The National tribune., 1897-02-18
SOME MORE "ELEyENTH-HOUR KEGI-
MENTSv


the 57th and 5Sth Mass, which went
out in April, 1864, and probably re-
ceived the highest bounties paid to any
body. They marched directly to the
Wilderness, and in a very few months
four out of every five men on their rolls
were either killed or wounded. No
money could have paid these men for
what they did and dared, certainly not
the apparently big bounties which were
paid in greenbacks worth but 40 cents
on the dollar.
We said then that there were many
others of the late-comers, who had
similar bloody experiences. Let us
cite few more Of them:
The 31st Me. left the State April Is,
1864, with an original enrolment OF 939,
all of whom had probably received big
bounties, as wages were then very high
in New England, and the men had to
make some provision for their families
The regiment went directly into the
Wilderness, and within a month after
leaving home had lost more then one
tenth of its number. Before the year
was out it had lost more than two-thlrds
of its exactly GA men-killed
or wounded. OF these the appalling
number of 15S were killed outright.
Besides these it lost 176 men who
starved in rebel prisons or died of dis
ease. In October, 1864, within SIX
months after leaving Augusta, it had
but go men left for duty. The rest
were in their graves or in the hospital.
The 32d Me-, which also went out in
April, 1864, and was the last regiment
the State sent out, lost 80 killed In bat
tie and ia men who died of disease.
The 18th VT. was the last regiment
which the gallant little Green Mountain
State sent out. 1t left the State In
April, 1864, and though it was in service
less than year it lost more men killed
than three-fourths of the regiments in
the army. Its total enrolment was
1,137, of whom 147 were killed, 229
wounded, % died in prison, and 80 OF
disease, making total loss of 493.
The 29th Conn. was the last regiment
raised by the Nutmeg State, and did
not get out until January, 1864, but
this was soon enough for it to lose 40
killed and 1853 who died in prison and
of disease.
New York kept steadily sending out
regiments until April, 1860. The 1S4th
N. Y, which came out in September
1864. lost II killed and q who died o.
disease. The 1S5th n. Y, which came
ont the same month, had harder time
of it, losing the considerable number o.
Sc killed and AZ who died of disease.
Nor did the 186th n. Y, which also
came out in September, 1864, have any
thing of a picnic, for it lost As killed
and 40 who died of disease. The 1871
n. Y, which came out in October. 1864
| lost ID killed, the 1SSth N. Y. lost 8
killed, the 1S9th n. Y. lost 8 kille,
and II who died of disease. Their
were only four New York regiments
which came out in the Winter of 1856:
which escaped from serious loss in battle
Yet the soldier-haters would make b
lieve that these four regiments were big
ger than all the rest which New Yor
sent out.
The seth N. ]. came out in Octobe
1864, and promptly took its place in I'll
lines of the Ninth Corps, where it. To-
80 killed. Even the 10th N. j., whic
was the last regiment the State sent on
: and which did not leave until Februar
1865. had two men killed in the Sixt
Corps.
Pennsylvania's "eleventh-hour reg
ments" began with the 1S3d, which w
organized in February, 1864, and ende
| with the 215th Pa, which was raised
{ April, 1865. A table of the losses
t these organizations will be instructi'
e reading for any one who is disposed
indulge In malicious sneers at these LAT
r corners:
Regiments. Killed. Died OF Disea
1881 Ia 10 III
fs4th Pa -. 113 122
4