Trivia 2-7-17 Big Losses

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Ranks went down like grass before the scythe"

The shattered remains of the Iron Brigade filed quickly behind a barricade of rails erected on Seminary Ridge and awaited the next assault from the Confederates. Captain Albert Edwards, now in command of the 24th Michigan, began to quickly look for the regiment's missing flag. After a few desperate moments, Edwards would find the tattered flag held in the arms of a dying soldier lying inside the barricade.

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The tattered remains of the 24th Michigan's National colors (Peter Glendinning, Photographer - Michigan Capitol Committee)
Despite suffering heavy losses of their own, the North Carolinians reformed and charged the Union positions on Seminary Ridge. As the Tarheels began their climb up the hill, the Federal soldiers and artillery held their fire. Waiting for the optimal chance to strike their enemy, the Union line unleashed a devastating fire that drove back the Confederate attackers. The hard-pressed Union soldiers would hold off one more attack, but it was becoming increasingly clear that this position too would need to be abandoned.

With both flanks heavily pressed, the survivors of the 24th Michigan would join the rest of their Iron Brigade brothers in a fighting retreat back through town and onto the relative safety of Cemetery Hill.

The fight between the 24th Michigan and the 26th North Carolina proved to be the bloodiest regimental engagement of the bloodiest Civil War battle. The 24th Michigan and the 26th North Carolina each suffered the greatest number of regimental casualties in their respective armies at Gettysburg. The 26th North Carolina entered the battle with 843 soldiers and incurred 687 casualties, including its colonel and lieutenant colonel. The 24th Michigan would lose 363 of their 496 soldiers at Gettysburg - a staggering 73% casualty rate. These two units suffered more casualties than any other regiments in their respective armies

Despite suffering enormous casualties on July 1st, both the 24th Michigan and 26th North Carolina would see even more combat later in the three day battle. The 24th Michigan was moved to Culp's Hill - the Union's vulnerable right flank - to help shore up that critical position. The 26th North Carolina, as part of Pettigrew's Brigade, participated in the fateful Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble charge against Cemetery Ridge on July 3, 1863.

Special Thanks
The Civil War Trust would like to thank the following institutions for their approval in allowing us to use images from their collections in this historical article.

Edit - William G., I edited your Feb. 3 answer and explained that I do not want players to give me answers consisting entirely of long articles with nothing highlighted. However, I see that my edit was posted after 9 PM Tuesday evening, while your answer to this question was posted before 1 PM that day, so you hadn't had the chance to see my edit.

So I will give you credit for a correct answer to this question, but be advised that this is the last time that I will do so. From now on, please either state your answer up front, before providing a long article in support of that answer, or highlight the appropriate information within the article.

Hoosier
 
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