Warrior
Lieutenant General
- Joined
- May 12, 2005
- Messages
- 15,341
Just finished this one, written by Lance Herdegen, just spectacular, couldn't put it down.
The Iron Brigade was arguably the finest brigade in the Union Army, "First Corps, First Division, First Brigade."
They were made up of the 2nd, 6th and 7th WI, the 19th IN and the 24th MI, famous for their Hardee hats, frock coats and white gaiters.
They fought with valor and distinction at several battles, namely Gettysburg where they stormed onto the field and pushed back Archer's Brigade in the Herbst Woods near the McPherson farm. They also made one of the most famous charges of the war into the railroad cut, taking the colors of the 2nd MS and hundreds of prisoners in the process.
They fought a delaying action on Seminary Ridge and made a stand in front of the Lutheran Seminary, taking horrendous casualties in the process.
On the morning of July 1st, they had 1,883 men in their ranks and by nightfall, they could only muster 671, just horrific casualties.
They continued to fight in the war, but the brigade was never the same after Gettysburg.
They saved the Union Army on that first day and perhaps the nation as well; had the Confederates rolled the line and taken Cemetery and Culp's Hills, the battle would have turned out differently.
I hear all the time about how various Confederate brigades fought with courage and valor in the war; yeah great, these guys were no slouches either, hardy men from the Midwest who answered their nations call and made the ultimate sacrifice in most cases.
The last surviving member or the brigade died in 1947 at the age of 100 due to injuries from a fall where he broke his hip.
Just a terrific read.
PS; you can't write DA*N on this site? Ok then........................:rolleyes2:
The Iron Brigade was arguably the finest brigade in the Union Army, "First Corps, First Division, First Brigade."
They were made up of the 2nd, 6th and 7th WI, the 19th IN and the 24th MI, famous for their Hardee hats, frock coats and white gaiters.
They fought with valor and distinction at several battles, namely Gettysburg where they stormed onto the field and pushed back Archer's Brigade in the Herbst Woods near the McPherson farm. They also made one of the most famous charges of the war into the railroad cut, taking the colors of the 2nd MS and hundreds of prisoners in the process.
They fought a delaying action on Seminary Ridge and made a stand in front of the Lutheran Seminary, taking horrendous casualties in the process.
On the morning of July 1st, they had 1,883 men in their ranks and by nightfall, they could only muster 671, just horrific casualties.
They continued to fight in the war, but the brigade was never the same after Gettysburg.
They saved the Union Army on that first day and perhaps the nation as well; had the Confederates rolled the line and taken Cemetery and Culp's Hills, the battle would have turned out differently.
I hear all the time about how various Confederate brigades fought with courage and valor in the war; yeah great, these guys were no slouches either, hardy men from the Midwest who answered their nations call and made the ultimate sacrifice in most cases.
The last surviving member or the brigade died in 1947 at the age of 100 due to injuries from a fall where he broke his hip.
Just a terrific read.
PS; you can't write DA*N on this site? Ok then........................:rolleyes2:
