 | 6 |
| Re: .10
I guess I should have used a smiley face. As much as anything, I was
just rattling people's chains.
-dick
|
| 54.16 | Tribute to the Brigade | OGOMTS::RICKER | Lest We Forget, 1861 - 1865 | Tue Dec 03 1991 06:06 | 20 |
|
The best-known American novelist who fought for the Confederacy,
John Esten Cooke, was so certain the brigade had no equal that he wrote
of it:
The Old Stonewall Brigade! What a host of thoughts, memories and
emotions do these words excite! How like a call to the charge sounds
the simple mention of the famous band! These veterans have fought and
bled and conquered on so many battlefields, that memory grows weary
almost of recalling their glories.... The soul of their leader seemed
to have entered every breast - and "Stonewall's Band" became the terror
of the enemy. To meet the enemy, was to conquer him, it might almost be
said, so obstinately did the eagles of victory continue to perch upon
the old battleflag. The laws of the human body seemed to have been
reversed for these men. They marched, and fought, and triumphed, like
war machines which felt no need of rest, or food, or sleep.
John Esten Cooke, "Stonewall Jackson and the Old Stonewall Brigade",
edited by Richard Harwell (Charlottesville, 1954)
The Alabama Slammer
|
| 54.17 | Lee's Grenadier Guard | ELMAGO::WRODGERS | I'm the NRA - Sic Semper Tyrannis | Wed Dec 04 1991 14:43 | 66 |
| The Texas Brigade, or Hood's Texas Brigade, served in every battle of
the ANV except Chancellorsville, and they made up for that one by
taking part in Chickamauga and Longstreet's Knoxville campaign in the
winter of '63.
The Brigade was composed of three regiments of Texas troops - the 1st,
4th, and 5th Texas Vol. Infantry - and at various times Hampton's
legion of South Carolina Infantry, the 18th Georiga, and the 3rd
Arkansas Infantry. The Brigade was supported by Battery D, North
Carolina Artillery until after Gettysburg.
The Texas Brigade was never broken when it was on defense, and the only
time it was ever stopped on offense was at Gettysburg, when that
magnificent SOB Chamberlain did the impossible.
At Gaine's Mill the Hell Roarin' Fourth broke the Federal line after
some other very fine Rebel units had broken their hearts on that ridge.
At 2nd Manassas the Ragged Fifth again broke the Federal line and
chased their shattered foe so far that staff officers on horseback had
to ride like hell to catch them.
At Anteitam they stook dreadful fire, and the Bloody First took the
highest percentage of casualties of a Confederate regiment in the war.
(NOTE: I've seen tables that put the 1st in second place, behind the
26th NC.) Stephen Sears wrote that Stonewall Jackson detailed some
staff officers to round up stragglers at Anteitam and bring them back
into the fight. He told the officers, "If you find any of Hood's men,
leave them alone; they have fought enough today." By golly, when Ol'
Blue Light said you'd fought enough, you'd flat been through it!
At Gettysburg, along with the rest of Longstreet's Corp, the Texans
rolled up the Federal left like a rug, and took many hundreds of yards
of ground before being stopped at Little Round Top.
At Chickamauga, they were the sharp end of the spear that Hood thrust
through the Federal right, forcing the Army of the Tennessee to retreat
all across its front. Only Pap Thomas saved the AOtT that day.
At the Wilderness, in the company of Jenkin's South Carolinians, they
stopped Hancock's corps dead in its tracks and drove it back several
hundred yards. This action effectively finished the Brigade as a
fighting force, but they soldiered on through that god-awful summer and
went into the trenches at Petersburg. They were involved in the
battles on the Confederate right, including Darby Town Road and Fort
Harrison.
Lee loved his Texans, and got in serious political trouble by calling
them the best troops in his army. At the Wildernes, as the brigade
executed "By Company into line... By battalions, forward into line...
By regiments, forward into line," Lee asked, "What troops are these?"
"They are Texans, Sir."
Lee stood in his stirrups and shouted, "Hurrah for the Texans! The
Texans always move them!" Lee then moved to the front of the Brigade,
as though to lead it in its charge. The Texans refused to budge until
their idol was sent safely to the rear, at which time they closed with
the better part of a seasoned Federal corps and gave it a first class
bloody nose.
Wess
AKA 1st Sgt. Garland Colvin,
Co. B, 4th Texas Volunteer Infantry.
The Tom Green Rifles of the Hell Roarin' Fourth
|
| 54.18 | Empty Stomach's = Ticked off Texan's! | OGOMTS::RICKER | Lest We Forget, 1861 - 1865 | Thu Dec 05 1991 04:03 | 9 |
|
One question Wess, wasn't the reason Hood's Texas boy's fought so
fiercely at Antienam's "Cornfield" was because Jackson threw them into
the fray while they were cooking their breakfast? As the story goes, it
seems that they had just marched into the Sharpsburg area and where
cooking thier first meal in a couple of days and Jackson threw them
into the Cornfield to plug the breach.
The Alabama Slammer
|
| 54.19 | standing and running | ELMAGO::WRODGERS | I'm the NRA - Sic Semper Tyrannis | Thu Dec 05 1991 09:42 | 29 |
| I don't remember reading this version of the story, but would hesitate
to say it isn't so. Truth is stranger than fiction, especially when
Texicans are in the bargain! I would suspect that any troops put into
a situation like the cornfield would either have to fight like all hell
or cut and run, and running from a fight like that would be as deadly
as standing up to it. Sort of like the Marines on Guadalcanal: how
the heck to you skedaddle?
The Texas Brigade was involved in a hilariuos skedaddle in Tennessee.
ONe night they were sent out as skirmishers and pickets on a mountain
called Raccoon Mountain. Their lines were very seriously probed, and
it became obvious to one and all that they were facing the better part
of a couple of divisions. The Texans simply turned and ran off the
mountain. Now this mountain was covered with dense brush and jack
pine, and the night was awful dark. As the men ran down the hill,
gravity had its way with them, and they couldn't stop, or even slow
down! They crashed into trees, into each other, and generally beat the
hell out of themselves. ONe old man in Co. B, A.R. Rice, apparently a
man as full in girth as years, tripped and fell into a small gully.
His body spanned the gully, and his comrades used him as a bridge. Val
Giles, in "Rags and Hope," says this is where Rice earned his nickname,
"Old Pontoon." (Lest there be a temptation to look at Rice as a joke,
his name is one of 8 privates on the Appomattox roster of Co. B. This
forum understands what that says of a man's character.)
This precipitate retreat down the mountain is known in the folklore of
the Brigade as "The Raccoon Races."
Wess
|
| 54.20 | They were hungry... | ASABET::D_SWEENEY | | Thu Dec 05 1991 12:01 | 16 |
|
Re: Cornfield and hungry Texans...
I just read the section in S. Foote's book on this. Indeed the Texans
had marched hard to get to the spot in line and had not had any real
food in two days, Jackson had let them withdraw to cook there food
when all H*ll broke loose in the cornfield and in Stonewalls line.
Hood brought his Texans up, must of them still hungry and drove the
blue coats back off the field in the First of many battles on a day
that would see the most casualties in a single day of combat during
the entire War. They say that the Cornfield was ripe and with full
stalks ready for picking at the begining of the day, by the end it was
like a harvested field and the bodies were so deep you could walk
across the field and never have to touch the ground....
Dan
|
| 54.21 | More Texans at Anteitam | ELMAGO::WRODGERS | I'm the NRA - Sic Semper Tyrannis | Fri Dec 06 1991 14:02 | 12 |
| A soldier in the 1st Texas shouted at his messmate that they
really ought to get out the spot they were in. They were lying
prone in the cornfield. The soldier's messmate said they had to
stay because all the other men in the company were staying put,
and to run would be disgraceful. The first soldier said, "They're
all dead, you d***fool!" and to prove his point, he fired his rifle
into the body of the man next to him. The man never twitched because
he was, indeed, dead. The two fellows skedaddled and lived to write
memoirs.
Wess
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| 54.22 | | CTHQ2::LEARY | busted flat in baton rouge | Fri Jan 03 1992 11:01 | 30 |
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I received a rather large book for Christmas that outlline Civil
War battlefields. It also includes drawings and representations of
various uniforms and battleflags. I found this aspect of the book
much more interesting than the actual battle depictions.
I realize that each state regiment and militia had their own
distinctive uniqueness in uniform but I was amazed at the
divergence of color and style, from the Zouaves to butternut.
There must have been confusion, especially early in the War
when both armies in either theater had similar uniforms.
For example, the Zouave unoiforms of the NY and Penna. regiments
were extremely similar the Louisiana Washington (?) Artillery.
Some other examples: Georgia regiment with dark blue tunics and
sky-blue pants resembling the Union uniform. Or another Georgia
regiment that wore green uniforms similar to the some Federal
Irish regiments. I read of a particular NY regiment (could have been
militia) that wore a full gray uniform with gray kepi cap similar
to the Virginia and North Carolina Conferderate soldier. There was
the Cincinnati Union regiment that also wore gray in an outfit
resembling a West Point cadet. And the 5th Union Indiana regiment
that also wore a gray tunic and pants with red trim that must have
caused some confusion at Shiloh.
Can anyone enlighten further or comment? Thanks
MikeL
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| 54.23 | Rifle or Irish Green? | ELMAGO::WRODGERS | I'm the NRA - Sic Semper Tyrannis | Mon Jan 06 1992 14:30 | 15 |
| re: .22
I don't remember that any Irish regiments wore green uniforms. That
one is new to me. Rifle regiments on both sides - such as the U.S.
Sharpshooters and the Alexandria Rifles - wore dark green uniforms. In
fact, somewhere I read that the color was called "rifle green." The
British Army has a regiment called the "Royal Green Jackets," which was
a rifle regiment formed during the American Revolution.
The uniforms were, indeed, splendid in their variety early in the war.
Cases of mistaken identity were very common: Manassas included at
least two, Wilson's Creek about 5 or 6... There were many others.
Wess
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| 54.24 | Shades of Blue | OGOMTS::RICKER | Lest We Forget, 1861 - 1865 | Wed Jan 08 1992 03:21 | 38 |
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Federal encampments of 1861 and even later were marked by the
greatest diversity of clothing. Almost every conceivable color and
shade was represented. Materials ranged from broadcloth to satinette,
and styles from the outlandish fezzes and bloomers of the Zouaves to
"stiff and old fashioned" suits of ancient militia organizations. In
some regiments each company had a distinctive uniform.
Soldier letters and diaries indicate that gray was a favorite
color among early volunteer units. Indeed, in the first months of the
war gray seems to have been almost as popular in Northern as in
Southern camps. This circumstance led to unfortunate results on more
than one battlefield. At First Manassas the gray-clad soldiers of the
Second Wisconsin were said to have been mistaken for Confederates and
fired on by their comrades, and at Cheat Mountain a similiar
circumstance caused Ohio troops to shoot at soldiers of the Thirteenth
Indiana, killing and wounding several of them.
At Wilson's Creek early in 1862 Louisiana and Arkansas troops were
allowed to maneuver within musket range of Sigel's command because the
opposing troops wore the same color. Three days before Shiloh, Grant
reported that some of his men were "still in gray uniform," owing to
their reluctance to swap the good-quality gray garments for the shoddy
blue dispensed by the quartermasters. Not until the summer of 1862
could the term boys in blue be applied accurately to the Union forces,
and deviations were to be found occasionally until the end of the war.
But many of the early organizations had to go to war in their
gaudy militia regalia. Heavy reliance for initial needs was placed
on women's sewing groups and while the results sometimes were
gratifying, in many cases the handiwork indicated more zeal than skill.
From "The Life of Billy Yank"
By Bell Irvin Wiley
The Alabama Slammer
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| 54.25 | Shades of Gray | OGOMTS::RICKER | Lest We Forget, 1861 - 1865 | Wed Jan 08 1992 05:05 | 77 |
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Volunteer companies did the best they could. Some received issues
of clothing from state authorities, though these were faced with
problems of supply very much like those of the central government.
In not a few instances, regiments went into Confederate service
garbed in the flashy suits which they had worn for parade purposes as
militia organizations. The Orleans Guard Battalion of New Orleans
arrived at Shiloh while the battle was in progress, and went into the
thick of the fight wearing blue dress uniforms. Fellow Rebels mistook
the newcomers for Yankees and began to shoot at them. When the Guards
realized the cause of their plight, they hastily turned their coats
inside out so as to present a whitish color instead of blue; and thus
they went through the battle.
But blue was just one of many colors worn by soldiers of '61 and
'62. The Emerald Guards of Mobile went to Virginia attired in dark
green, a color adopted in honor of old Ireland, the land from which
most of the members came. Captain Patterson's company of East
Tennesseans dressed themselves in suits of yellow to give meaning to
their previously adopted designation of "Yellow Jackets". The
Granville Rifles of North Carolina sported uniforms featuring black
pants and flaming red flannel shirts that must have made easy targets
for Yankees considerably removed. Some of the Maryland companies who
espoused the cause of the Confederacy were clothed in uniforms of
blue and orange.
But most resplendently attired of all were the Louisiana Zouaves
whose trousers were of scarlet cloth, cut in such fashion as to
suggest the term "bloomers" to derisive comrades, belted at the waist
with large blue sashes and bound at the ankles with gaiters of white;
jackets were heavily adorned with varicolored lace; shirts were of
blue, cut low to reveal the sunburnt throats and hirsute chests;
headpieces consisted of fezzes, perched at angles indicating the
jauntiness of the wearers.
These flashy regalia contrasted markedly with other types observed
in the streets of Richmond in the summer of 1861. Here might be seen a
rugged Texan mounted on a high-pommel saddle, attired in homespun gray,
peering disinterestedly from beneath the expansive brim of a western
hat; there a native of the southern Applalachian area, ambling along
in bearskin blouse, nondescript trousers and rawhide leggings.
Occasionally one might encounter "the dirty gray and tarnished silver
of the muddy-complexioned Carolinian; the dingy butternut of the lank,
muscular Georgian, with its green trimming and full shirts; and the
Alabamians from the coast nearly all in blue of a cleaner hue and
neater cut."
Blue trousers, for instance, seem to have been the rare exception
rather than the rule. Certainly the impression derived from soldier
correspondence is that gray was the standard color for trousers as well
as coats, and the impression is corrobated by wartime uniforms on
display in various Confederate museums. But the cadet gray of 1861 and
1862 gradually gave way, as the blockade drove the South to an
increasing dependence on her own resources, to a yellowish brown
resulting from the use of dye made of copperas and walnut hulls. This
peculiar tint was dubbed butternut, and so wide was its use for
uniforms that Confederates soldiers were rather generally referred to
by both Yanks and Southerners as "butternuts."
In a few instances at least, undyed outfits were issued by the
government. The Second Texas Regiment was the recipient of such an
issue a few days before leaving Corinth for Shiloh. When the men
beheld the whitish-looking garments exclamations of the most
unorthodox character went up on every hand such as "Well, I'll be
damn'!" "Don't them things beat hell?" "Do the generals expect us to
be killed and want us to wear our shrouds?" After the battle a Federal
prisoner was said to have inquired: "Who were them hell cats that went
into battle dressed in their graveclothes?"
From "The Life of Johnny Reb"
By Bell Irvin Wiley
The Alabama Slammer
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| 54.26 | New York "Graybacks" | OGOMTS::RICKER | Lest We Forget, 1861 - 1865 | Thu Jan 09 1992 07:14 | 21 |
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The 7th New York State Militia (also called National Guard),
was an old pre-war organization that dated back to 1806, its
membership was composed of the cream of New York City society.
Called the "old graybacks" thanks to their uniforms,
members of the 7th served for seven years, drilled every month and
paid for their own uniforms and equipment. For any young man,
membership in the regiment was distinctly a social plus.
In the crisis after Fort Sumter, the 7th quickly volunteered
to go to the relief of Washington, being one of the first units
to arrive in April 1861. They remained there until late May, when
the immediate crisis abated and they returned to New York.
They were not called "graybacks" for nothing, thier short
shell jackets, pants and kepis were light gray with black trim,
while their other equipment was either black oilcloth or canvas.
They also carried with them a distinctive red blanket
and were armed with a Model 1855 rifle-musket.
The Alabama Slammer
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| 54.27 | Lee's Tigers | OGOMTS::RICKER | Lest We Forget, 1861 - 1865 | Thu Jan 16 1992 03:15 | 57 |
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No one Louisiana unit can be singled out as being responsible for
creating the Tiger's infamous reputation. Major Roberdeau Wheat's 1st
special Battalion is most often cited by historians as being the first
unit nicknamed the "Louisiana Tigers" and of spawning the image
associated with that name. One company in Wheat's Battalion, the Tiger
Rifles, did lend its name to the entire Louisiana infantry, and no one
can doubt that the battalion played a significant role in creating the
reputation that surronded the Tigers.
But it was not Wheat's men who first spread the fear and
apprehension that came to be associated with the Louisiana troops. Two
other Louisiana commands, the 1st Battalion, Louisiana Zouaves
(Coppens' Battalion), and the 14th Louisiana Volunteers, initiated this
image by their wholesale rioting, looting, and robbery. These two units
did more to tarnish the image of Louisiana's soldiers during the first
few months of the war than Wheat's Battalion did during its entire
existence. In creating mayhem, even Wheat's desperadoes could not match
the Irish, Germans, and Creoles of Coppen's Battalion and the 14th
Louisiana Volunteers.
The fierce reputation of the Tigers was well earned, for
Louisiana probably had a higher percentage of criminals, drunkards, and
deserters in its commands than any other Confederate state, probably
because of the great number of poor foreigners who filled the state's
ranks. The Irish and Germans made excellent fighters, but many were
newcomers to America and had little enthusiasm for the war. Thus many
deserted when a chance arose to escape the rigors and danger of
campaigning. Other foreigners who enlisted off the rough New Orleans
waterfront, where drinking, fighting, and thievery were a way of life,
naturally brought their vices with them to the army.
This is not to imply that all of Louisiana's foreign soldiers fell
into this category. The majority did not. Most of the Irish and Germans
were dedicated soldiers who behaved as well as native-born Americans.
Nevertheless, these foreign-dominated units were most often mentioned
in connection with such deviant behavior.
In an effort to glorify the Louisiana troops, some historians only
lightly treat these negative aspects of the Tigers, or else make their
deeds seem more like childish mischief than criminal behavior. Such
apologies are unnecessary. Despite the Tiger's reputation, the
Confederate commanders time and again called on them in the most
desperate situations.
From First Manassas to Appomattox they consistenly played key roles
in the most important campaigns. It was the Louisianians who held back
the initial federal onslaught at First Manassas, made possible General
T.J. "Stonewall" Jackson's famed Valley Campaign, contained the Union
breakthrough at Spotsylvania's Bloody Angle, and led Lee's last
offensive actions at Fort Stedman and Appomattox.
For all their vices, weaknesses, and failings, Lee's Louisiana
Tigers emerged from the Civil War with one of the most respected
military records of any southern fighting unit. The Louisiana Tigers
had once again proven themselves to be the premier shock troops of the
Army of Northern Virginia.
The Alabama Slammer
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| 54.28 | The Colorful 44th New York Regiment | OGOMTS::RICKER | Lest We Forget, 1861 - 1865 | Thu Feb 13 1992 04:17 | 57 |
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Colonel Joshua Chamberlain's 20th Maine may have won the most fame
during the grueling fight for control of Little Round Top, but the
largest regimental monument on the battlefield today commemorates a
brother regiment that fought alongside the 20th Maine that desperate
afternoon - the 44th New York, the "People's Ellsworth Regiment."
The New York regiment was raised to pay tribute to the first Union
martyr, Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, a former law partner of Abraham
Lincoln's who was shot dead after hauling down a Confederate flag in
Alexandria, Va., in May 1861.
Ellsworth had won fame before the Civil War as the founder of the
National Guard Cadets, later renamed the U.S. Zouave Cadets of Chicago,
an organization that he patterned after France's colonial troops, down
to the baggy pants, sashes, short jackets and fezzes worn by French
Zouaves in Algeria.
The Zouave Cadets toured the East the summer before the war,
performing crack drill maneuvers before rapt audiences from New York
City to Washington. When the war began, Ellsworth traveled to New York
to raise a regiment of Union volunteers. Recruiting heavily among the
city's fire departments, he clothed the volunteers in his favored
exotic regalia and dubbed the colorful regiment the 1st New York Fire
Zouaves in honor of their origin. Renamed the 11th New York, the
regiment subsequently saw action at First Bull Run (Manassas).
Following Ellsworth's martyrdom, the state of New York authorized
the organization of a new regiment, the "People's Ellsworth Regiment."
The regiment was to be an elite organization, composed entirely of
unmarried men between the ages of 18 and 30. Each man was to be at
least 5 feet, 8 inches tall and of good moral character; recruits were
raised from each town or ward of the state, and each recruit had to
personally contribute $20 to the regimental fund. Many of the
regiment's officers transferred over from the Fire Zouaves.
At Little Round Top, fighting alongside the 20th maine, the New
Yorkers picked up 90 Rebel prisoners following the melee on the ledges.
( A 91st prisoner fell before Captain Nathanial Husted, shot from
behind by one of his fellow Confederates. ) Another regimental captain,
Lucius S. Larrabee, a former Fire Zouave, was himself fatally wounded
in the fighting after having told two fellow officers that he had a
premonition he would die that day.
The commander of the 44th at Little Round Top, Colonel James C.
Rice, was later promoted to brigadier general. Rice was fatally
wounded 10 months later at the Battle of Spotsylvania. His last
thoughts were of his old regiment. With his dying breath, Rice asked:
"Tell the 44th I am done fighting. Turn me over and let me die with
my face to the enemy."
Today, the memorial to the 44th New York stands at the southern
end of Little Round Top's crest, the largest regimental monument at
Gettysburg.
The Alabama Slammer
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| 54.29 | | RAVEN1::WATKINS | | Fri Feb 21 1992 19:29 | 11 |
| When I was in the Army I was in the 2nd Inf. Our flag had battle
ribbons for all the battles fought by the Army of the Potmac (sp).
What was interesting is that my great grandfather fought against that
same unit at Gettysburg, my great grandfather was in a North Carolina
unit of the ANV.
Marshall
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| 54.30 | rebel leathernecks | JUPITR::ZAFFINO | | Mon Mar 02 1992 05:36 | 7 |
| I just recently learned that there was a Confederate States Marine
Corps. Can anyone tell us anything about them? Organization, service
records, muster dates, uniforms, etc. Given the size, state, and
function of the Confederate Navy I didn't know that a Marine Corps
was ever even considered.
Ziff
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| 54.31 | The Confederate Marine Corps. | STRATA::RUDMAN | Always the Black Knight. | Tue Apr 14 1992 14:52 | 37 |
| Not much detail is known about the Confederate Marines, as the
largest collection of marine records was destroyed in a fire at
the home of Marine Commandant Col. Lloyd J. Beall.
Authorized early in the war, the Confederacy had lofty intentions of
building a large force. On May 9, 1861, 2000 marine uniforms were
ordered from an British firm, but the South never had enough men to
fill them. Like the regular navy, there weren't many enlistees
interested in a war at sea. Men volunteered for the army, for that
was where the glory was; besides, there was only a small number of
Southern sailors to begin with.
By October 30, 1864, the marines numbered 539, of which 62 were POWs
and 32 were trainees.
Confederate Marines served on almost every warship that roamed the
seas, and also took part in engagements on inland waters. (Twenty
marines served aboard the CSS Savannah during her brief 1861 career
as a commerce-raider.)
The largest Confederate Marine unit in action was the 55 officers
and men who helped serve the guns of the CSS Virginia at Hampton
Roads, Va., in March of 1862, against Federal wooden gunboats and
the ironclad Monitor.
After the Virginia was burned/blown up to avoid capture on May 11,
the marines went to Drewry's Bluff to man the shore batteries there.
This same outfit marched with Robert E. Lee in April of 1865 when
Richmond was evacuated, and fought in the April 6 Battle of Sayler's
Creek.
There are a few books out on the subject, with more information
than I'm offering here, but nothing as comprehensive as has been
published about the Confederate Army & Navy.
Don
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