Reputation of each States soldiers?

[Harris]

I attended a CW presentation at my local small town museum last night. The speech was about Michigan's participation in the War; mostly about our local (to my community) men's regiments, but also about the States participation as a whole. Michigan centric topics such as the Iron Brigade, Custer's "Wolverine" cavalry, Lincolns quote "Thank God for Michigan" were all discussed.

This got me thinking- No doubt every State, North and South, had brave men participate in the Civil War. I'm sure every State had men who were something less than models of valor also, but are there any quotes / research / anecdotal evidence of which States proved more valuable (or the opposite) to their respective cause?

 

[Chattahooch33]

Don't mess with Texas.

 

[Chattahooch33]

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

 

[rhettbutler1865]

I can't help but be proud of the 1st Minnesota at Gettysburg, plugging the gap and charging without hesitation when Hancock ordered them to "Take that flag!"--Outnumbered 5:1, 82% of them fell. And after more research, the "new" state of Minnesota, per capita, raised an enormous number of troops that fought in the CW...

 

[rhettbutler1865]

...and they were tough.

 

[ErnieMac]

In the larger states I think it would have come down to individual units. In Pennsylvania the regiments of the Pennsylvania Reserves earned a strong reputation. Some others, notably the German speaking regiments, were looked down upon, often for no good reason.

 

[TinCan]

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.

 

[KansasFreestater]

I think that that regimental pride/identity/solidarity must go a long way in explaining that otherwise completely mystifying obsession with "saving the colors."

 

[JCM6395]

Indiana sent almost 210,000 men into the ranks of the North...another 2,000 went into the Navy. The state would experience almost 75,000 casualties. The 19th Indiana served in the Iron Brigade and was almost destroyed at Gettysburg. The 14th Indiana was another well known regiment that saw action in the east including Antietam, Gettysburg, Wilderness and Spotsylvania where it was merged with another regiment due to almost nobody being left. 72nd Indiana served in Wilders Lightning Brigade. Governor Morton was considered Lincoln main ally in the Western Theater states.

 

[CTH]

In the Army of the Potomac at least, the men from Wisconsin and Indiana (The Iron Brigade), we held in high regard as fighters.

 

[Chattahooch33]

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.

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

 

[Harris]

In the Army of the Potomac at least, the men from Wisconsin and Indiana (The Iron Brigade), we held in high regard as fighters.

CTH....Don't forget the 24th Michigan was part of the Iron Brigade also. Granted they came into the famous Brigade after Oct. 1862, but they earned their keep in the Brigade at McPhersons Woods- Gettysburg

 

[BillO]

I've read where a Virginia unit was about to be relieved by a Georgia unit at a picket post and warned the Yankees opposite them that the Georgia boys were coming and that they weren't gentlemen so be warned.

 

[28thNewYork]

About 465,000 New Yorkers served. The number of regiments that distinguished themselves is large, too large to detail here and even scratch the surface. For a start, I'd suggest folks review the exploits of the 14th Brooklyn (84th NYVI).

 

[lelliott19]

This is probably not what you had in mind.....

but I had the pleasure to participate in a tour led by Woody Harrell (former Superintendent of Shiloh Natl Military Park) a few weeks ago at the anniversary. Woody is a very interesting guy and everything he told us was fascinating! But he told about the "Fleet Footed" 71st Ohio who "left quickly" from their position as part of Gen David Stuart's 2nd brigade. The 71st was organized in Feb 1862 so they were new recruits. Situated on the Union far left flank, in an isolated position, Stuart's 2nd brigade was hit hard by Chalmers' Mississippians 'surprise' attack. The 71st (and its Col Rodney Mason) were accused of fleeing from the fight. They worked hard to redeem their reputation but later surrendered to a much smaller force of Gen Adam "Stovepipe" Johnson's cavalry at Clarksville, TN. Finally as part of the successful breakthrough of Hood's line at Nashville, the 71st would gain at least partial redemption of its tarnished reputation.

"The history of this corps is a particularly varied one ... much might be said of the injustice rendered this brave body of soldiers." — Beers 1888 History of Clark County

Nevertheless, a nice memorial at Shiloh.....

 

[kepi]

The University Greys

Ventress Hall Stained Glass / Photo Courtesy of UM Brand Photography Services

The State of Mississippi seceded from the Union on January 9, 1861. On May 4th, nearly the entire student body and many of the professors at the University of Mississippi formed ranks on the grounds in front of the Lyceum, left school and enlisted in the Conferderate Army. Only four students reported for classes in fall 1861, so few that the university closed temporarily.

The Greys, as Company A of the 11th Mississippi and the Army of Northern Virginia, served in many of the most famous and bloody battles of the war. The most famous engagement of the University Greys was at Pickett's Charge during the Battle of Gettysburg, when the Confederates made a desperate frontal assault on the Union entrenchments atop Cemetery Ridge. The Greys penetrated further into the Union position than any other unit, but at the terrible cost of sustaining 100% casualties—every soldier was either killed or wounded.

Historians agree that the Rebel charge by the boys from Mississippi was the high water mark of the Confederacy. During the height of the July 3rd cannonade preceding Pickett's Charge, a stretcher was carried into a Confederate aid station somewhere behind the fighting. Surgeon LeGrand Wilson of the 42nd Mississippi, saw a head raised and recognized University of Mississippi student Jerry Gage. The following is the surgeon's writing and J.S Gage's letter home.

Although I have read this many time, it still tugs at my Ole Miss heart and brings tears to me eyes.

http://hottytoddy.com/2013/04/30/the-university-greys/

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

I think every state on both sides claimed some sort of distinction for itself and its soldiers. Probably had more to do with morale-building than objective reality, though.

 

[AUG]

This is always an interesting subject for me. Though I think regiments from all states proved themselves to be good soldiers, if I commanded a division I would definitely want men from Western or Midwestern states under my command - Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi, etc.

Some hard fighting regiments and brigades came from those states - Hood's, Granbury's and Ector's Texas Brigades, Hay's 1st Louisiana Brigade, Cockrell's Missouri Brigade, Liddell/Govan's and McNair's Arkansas Brigades, Iron Brigade, Chalmer's Mississippi Brigade "High Pressure Brigade", etc.

But I do agree that drill, discipline, and who was in command was probably more critical than where they were from.

 

[Harris]

This is always an interesting subject for me. Though I think regiments from all states proved themselves to be good soldiers, if I commanded a division I would definitely want men from Western or Midwestern states under my command - Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi, etc..

Your thoughts are seemingly a common theme in this thread- Western men were somehow "tougher". What made them tougher than their Eastern brethren?

 

[AUG]

Your thoughts are seemingly a common theme in this thread- Western men were somehow "tougher". What made them tougher than their Eastern brethren?

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.