The National tribune., 1903-12-10
COL. FOX AND 10th ME.
Percentage Of Losses-Correct Basis for As
certaining Real Percentages tor Com
parsons.

S0A 0AsoiAAAS nedA x6ICeutaY0B 1Of CON-
parsons.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your
issue of Oct. % you publish the record of
the 10Th Me-, as recorded by Col. Fox in
| his history of '.Regimental Losses" Mag
niicent as is that work, it leaves much
to be desired. For example, the total
killed and mortally wounded of the 10Th
Me. is stated at 147. and the total enroll
| ment 1,621, thus giving but 9.O7 per cent.
| loss. Was this enrolment made up in part
by accessions from disbanded regiments
after the fighting was over? If it was.
then. the basis being lower the percentage
would be higher and give proper credit
to the men who fought under its banners.
No one who knew the Goth Me. could gain
say its right to be called notable regi-
ment. If, however, Col. Fox is to be cited
as authority, at least POI regiments should
cent. or more of their total enrolment.
while, as stated, the Goth Me- lost only
9.O1 per cent. In its own brigade-Third
Brigade, First Division, Fifth Corps-the
SD Pa. lost 1J.5 per cent; the 1st Mich
IA per cent; tie 10th Mich 12.S per cent.
the 44th n Y Ia per cent. and the 11Sth
Pa. II per cent. The Second Brigade also
suffered a loss in the I'D Mass of 15J per
cent; 4th Mich, 14.2 per cent; 9th Mass,
12.6 per cent, and 62d Pa. 1O.7 per cent ;
each of these, with the single exception of
the 11Sth Pa, losing greater number as
well as greater per cent. The loss of the
11Sth Pa. was 141, that OF the 1S3d 2S2
Il fItA ft.n.
numbers.
1t is said that comparisons are odious.
and so they are, unless one can have all
the facts. The truth is the Goth Me. was
one of the regiments of famous brigade,
made up for work under Gen. Joseph O.
Bartlett, one Of the best Generals that led
men to battle. His work commenced at
First Bull Run as Major of the 9th ~ Y.
and ended at AppOmattoX, when he was
designated to receive the arms of Lees
army, he being then in command of the
First Division, Fifth Corps. A famous di-
vision of a famous corps.
Col. Fox, in his compilations. selected
the regiments which lost 13O or more, and
these have been dubbed the Fighting
800" In 1864 40 of these regiments were
serving in the Fifth Corps. What pitiful
little battaliOnS some of them were. The
1st Mich. had re-enlisted as a veteran regi-
ment; the boys had returned from their
furlOughs; yet Col. ThroOp, reporting for
the month of May, 1864, says: Il went
into tile first days fight MAY 81 with 176
muskets and have to-day 1O4 muskets. My
losses have been made up partly by the
return of slightly-wounded men and the
return to the regiment of a number of de-
tached men. The loss of the
regiment in killed in these battles was two
officers and 90 men; wounded, five officers
and 62 men," What record for less
than 30 days! 80 killed or wounded out of
176! Col. ThrOOp also claims that the 1st
fired the first musket in the opening Of the
Wilderness battle.
are not available for the 4th Mich. of the
Second Brigade, the mere statement that
there were but "a muskets present after
SpOtsylvania battle was fought; that only
81 regiments in the entire army sustained
higher percentage of killed in battle; that
it lost three COlonels killed in battle,
stamped it as one of the Fighting 3O'' as
well as the Fighting 3OO.''
At Petersburg the remnants of the 4th
were merged with the 1st Mich. for SER
vice, and until after the Grand Review, in
May, 1865, served with that regiment, a
companion regiment of the Goth Me-, in
Third Brigade, First Division, Fifth Corps
On the Weldon Railroad it lay in front of
the yellow House," being the right of the
u,
down the railroad.
Lee having failed to regain the railroad
after repeated efforts, few weeks of
quiet ensued, ending with the movement OH
Peebles's farm Sept 30. At this time the
aggregation of 21 companies had present
for duty about 200 men. under command
of Capt. Wheaton, there being no field Off
GERS and but three other Captains present
In this movement the 1st Mich. led the
Corps, at the first fire, being deplOyed as
skirmisbers. Capt. Wheaton was killed,
the other three Captains being brevetted
Majors. The Colonel of the 18th Mich. |
was killed just as he scaled the redoubt.
A correspondent wrote as follows: "A
more magnificent charge was never made |
by any corps in any war;" said Cen War
rem, speaking of the charge made by
Griffin's Division.
Yes, the Goth Me. was notable" regi-
ment Of notable brigade. everyone of the |
regiments constituting the brigade being
worthy Of volumes.-HENRY s. WELLS,
Sergeant. 4th Mich, Quincy, Ill