The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-04-06


have to be suspended for while, its
editor having been seriously sick and
needing complete rest to allow him
to regain his strength. The matter for
this week was in the nature of reserve
copy."]
Barksdale's, Posey's and Davis Brigades
at Gettysburg.
The following correspondence and
data make an important contribution
to State history, and will be Of special
interest to the survivors Of the COM
mands named:
GETTYSBURG, Pa, March Q, 1901.
"MY DEAR Col. PowER-As the Con-
federate member of the Gettysburg Bat
tlefeld and Park Commission it falls to
my lot to prepare the inscriptions to be
placed on the historical tablets which
the government is erecting to the Con-
federate troops on this field. Can you
procure and send to me the number of
men in that brigade at Gettysburg? l
shall be greatly obliged to have this
soon, for we wish to erect the tablet to
that brigade, among others, this spring.
1t contained four regiments-the 18th,
18th, 18th and 21st.
81 should like, also, to have the num-
Der at Gettysburg in Posey's brigade,
composed of the 18th, 10th, 10th and
4Oth regiments. And also the number
in the I'd, 11th and 42d regiments of
Davis brigades (Which also had the 55th
North Carolina in it, whose numbers
have.)
mo troops were better or braver
than the Mississippians used to fight
with the I'd and 11th regiments in Bees
and Laws brigades. Yours truly,
"WM. NJ. ROBBINS, Maj. 4th Ala"
None of the official reports of Gettys-
burg give the total strength of the
Mississippi brigades as they entered the
fight. But very fortunately we have a
copy of the Mobile Evening News of
Sept. II, 1868, that contains the desired
information in the following very in
teresting communications:
"ESTERPRIsE, MISS, Sept. 8, 1888.
"MB. EDITOR: The following circum-
stances attending the fall of Brig. Gen.
William Barksdale, at the battle OF
Gettysburg, related by his adjutant
general, Captain John A. Bardsdale,
will be of interest to his friends:
"Gen. Barksdale was struck twice
first in the shoulder and afterward in
the chest When last wounded he said
to Boyd Ia courier), L am killed. Tell
my wife and children that died fight
ing at my post just at this time Boyd
was wounded in the leg, which made 1t
impossible for him to render Gen.
Barksdale any assistance. He, there
fore, left him, the enemy not being
more than twenty yards distant. The
cause;of my not being with him at the
time he was shot is, that about fifty
yards from where he was struck my
horse was killed under me. l was with
him at the time end remarked to him
that was on foot. He told me to go
back to battery, about $50 yards, and
order it to the front. This l did, and
returned as rapidly as possible. When
within forty yards of the brigade saw
Gen. Barksdale's horse galloping over
the field without n rider, and the men
falling back, while the enemy was ad-
vancing. To go to him was impossible u
The last words of this ardent patriot,
gallant man and dying hero that ever
fell upon the ears of his own country
men should nerve and incite them to
his own high standard of duty.
The ordeal through which his brigade
passed in this fight may be judged when
it is told that of 1920 bayonets carried
into it, 73O were lost in killed. wounded
and missing. w. r. b.
"W. r. b." are the initials of Vim. R,
Barksdale, and he doubtless obtained
the figures quoted in the letter from
which the foregoing extract was
copied.
Having referred Maj. Robbins letter
to Mr.. Allen j. Hooker, he says:
"The official reports do not give
the numbers in Mississippi brigades.
| 1t is possible that some of the survivors
may be able to furnish this. l copy
the casualties at Gettysburg:
BarksdaIe's Brigade.
Killed, staff, l.
18th Mississippi: Killed 2s, wounded
137-total, 165.
nth Mississippi: Killed 40, wounded
l6O-total, 200.
18th Mississippi: Killed is, wounded
s2-total, 100.
2lst Mississippi: Killed 10, wounded
sy-total, 103.
Grand totals: Killed 105, wounded
$50, captured and missing %; total 747.
Engaged in battle of July I'd.
| Posey's Brigade.
19th Mississippi: Killed o. wounded :
total, 7.
10th Mississippi: Killed 9, wounded Ii
total, 10.
10th Mississippi: Killed 4, wounded .;
total, "a.
4sth Mississippi: Killed 8, wounded 2.
tot ], so