The Gettysburg Bandwagon

Like almost every Civil War blogger, I have succumbed to the Gettysburg hoopla. I agree that Gettysburg was a significant battle, but some of the media stories give the impression that it was THE MOST IMPORTANT BATTLE OF THE ENTIRE WAR. Was it? I have some doubts…

How does Gettysburg relate to the trans-Mississippi? Soldiers from the trans-Mississippi fought and died on Cemetery Hill, Cemetery Ridge, Culp’s Hill, Little Round Top, Plum Run, and Seminary Ridge. Most of the trans-Mississippians were soldiers from the Confederate states of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, but men from Minnesota also fought on the storied fields of Gettysburg. Here is a list of the units from west of the Mississippi and the losses that they suffered:

Union:

1^st Minnesota Infantry (2^nd Army Corps, Harrow’s Brigade): 50 killed, 173 wounded, 1 missing or captured

2^nd U. S. Sharpshooters (3^rd Army Corps, Ward’s Brigade—one company of the 2^nd was from Minnesota): 5 killed, 23 wounded, 15 missing or captured

Total trans-Mississippi Union casualties: 55 killed, 196 wounded, 16 missing or captured=267

Confederate:

Field and Staff (First Corps, Robertson’s Brigade): 1 wounded

3^rd Arkansas Infantry (First Corps, Robertson’s Brigade): 41 killed, 101 wounded, 40 missing or captured

1^st Texas Infantry (First Corps, Robertson’s Brigade): 29 killed, 46 wounded, 22 missing or captured

4^th Texas Infantry (First Corps, Robertson’s Brigade): 28 killed, 53 wounded, 31 missing or captured

5^th Texas Infantry (First Corps, Robertson’s Brigade): 54 killed, 112 wounded, 45 missing or captured

Robertson’s brigade=152 killed, 313 wounded, 138 missing or captured

Washington Artillery, 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th Companies [Louisiana] (First Corps, Artillery Reserve) 8 killed, 11 wounded, 11 missing or captured

Madison [Louisiana] Artillery (First Corps, Artillery Reserve): 4 killed, 29 wounded

1^st Louisiana Infantry (Second Corps, Nicholls’ Brigade): 11 killed, 28 wounded

2^nd Louisiana Infantry (Second Corps, Nicholls’ Brigade): 15 killed, 47 wounded

10^th Louisiana Infantry (Second Corps, Nicholls’ Brigade): 22 killed, 69 wounded, 19 missing or captured

14^th Louisiana Infantry (Second Corps, Nicholls’ Brigade): 15 killed, 50 wounded

15^th Louisiana Infantry (Second Corps, Nicholls’ Brigade): 3 killed, 35 wounded

Nicholls’ Brigade=66 killed, 287 wounded, 36 missing or captured

5^th Louisiana Infantry (Second Corps, Hay’s Brigade): 7 killed, 30 wounded, 30 missing or captured

6^th Louisiana Infantry (Second Corps, Hay’s Brigade): 8 killed, 32 wounded, 21 missing or captured

7^th Louisiana Infantry (Second Corps, Hay’s Brigade): 13 killed, 40 wounded, 5 missing or captured

8^th Louisiana Infantry (Second Corps, Hay’s Brigade): 14 killed, 50 wounded, 11 missing or captured

9^th Louisiana Infantry (Second Corps, Hay’s Brigade): 19 killed, 35 wounded, 19 missing or captured

Hay’s brigade=61 killed, 187 wounded, 86 missing or captured

Louisiana Guard Artillery (Second Corps, Early’s Division): 2 killed, 5 wounded

Donaldson Artillery [Louisiana] (Third Corps, Heth’s Division): 2 wounded, 4 missing or captured

Total trans-Mississippi Confederate casualties: 293 killed, 832 wounded, 275 missing or captured=1,400

Note: Casualty figures are from Busey, John W. and David G. Martin. Regimental Strengths and Losses at Gettysburg. 4^th ed. Hightstown, NJ: Longstreet House, 2005.