Just curious

[bankerpapaw]

Which Union outfit saw the most action and which Confederate saw the most action during the
war?

 

[Lazy Bayou]

I don't know about the Union and am not too sure about the Confederates but I would say that THAT GUY saw more action than the average soldier.

 

[Samuel.Sohm]

Not sure, but I think the 6th Wisconsin should definitely be in the running.

 

[Nathanb1]

Which Union outfit saw the most action and which Confederate saw the most action during the
war?

The Texas Brigade was mighty busy. But I do believe we had this discussion quite some time ago.....and it wasn't them. But my failing memory prevents me from finding that thread.

 

[ole]

With a whole bunch of them seeing action in every battle, it would be extremely difficult to figure out which saw the most action. I'm not even going to guess.

 

[AUG]

Depends whether you're talking about "action" meaning battles or meaning who saw the fiercest combat, or both. For the Eastern theater, I would say the Texas Brigade, Irish Brigade, Western Iron Brigade, Stonewall's Brigade, Hay's Louisiana Brigade, and those are just a few. For the Western theater, Maney's Tennessee Brigade, Cockrell's Missouri Brigade, and Granbury's Texas Brigade. All of these saw most of the major battles of their theater and were always in some of the thickest of the fighting. Some had a casualty rate of over 100% throughout the war.

 

[Rob9641]

The First Minnesota was the only Minnesota regiment in the east, and they were out in front in the biggest battles - hung out to dry near the Dunker Church at Antietam, totally shredded at Gettysburg plugging the gap in the middle on Day 2. If we go by casualty count, they were among the hardest hit (if not THE hardest) of the Union regiments.

The First Texas took the hardest beating for the CSA, at Antietam.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

I'm going to raise my hand, not for the terribly arguable most active but at least for an inclusion in the Top 100's list, for the 50th PA. Lincoln tagged them ' Old Reliable ', invited them to the Gettysburg dedication, although they were seiging Vicksburg in early July that year, not anywhere near Gettysburg. Their record post-1863 is just as bloody all the way to Appomattox, to the point I have no idea on the planet why I'm even here, except my grgrgrandfather had the good fortune to be wounded 'only' on the arm at Spotsylvania, took him out for a few months.

 

[1SGDan]

Judged by casualty count the 5th New Hampshire would definitely be in the running on the Union side. They served through the Peninsula Campaign, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, were reconstituted and returned to action at Cold Harbor and the latter stages of the Overland Campaign. They lost their last soldier at Farmville.

 

[ErnieMac]

Give consideration to the regiments Louisana Brigades in the ANV and the Pennsylvania Reserves in the AoP.

 

[AUG]

The First Minnesota was the only Minnesota regiment in the east, and they were out in front in the biggest battles - hung out to dry near the Dunker Church at Antietam, totally shredded at Gettysburg plugging the gap in the middle on Day 2. If we go by casualty count, they were among the hardest hit (if not THE hardest) of the Union regiments.

The First Texas took the hardest beating for the CSA, at Antietam.

Yes, I believe the 1st Minnesota, at Gettysburg, had a higher casualty percentage than any other American regiment in history, 83% just on July 2, losing 215 out of 262. They lost an additional 17 men on July 3 with the remaining 47 men holding Cemetery Ridge.

 

[ole]

Yes, I believe the 1st Minnesota, at Gettysburg, had a higher casualty percentage than any other American regiment in history, 83% just on July 2, losing 215 out of 262. They lost an additional 17 men on July 3 with the remaining 47 men holding Cemetery Ridge.

There might have been a regiment or two with greater losses, but the 1st knew they were being sent on a suicide mission, as did the General who ordered the charge. And that makes their statistics legendary. They charged knowing that the chance of survival was near zero.

 

[AUG]

There might have been a regiment or two with greater losses, but the 1st knew they were being sent on a suicide mission, as did the General who ordered the charge. And that makes their statistics legendary. They charged knowing that the chance of survival was near zero.

The 1st Minnesota had the highest casualty percentage of any other Federal regiment in the ACW, I know that for sure, but I've read that it was the highest of any American regiment in US history, though I am not entirely sure about that.

There were other regiments that suffered higher casualties in terms of numbers however. The 1st Maine Heavy Artillery lost 632 men out of around 900 engaged during one of Grant's attacks at Petersburg on June 18, 1864. The 5th NY Zouaves "Duryee Zouves" lost 347 out of 462 men engaged at 2nd Manassas. 124 were killed or mortally wounded, which was the highest fatality rate of any other infantry regiment in the war. The 26th North Carolina had the highest loss of any other Confederate regiment at Gettysburg, by percentage and numbers, losing 588 men out of 800 fighting the 24th Michigan at McPherson's Ridge on July 1. The remaining men took part in Pickett's Charge on July 3 and lost 120 more casualties.

The 1st Texas lost 82.2% of their strength at Antietam, 186 out of 226, which was the highest casualty percentage of any other Confederate regiment, but the 26th North Carolina actually lost more men in terms of numbers at Gettysburg compare to any other Confederate regiment in the war.

 

[RobertP]

The 11th Mississippi was mauled at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. Company 'A', the University Greys, was made up mostly of students from the University of Mississippi and suffered 100% casualties in that charge. Hard to top that.

Davis Brigade was the second leftmost in the attack, but when the brigade to its left faltered, it became the left flank of the attack. The 11th Mississippi was leftmost in the brigade, and thus presented its open flank to Federal artillery and infantry fire. Casualties were horrific.

In a valiant and futile last charge, the 11th Mississippi reached the stone wall at Gettysburg, behind which were Federal soldiers four ranks deep. The colors of the regiment, and many of its men, were captured there at the wall. Others, the wounded and the few not wounded, felt their way back across the deadly mile they had just crossed. The 11th Mississippi had lost 103 killed, 166 wounded, and 41 captured. There were only 40 men left unwounded. Company A, the University Greys, had earned a special mark of fame by losing 100% of their number in the charge.

 

[JerseyBart]

The First Minnesota was the only Minnesota regiment in the east, and they were out in front in the biggest battles - hung out to dry near the Dunker Church at Antietam, totally shredded at Gettysburg plugging the gap in the middle on Day 2. If we go by casualty count, they were among the hardest hit (if not THE hardest) of the Union regiments.

The First Texas took the hardest beating for the CSA, at Antietam.

After they mustered out in 1863, many returned and continued the regiment, only as a battalion or company and served to the end of the war I believe. Served from '61 to '65.

 

[JerseyBart]

Yes, I believe the 1st Minnesota, at Gettysburg, had a higher casualty percentage than any other American regiment in history, 83% just on July 2, losing 215 out of 262. They lost an additional 17 men on July 3 with the remaining 47 men holding Cemetery Ridge.

My favorite regiment!!!

 

[AUG]

My favorite regiment!!!

I bet you could guess my favorite regiment, if you don't already know, at least my favorite Confederate regiment. My favorite Federal regiment would be the 5th NY "Duryee Zouaves"! Ya got to love those Zouave uniforms, dashing and glorious, and yet they were well drilled and tough fighters too. Although they were cut to pieces by Hood's Brigade at 2nd Manassas, but they stood their ground well.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Er, here's one I'm unsure of since I'm not a military expert,scuse if I'm wrong- but ever since I read where these men were the SAME regiment which were ordered to take LRT, THEN ended up over on Cavalry Field defending against direct charges the next day, I've been incredibly intrigued. I had to go back and re-read, make sure it really WAS the same regiment, geesh! You wouldn't think there would have been anyone left, then they seemed to have been at most major engagements for the rest of the war- the 15th Alabama. Also am a little miffed Oates was disallowed placing a memorial on LRT, yes, I understand the reasoning, still think it should have been allowed.

 

[AUG]

Er, here's one I'm unsure of since I'm not a military expert,scuse if I'm wrong- but ever since I read where these men were the SAME regiment which were ordered to take LRT, THEN ended up over on Cavalry Field defending against direct charges the next day, I've been incredibly intrigued. I had to go back and re-read, make sure it really WAS the same regiment, geesh! You wouldn't think there would have been anyone left, then they seemed to have been at most major engagements for the rest of the war- the 15th Alabama. Also am a little miffed Oates was disallowed placing a memorial on LRT, yes, I understand the reasoning, still think it should have been allowed.

Oates tried to have a monument erected on LRT in 1904 where he believed his regiment fought on the hill. He traveled to Gettysburg in 1904 to point out the spot on the battlefield to the battlefield commissioners where he wanted the monument erected, but they disagreed, telling him they had no evidence to prove the 15th AL got that far. When Chamberlain heard of the news, he got into it and also disagreed with Oates, thinking that the monument would have been too far up the hill. Col. John Nicholson of the War Department attempted to adjudicate the two claims. Oates wrote Chamberlain directly, but Chamberlain still didn't agree. The War Department and the commissioners both agreed with Chamberlain, so in the end, there was no monument, and for some reason there still isn't one today.

 

[James N.]

Er, here's one I'm unsure of since I'm not a military expert,scuse if I'm wrong- but ever since I read where these men were the SAME regiment which were ordered to take LRT, THEN ended up over on Cavalry Field defending against direct charges the next day, I've been incredibly intrigued.

There's no way they could've moved that far under the circumstances of the battle. What you're mis-remembering is that on July 3, Hood's Division in the area from the Peach Orchard to Devil's Den ( facing SOUTH ) repelled the futile charge of Elon Farnsworth's Brigade of Judson Kilpatrick's Division. Farnsworth, like his friend Custer, was a newly-promoted brigadier general leading a brigade for the first time. He protested to his commander about the inappropriateness of the terrain for a cavalry charge, but Kilpatrick was beginning to live up to his sobriquet "Kill Cavalry" and insisted with an insult thrown in for good measure. Though they succeeded in taking some prisoners, the "charge" was predictably a fiasco and Farnsworth was killed leading it. This relatively small action is almost always overlooked in general histories of the battle, overshadowed as it was by the just-repulsed Pickett's Charge and because there were no stellar personages like Custer or Chamberlain involved.