Reputation of each States soldiers?

[Al Murray]

But at the same time, the Western men seemed to have some sort of roughness about them that wasn't always present among the Eastern troops.

'
Could it be that they had been or were still on the frontier? Western Virginians could be h++l during the Indian wars when they were on the frontier. If a guy grew up fighting Indians in Texas he might be a little meaner than a guy who grew up on a farm in the east in peace?

 

[M.Warren]

Tar Heels since they didn't run in battle (probably predates the war but it has been applied to this instance).

I think it held true through the Civil War also. The 26th NC is the first to come to mind. The Iron Brigade (specifically the 24th Michigan) on McPherson's Ridge on the 1st of July 1863 would probably agree. Along with the Union soldiers defending "The angle" during the Pettigrew-Trimble-Pickett Assault against the center of the Federal line on Cemetery Hill, on the 3rd of July. Then again at Wilderness, and Petersburg and survived to be present at Appomattox for Lee's surrender. I have to say in my humble opinion, any man from any state, willing to fight in the hell that was the ACW was a brave man without question.

 

[AUG]

'
Could it be that they had been or were still on the frontier? Western Virginians could be h++l during the Indian wars when they were on the frontier. If a guy grew up fighting Indians in Texas he might be a little meaner than a guy who grew up on a farm in the east in peace?

That's kinda where I was going. I'm really trying not to generalize here, but yes, Texas or Arkansas could be a rough place to live at the time.

 

[TinCan]

Don't forget the 18th Georgia!!! (My shameless plug every time the Texas Brigade is mentioned)

Not to worry chattahooch, there can never be any mention of the Texas Brigade without the inclusion of the 18th Georgia and the 3rd Arkansas!

 

[johan_steele]

Every state had Regiments that were stellar and every state had a few that were nothing short of an embarrasment. No one state can claim perfection because perfection doen't exist.

 

[rhettbutler1865]

That's kinda where I was going. I'm really trying not to generalize here, but yes, Texas or Arkansas could be a rough place to live at the time.

And Minnesota had the Sioux killing settlers..hence one of my grgrandpas in the 1st Minnesota (Mounted Rangers) Cavalry...

 

[zeke]

I submit that courage knew no geography. Whatever motivated men on either side, I salute their bravery, and their willingness to die for their cause.

 

[Patrick H]

I think my home state of Missouri had units of particularly good reputation on both sides of the conflict. Then, of course, we had units which earned a high degree of infamy on each side. However, I can't think of a quote which sums all of this up for Missouri. It's somewhat complicated in our history.

 

[Silverfox]

Another angle on the above I have always wondered about was if General Lee was too much the gentleman----I have heard that Stonewall had proposed to march North and burn cities in an effort to end the war but Lee would not approve the action.(Do not know if this is true proposal from Stonewall). Union commanders did not have any problems with similar actions. Should Lee have turned up the heat when he could? Would it have made any difference in the long run? Did Stonewall's regiments have more get up and go to win as many times as they did with the odds against them? Could they have marched North and avoided a Gettysburg type event?

We will of course never know and speculation is speculation----But Stonewall's men were from many states. How did he accomplish such success----Should he have had Lee's job?

 

[leftyhunter]

Tar Heels since they didn't run in battle (probably predates the war but it has been applied to this instance).

Plenty of Nc Confederate troops deserted and some joined the Union Army or became Unionist guerrillas . I hate stereotypes . Different people do different things.
Leftyhunter

 

[unionblue]

There was a saying I made up while in the US Army.

"If you can't take a joke, then don't wear the uniform."

 

[Pat Young]

There was a saying I made up while in the US Army.

"If you can't take a joke, then don't wear the uniform."

That's an option?

 

[unionblue]

That's an option?

Not if one freely enlisted, you just had to suck it up.

However, there was another option exercised by a Private Farley after the Civil War during the Indian Campaigns.

Private Farley was assigned to a bleak, desolate Army post on the frontier when his commanding officer noticed some strange behavior from him.

Farley would often stand in the middle of the fort with a fishing line and hook, casting it out into the dirt, reeling it in and constantly muttering about not catching anything. This went on for weeks until finally the Army surgeon and commanding officer judged him insane and gave him a medical discharge.

On the day of his discharge, Farley was walking out of the fort, his discharge papers in hand when his commanding officer saw him. "Farley," he called, "why aren't you out fishing today?" Farley, waving his discharge papers, gleefully replied, "Because I have finally caught what I was fishing for the whole time!"

There are always options.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

 

[JerseyBart]

Remember you are Jerseymen.

 

[sflickinger]

Well part of it, for me, is simply personal preference, coming from Texas. I don't mean to say troops from those states were tougher as a whole in comparison to the Easterners; I can think of numerous Eastern regiments and brigades in the AoP and ANV that fought just as well as those in the west. But at the same time, the Western men seemed to have some sort of roughness about them that wasn't always present among the Eastern troops.

Additionally, Western troops who served in the East often seemed to have gained a good reputation, such as the Texas Brigade, Iron Brigade, 1st Louisiana Brigade, Barksdale's Mississippi Brigade, etc.

I'll go along with what seems a well-earned reputation for the toughness of Western troops. In a Sherman biography I read, he was particularly anxious to show off his troops to those Easterners and to impress them with his troops military bearing at the Grand Review. What struck most observers was the general size differential of the Westerners over the Easterners. My GG-grandfather was 5-11, much larger than normal for those times. I think it was the "frontier" lifestyle. As an aside, my GG-grandfather, after being wounded twice, also survived a bout of typhoid fever. Glad he made it.

 

[AUG]

I'll go along with what seems a well-earned reputation for the toughness of Western troops. In a Sherman biography I read, he was particularly anxious to show off his troops to those Easterners and to impress them with his troops military bearing at the Grand Review. What struck most observers was the general size differential of the Westerners over the Easterners. My GG-grandfather was 5-11, much larger than normal for those times. I think it was the "frontier" lifestyle. As an aside, my GG-grandfather, after being wounded twice, also survived a bout of typhoid fever. Glad he made it.

Those 'Western Feds' of the Army of the Cumberland, Army of the Tennessee, etc. were a tough bunch. Some of the Confederates in the AoT liked to claim that they were dealing with a tougher foe than the ANV was in the East. May or may not be true, but obviously they had a great record.

Reminds me of a qoute from Joseph B. Polley's history of the Texas Brigade, in which he recounts a straggler at Chickamauga, an AoT Confederate, who was walking through their lines shouting, "You fellers'll catch hell in thar…them fellers out thar you ar goin' up agin, ain't none of the blue-bellied, white-livered Yanks an' sassidge-eatin' forrin hirelin's you have in Virginny that'll run at the snap of a cap—they are Western fellers, an they'll mighty quick give you a bellyful o' fightin" - Hood's Texas brigade by J. B. Polley, pg. 209

 

[BillO]

Those 'Western Feds' of the Army of the Cumberland, Army of the Tennessee, etc. were a tough bunch. Some of the Confederates in the AoT liked to claim that they were dealing with a tougher foe than the ANV was in the East. May or may not be true, but obviously they had a great record.

Reminds me of a qoute from Joseph B. Polley's history of the Texas Brigade, in which he recounts a straggler at Chickamauga, an AoT Confederate, who was walking through their lines shouting, "You fellers'll catch hell in thar…them fellers out thar you ar goin' up agin, ain't none of the blue-bellied, white-livered Yanks an' sassidge-eatin' forrin hirelin's you have in Virginny that'll run at the snap of a cap—they are Western fellers, an they'll mighty quick give you a bellyful o' fightin" - Hood's Texas brigade by J. B. Polley, pg. 209

And that was just before them western fellers found out what happens when the Virginians get their blood up. Sorry but I couldn't resist.

 

[1950lemans]

I'm glad this thread was started because I am very unknowledgeable about state regiments. The state I'm interested in is SC. I never hear any "great" regiments from that state. Are there any? Why not? If there are a couple what would they be?
Thanks.

 

[AndyHall]

I have read that the Texas Brigade and the Stonewall Brigade were the shock troops of the Army of Northern Virginia. That, to me, would indicate that they were pretty good.

Lee reportedly said, "the Texans always move them." Plainly stated, but all the more elegant in its simplicity.

 

[AUG]

And that was just before them western fellers found out what happens when the Virginians get their blood up. Sorry but I couldn't resist.

Well, Hood's Texans and Arkansans in this case

I'm glad this thread was started because I am very unknowledgeable about state regiments. The state I'm interested in is SC. I never hear any "great" regiments from that state. Are there any? Why not? If there are a couple what would they be?
Thanks.

Yes, quite a few. Those of Joseph B. Kershaw's, Micah Jenkins', and Maxcy Gregg's Brigades were some of the most renown.