11th Mississippi at the Brian Farm

Gettysburg Greg

First Sergeant
Joined
Jun 6, 2010
Location
Decatur, Illinois
The 11th Mississippi Memorial Association commissioned Artist Dale Gallon to portray the regiment during the PPT Charge. Gallon chose to show the regiment during the last moments of the charge as they made their final push towards the Brian farm. Today, you can find the 11th's advance monument next to the Brian barn at the wall. Here is the painting compared to a modern view along with my photograph of the advance marker near the Brian barn.
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Very nice. I read that Gallon was commissioned by the Mississippi Memorial association as a fundraiser for their monuments. I forgot that this monument was set in 2000.


I love the company names of the 11th Mississippi!

11th Mississippi Regiment
Company A – University Greys
Layfayette County – 1st Lt. Jonathan V. Moore
Company B – Coahoma Invincibles
Coahoma County – Capt. William D. Nunn
Company C – Prairie Rifles
Chickasaw County – Capt. George W. Shannon
Company D – Neshoba Rifles
Neshoba County – Capt. Jonathan R. Prince
Company E – Prairie Guards
Lowndes County – Capt. Henry P. Halpert
Company F – Noxubee Rifles
Noxubee County – Capt. Thomas J. Stokes
Company G – Lamar Rifles
Lafayette County – Capt. William O. Nelms
Company H – Chickasaw Guards
Chickasaw County – Capt. Jamison H. Moore
Company I – Van Dorn Reserve
Monroe County – Capt. Stephen C. Moore
Company K – Carroll County Rifles
Carroll County – Capt. George W. Bird, Jr.
 
Thanks @EarnieMac for reminding us of their 100% casualty rate during PPT's charge. That is an amazing statistic.
The "University Greys" were former Ole Miss students who withdrew from college to fight for the Confederacy.

Out of the 139 Ole Miss students enrolled, 135 left the school on May 4 to enlist with the Confederacy to fight in the Civil War. With such a mass exodus of students, the University was forced to temporarily close its doors.

Below is a very moving story. Please take a minute to read it.

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It wasn't just the University Greys that suffered. The Civil War in the East website has a page about the 11th Mississippi that indicates the regiment suffered 340 casualties out of 393 combatants, a rate of 86%.


Did that site specify the details of the 86% casualties? I pay attention to casualty percentages and I have never seen 86% for the 11th Ms.

JD Petruzzi and Stevan Stanley's Gettysburg Campaign in Numbers and Losses shows a 52.7% casualty rate.
592 total size with 102 killed, 168 wounded and 42 missing. That results is 312 casualties which is 52.7% casualty rate.

Maybe that CW of the East site is detailing non Gettysburg actions.


I have seen the list below showing the highest casualty %'s by regiment in the CW. I have never seen the 11th Ms that high. But lists can be wrong as Petruzzi's book has the 26th NC Gettysburg losses at 81.9% and they are not found below.

Regiment Battle Strength Per Cent
1st Texas, CSA Antietam 226 82.3
1st Minnesota, US Gettysburg 262 82
21st Georgia, CSA Manassas 242 76
141st Pennsylvania, US Gettysburg 198 75.7
101st New York, US Manassas 168 73.8
6th Mississippi, CSA Shiloh 425 70.5
25th Massachusetts, US Cold Harbor 310 70
36th Wisconsin, US Bethesda Church 240 69
20th Massachusetts, US Fredericksburg 238 68.4
8th Tennessee, CSA Stone's River 444 68.7
10th Tennessee, CSA Chickamauga 328 68
8th Vermont, US Cedar Creek 156 67.9
Palmetto Sharpshooters, CSA Frayser's Farm 215 67.7
81st Pennsylvania, US Fredericksburg 261 67.4
 
The site mentions combatants - I'm supposing a company or so may have been detached for other duties. Otherwise the 11th would have headed the casualty percentage.
 
Baxter McFarland wrote an article about the 11th Mississippi at Gettysburg in 1906, with some statistics:
-Company C went into battle with 4 officers and 25 enlisted men, and had 9 killed, 12 wounded and 4 captured unwounded, leaving 4 who escaped untouched.
-Company D had a total of 55 in the battle, and lost 15 killed, 26 wounded, 5 captured unwounded, leaving 9 who escaped untouched.
-Company E took in 37 and had 15 killed, 20 wounded, 1 captured unwounded, leaving 1 who escaped unwounded.
-Company F took in 34 and had 9 killed, 17 wounded, 4 captured unwounded, leaving 4 who escaped unwounded.
-Company G, serving as skirmishers, took in 2 officers, 22 men and had 4 killed, 8 wounded, 10 captured unwounded.
-Company H took in 37 and had 12 killed, 16 wounded, 5 captured unwounded, leaving 4 who escaped unwounded.
-Company I took in 45 and had 14 killed, 25 wounded, 3 captured unwounded, leaving 3 who escaped unwounded.
-Company K took in 39 and had 9 killed, 20 wounded and 3 captured unwounded, leaving 7 who escaped unwounded.

In a July 26 letter from H. Q. Bridges to Mrs. V. G. Armistead, he writes that Company A had 31 present and had 14 killed and 17 wounded. (Company A was the far right company during the advance.)

Capt. W. C. Hearn wrote that Company E entered the battle with 39 and had 16 killed, 22 wounded.

Another source reports the regiment had 389 combatants and lost 110 killed or mortally wounded, 191 wounded and captured, and 38 captured unwounded, which would leave 50 who escaped unwounded, for a loss of 87.1 percent.

A Confederate Veteran article indicates the regiment went in with 22 officers, 446 men and only 2 officers, 9o men came out unscathed, which represents a loss of 80.3 percent.

Busey and Martin show the regiment had 40 officers and 552 men engaged, and lost 102 killed, 168 wounded, 42 missing, for a percentage loss of 52.7 percent.

You must remember that non-combatants comprised roughly 15 percent of every regiment, which applied to Busey and Martin's numbers would mean 89 men, leaving 503 combatants, which would raise the percentage lost in combat to 62 percent.

However, this is one of the rare instances where I think Busey and Martin is way off. My own estimate of the regiment 's initial battle strength (combatants only) is 35 officers, 334 men, and I calculate they came out with 2 officers, 40 men unscathed, for a loss of 88.6 percent. But if you add the non-combatants - 65 in this case - the total strength of the regiment at Gettysburg would be 434 officers and men. Then the percentage loss drops to 75.3 percent.
 
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My list of college alumni in the 11th Mississippi who were at Gettysburg:

-John Tyler W. Hairston, Major, E/11 MS, Division Provost Marshal, University of Virginia, 1830-1831
-William Thomas Magruder, Capt., 11 MS, Asst Adj Gen to Davis, U.S. Military Academy West Point, grad. 1850

-Francis Marion Green, Colonel, reportedly University of Mississippi student in 1861
-Reuben Oscar Reynolds, Major, Franklin College, graduated 1851
-John Joseph Evans, I, Acting Adjutant, Georgia Military Institute, 1858-1859; Western Military Inst., 1860-1861
-John Vincent Moore, Captain, A, University of Mississippi, 1860-1861
-Andrew Jackson Baker, Lieutenant, A, University of Mississippi, 1860-1861
-Hugh Q. Bridges, Private, A, University of Mississippi, 1858-1861
-Richard Catchings Bridges, Private, A, University of Mississippi, Law Department, 1859-1861
-William Hunter Cochran, Private, A, University of Mississippi, 1858-1861
-Jeremiah Saunders Gage, A, University of Mississippi, 1860, A.B.; Law Department, 1860-1861
-Calvin Richard Myers, A, University of Mississippi, graduated 1860
-George M. Lusher, 2nd Lieutenant, C, University of North Carolina, graduated 1857
-Henry Petty Halbert, Captain, E, University of Nashville, 1856–1857; Southwestern Baptist University, 1857–1859
-John Calvin Love, Private, E, Davidson College, graduated 1860
-Henry Gore Fernandez, 1st Lieutenant, G, University of Mississippi, graduated 1861
-James Henry Howry, 4th Sergeant, G, University of Mississippi, 1859-1861
-James Oscar Eades, 1st Sergeant, G, University of Mississippi, attended 1855-
-James Franklin Dooley, Private, G, University of Mississippi, 1858-1861
-Robert Johnston Gilmer, Private, G, University of Mississippi, graduated 1858
-Armead Price, Private, G, University of Mississippi, Law Department, –1861
-Jamison H. Moore, Captain, H, Georgia Military Institute, graduated 1859
-William Alexander Barton, Private, H, University of Mississippi, 1860-1861
-James Beckett Gladney, Private, I, University of Mississippi, 1855–
-William Harrison Lile, Private, I, University of Mississippi, 1855–
-Beverly Daniel Young, Private, I, University of Mississippi, graduated 1851
-Alexander Linnier Kimbrough, 1st Sergeant, K, University of Mississippi, graduated 1857
-Robert H. Hicks, Private, K, detailed as musician in band, Florence Wesleyan University, attended
 
Baxter McFarland wrote an article about the 11th Mississippi at Gettysburg in 1906, with some statistics:
-Company C went into battle with 4 officers and 25 enlisted men, and had 9 killed, 12 wounded and 4 captured unwounded, leaving 4 who escaped untouched.
-Company D had a total of 55 in the battle, and lost 15 killed, 26 wounded, 5 captured unwounded, leaving 9 who escaped untouched.
-Company E took in 37 and had 15 killed, 20 wounded, 1 captured unwounded, leaving 1 who escaped unwounded.
-Company F took in 34 and had 9 killed, 17 wounded, 4 captured unwounded, leaving 4 who escaped unwounded.
-Company G, serving as skirmishers, took in 2 officers, 22 men and had 4 killed, 8 wounded, 10 captured unwounded.
-Company H took in 37 and had 12 killed, 16 wounded, 5 captured unwounded, leaving 4 who escaped unwounded.
-Company I took in 45 and had 14 killed, 25 wounded, 3 captured unwounded, leaving 3 who escaped unwounded.
-Company K took in 39 and had 9 killed, 20 wounded and 3 captured unwounded, leaving 7 who escaped unwounded.

In a July 26 letter from H. Q. Bridges to Mrs. V. G. Armistead, he writes that Company A had 31 present and had 14 killed and 17 wounded. (Company A was the far right company during the advance.)

Capt. W. C. Hearn wrote that Company E entered the battle with 39 and had 16 killed, 22 wounded.

Another source reports the regiment had 389 combatants and lost 110 killed or mortally wounded, 191 wounded and captured, and 38 captured unwounded, which would leave 50 who escaped unwounded, for a loss of 87.1 percent.

A Confederate Veteran article indicates the regiment went in with 22 officers, 446 men and only 2 officers, 9o men came out unscathed, which represents a loss of 80.3 percent.

Busey and Martin show the regiment had 40 officers and 552 men engaged, and lost 102 killed, 168 wounded, 42 missing, for a percentage loss of 52.7 percent.

You must remember that non-combatants comprised roughly 15 percent of every regiment, which applied to Busey and Martin's numbers would mean 89 men, leaving 503 combatants, which would raise the percentage lost in combat to 62 percent.

However, this is one of the rare instances where I think Busey and Martin is way off. My own estimate of the regiment 's initial battle strength (combatants only) is 35 officers, 334 men, and I calculate they came out with 2 officers, 40 men unscathed, for a loss of 88.6 percent. But if you add the non-combatants - 65 in this case - the total strength of the regiment at Gettysburg would be 434 officers and men. Then the percentage loss drops to 75.3 percent.

Of these numbers, how many do you figure were lost on July 1st, Tom?

Ryan
 
I have seen the list below showing the highest casualty %'s by regiment in the CW. I have never seen the 11th Ms that high. But lists can be wrong as Petruzzi's book has the 26th NC Gettysburg losses at 81.9% and they are not found below.

Regiment Battle Strength Per Cent
1st Texas, CSA Antietam 226 82.3
1st Minnesota, US Gettysburg 262 82
21st Georgia, CSA Manassas 242 76
141st Pennsylvania, US Gettysburg 198 75.7
101st New York, US Manassas 168 73.8
6th Mississippi, CSA Shiloh 425 70.5
25th Massachusetts, US Cold Harbor 310 70
36th Wisconsin, US Bethesda Church 240 69
20th Massachusetts, US Fredericksburg 238 68.4
8th Tennessee, CSA Stone's River 444 68.7
10th Tennessee, CSA Chickamauga 328 68
8th Vermont, US Cedar Creek 156 67.9
Palmetto Sharpshooters, CSA Frayser's Farm 215 67.7
81st Pennsylvania, US Fredericksburg 261 67.4
It looks like that list is from Fox's Regimental Losses, which is missing a number of regiments.

Sorry to go off topic, but as another example of how casualties can vary based on those present vs. engaged: at Antietam the 1st Texas Infantry had an effective strength of 226 men; however, only 211 men were engaged that day. A letter by the colonel states that two men from each of the twelve companies were were sent to the rear to prepare rations for the regiment that morning; only nine returned before they were engaged, leaving fifteen men out of action. So if one takes that into account then the 1st Texas actually suffered a casualty rate of 88% killed and wounded. There were also two companies in First that suffered 100% losses.
 
Great detail Tom.

I have always used Gettysburg Campaign Numbers and Losses as my "bible" for Gettysburg casualties. The Busey and Martin numbers in Tom's post agrees with the numbers stated in the Gettysburg Campaign Numbers and Losses book for the 11th Ms.

ErnieMac's Numbers agree to the Numbers stated on the 11th Mississippi's Gettysburg monument. 340 casualties out of 393.

From their Gettysburg monument:
Combatants – 393
Killed in action/died of wounds – 110
Wounded/wounded captured – 193
Captured unwounded – 37
Non-casualty – 53


As a retired accountant and Steel Company plant manager, I have always relied heavily on accurate data for my decision making. I must now put an asterisk beside any CW casualty figures I state as there is wiggle room on all numbers. I guess I knew that already.

If this weather ever breaks, I am taking 2 guys on a Gettysburg romp. I planned to focus on Cavalry, artillery, rock carvings and in regiments that had high casualty rates. So in preparation for that trip, I recapped several of the highest casualty regimental statistics. Guess what, I didn't include this regiment in my list. I now need to include the 11th Mississippi in that carnage discussion.

Tom, in your opinion should casualty percentages be shown for "participants" only?

Fascinating route Greg's post has taken. I now must start reconciling statistics in the subject book to stats posted on monuments.

Thanks ErnieMac and Tom. Very helpful.

Aug351, thanks for your post as well. I read it after I posted mine.
 
Personally, if the metric is battle casualties, I think non-combatants should be excluded. However, the issue is complicated by the fact that a fair share of non-combatants also suffered incidental losses from their proximity to the battlefield, as well as a risk of being captured, such as forage expeditions by enemy cavalry, or being intentionally left behind to care for the wounded.

On a discussion of casualties during the July 3 charge, how many were struck down in the preliminary artillery bombardment, versus in the charge itself, and were any struck down by artillery during the retreat. At least in the case of the 11th Mississippi, July 1 losses don't have to be considered, since they were guarding the wagon train that day. Here is my list of identified casualties in the regiment, which is very incomplete since I have not gone through individual service records for this unit. (K stands for killed, MW for mortally wounded, W for wounded, GS for gunshot, A for artillery)

-Belton, W. H., Capt, E, W ball passed through jaw and roof of mouth (GS)
-Bridges, Hugh S., Pvt, A, W severely in head by a minie bullet during charge upon enemy’s stone wall breastworks, treated at field hospital on Seminary Ridge (GS)
-Bridges, Richard C., Pvt, A, W very small fragment of shell just below knee and penetrated leg about an inch (A)
-Burnett, L., Cpl, W gunshot wound of breast and/or shell wound below left clavicle (GS/A)
-Featherstone, Daniel “Dan,” Lt, F, K shell struck ground near head and in ricochet entered his breast and exploded, threw his body at least 10 feet high and not less than 20 feet from where he was lying, his head was split wide open (A)
-Gage, Jeremiah S., MW during cannonade when a “24 pounder” shell exploded, one fragment almost tearing away his left arm from the socket, another fragment hitting him in the abdomen which carried away the bladder, much intestine and third of the right half of the pelvis, but grinding and twisting the tissue that there was no hemorrhage (A)
-Gladney, James B., Pvt, I, W gunshot right arm, captured (GS)
-Griffin, James M., H, W severely foot by fragment of shell from Cemetery Hill (A)
-Huckaby, Leander, W right thigh fractured by grape shot (A)
-King, Joseph L., Pvt, I, W ball entered left groin and emerged below right hip joint (GS)
-Lusher, George, 2Lt, C, W gunshot hip (GS)
-Mims, John R., Pvt, E, W minie ball through abdomen and exited, died 12 Mar ’64 (GS)
-Wilson, Hugh W., D, clothing pierced by 13 bullet holes but unhurt (not counted as a casualty)
-Young, Beverly D., Pvt, I, MW gunshot, died August 29 (GS)
 
Great detail Tom.

I have always used Gettysburg Campaign Numbers and Losses as my "bible" for Gettysburg casualties. The Busey and Martin numbers in Tom's post agrees with the numbers stated in the Gettysburg Campaign Numbers and Losses book for the 11th Ms.

ErnieMac's Numbers agree to the Numbers stated on the 11th Mississippi's Gettysburg monument. 340 casualties out of 393.

From their Gettysburg monument:
Combatants – 393
Killed in action/died of wounds – 110
Wounded/wounded captured – 193
Captured unwounded – 37
Non-casualty – 53


As a retired accountant and Steel Company plant manager, I have always relied heavily on accurate data for my decision making. I must now put an asterisk beside any CW casualty figures I state as there is wiggle room on all numbers. I guess I knew that already.

If this weather ever breaks, I am taking 2 guys on a Gettysburg romp. I planned to focus on Cavalry, artillery, rock carvings and in regiments that had high casualty rates. So in preparation for that trip, I recapped several of the highest casualty regimental statistics. Guess what, I didn't include this regiment in my list. I now need to include the 11th Mississippi in that carnage discussion.

Tom, in your opinion should casualty percentages be shown for "participants" only?

Fascinating route Greg's post has taken. I now must start reconciling statistics in the subject book to stats posted on monuments.

Thanks ErnieMac and Tom. Very helpful.

Aug351, thanks for your post as well. I read it after I posted mine.

That's right. I was thinking about the 2nd and not the 11th.

Ryan
 
Great detail Tom.

I have always used Gettysburg Campaign Numbers and Losses as my "bible" for Gettysburg casualties. The Busey and Martin numbers in Tom's post agrees with the numbers stated in the Gettysburg Campaign Numbers and Losses book for the 11th Ms.

ErnieMac's Numbers agree to the Numbers stated on the 11th Mississippi's Gettysburg monument. 340 casualties out of 393.

From their Gettysburg monument:
Combatants – 393
Killed in action/died of wounds – 110
Wounded/wounded captured – 193
Captured unwounded – 37
Non-casualty – 53


As a retired accountant and Steel Company plant manager, I have always relied heavily on accurate data for my decision making. I must now put an asterisk beside any CW casualty figures I state as there is wiggle room on all numbers. I guess I knew that already.

If this weather ever breaks, I am taking 2 guys on a Gettysburg romp. I planned to focus on Cavalry, artillery, rock carvings and in regiments that had high casualty rates. So in preparation for that trip, I recapped several of the highest casualty regimental statistics. Guess what, I didn't include this regiment in my list. I now need to include the 11th Mississippi in that carnage discussion.

Tom, in your opinion should casualty percentages be shown for "participants" only?

Fascinating route Greg's post has taken. I now must start reconciling statistics in the subject book to stats posted on monuments.

Thanks ErnieMac and Tom. Very helpful.

Aug351, thanks for your post as well. I read it after I posted mine.

Confederate numbers in general, for a number of reasons, are almost always best guesses. Which is why I usually add "around", "about", or "approximately". It gets the idea across but shows that the numbers just can't be known exactly.

Ryan
 
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