The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-05-13
Losses In The Late War.
MORE FACTS WITH REFERENCE TO THE
GALLANT 10Th.
Col. w. II. S. Burgwyn Gives Facts
and Figures That are Well Anthem
ticated as to its Prowess.
(NpWS and Obseryer,)

To the Edltor:-1n your interesting
editorial of The 5th inst, on "Ieach-
ing North Cardinals part in the war;
you state The greatest loss suffered
by any regiment On either side in any
one battle was that of the Goth n. c., at
Gettysburg. commanded by Col. Harry
Burgwyn, Pettigrew's Brigade, Heth's
Division. 1t lost 58S men. In one
company of "a men every man and Of
ficer was hit The above is true SO
far as it goes, but Prof. Howell has
omitted the losses the regiment met
with in the third days fight. The
losses he puts down were sustain ed in
the first days battle. On the third
day, Pettigrew's Brigade, notwith-
standing the dreadful havoc of the first
day, was again put in the front rank,
not as a support to Pickett, remember,
and its shattered ranks penetrated as
far if not farther than those of any
other command and the loss was again
appalling. The 52nd \. G., regiment
of the Brigade commanded by its heroic
Col. J. X. Marshal had both its Col
onel and Major killed, and the other
regiments suffered in like proportion.
The Goth lost 100 men out of the $40,
taken into action, making total loss Of
the regiment in the two days fighting
7OS men of the total 800 rank and file
before the battle. Co. F. had 81 men
instead of 81 for duty on the first day
of which every man was killed or
wounded. 1t will not be forgotten that
Oil the retreat from Gettysburg, Petit
Crews Brigade was given the post Of
honor as part Of the rear guard of the
army, and at Falling Waters while
protecting the ford across the Potomac
at that point, this Brigade was attacked
by cavalry and its beloved commander,
Pettigrew, killed. Let Prof. Howell
revise his figures for there is now no
question as to the accuracy of those
given above.
Col. Fox, Of Albany, n. Y, in his
book 'Regimental losses in the Civil
War" is authority fer the same and in
a recent address by Mr.. G. H. Nc
Council, of Chicago, ILL.,, delivered in
that city before the Western Society Of
the Army Of the Potomac, he gives
lIClu tS "Cil NHi NAS-
| Connell was private III the oath
Michigan regiment of the celebrated
Iron Bli yade, which was attacked by
Pettigrew's Brigade i'll the first days
| fight. He says his regiment was at
tackled by the Goth n. c. l quote q
few lines from Mr.. McConnell's adj
dress: 1.-The Oath Michigan had
mainly to contend with the direct fire
of Pettigrew's Brigade Of North Caro-
| linians, land the Caro!inians were the
| fighters Of the Contederacy) and espe-
cially Of that magnificent fighting reg
iment of 800 heroes, the Goth North
Carolina, whose loss in the battle of
Gettysburg. both in numbers, 708, and
percentage SSa, was the greatest ever
recorded in warfare, even down to the
present time of breech loading rifles
and rapid firing guns [ would like
to have McConnell's address printed
in full, but he wishes it first to appear
in Northern magazine.
Excuse me for calling attention to
i this omission in Prof. Howell's COM
pendulum. If we make an error in our
glorious record how can we expect that
it will not be perpetuated by others less
interested?
Yours truly,
VIM. H. S. BURGWYN.