Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-10-08
THE IRON BRIGADE"
A Review of the History of the Brig
AIDE and the Circumstances.


18th Ind, writes There has per-
haps been no brigade in the United
States army which has been more
discussed and more freqently men
toned in newspaper articles and
histories of the war of the rebellion
than the Iron Brigade, and during
all this time there has been contin-
ually going on contention between
certain New York and Wisconsin
comrades to the identity of the bri-
gade, its numbers and components.
Now, in this contention both parties
are correct; for, previous to June,
1868, the First Brigade of the First
Division of the First Corps, Army of
the Potomac, was composed of the
18th Brooklyn Cor Saith N. ~ 22d,
oath and 30th N. Y, and I'd Berdan
sharpshooters, commanded in the
order named by Gems. E. D. Keys,
G.. G. Augur, John P. Hatch and
Walter Phelps; while the Fourth
Brigade in the same division was
composed of the ID, 9Th and 9TH
Wis. and the 10Th Ind, from the
Fall of 1861 to Oct, 1862, at which
time the Oath Mich. was added to it,
which five regiments constituted
the brigade during it's entire organ
ration, or until June 1864, when
the I'd Wis. was mustered out by
expiration of service, and the 18th
Ind. was at it's expiration of service
and reenlistment consolidated, with
certain other Indiana regiments,
with the 10th Ind. In June 1863,
the New York regiments, except the
14th Brooklyn Cred Legs), being
two years men, were mustered out
on account of expiration of service;
the brigade organized therefore
ceased to exist. The remaining reg
iment, 18th Brooklyn, was trans
ferred to the Second Brigade, form
erly commanded by Gen. Doubleday,
but lat that time commanded by
Gen. Lysander Cutler, formerly
Colonel of the 9Th Wis. After this
time, and during the organization
of the First Corps, the First Division
was composed of only two brigades.
The First Brigade being made up of
the I'd, 9Th and 9TH Wis, 10Th Ind.
and oath Mich, and the Second Bri-
gade of the 18th, 95th, 147th N. Y,
and the 18th Brooklyn IN. W seth
Pa. and 9TH Ind.-these IL regi-
ments constituting Wadsworth Di-
vision. The foregoing statements
as to the organization and number
ing of the two brigades in the form
alton of the Third Division, First
Corps, Army of the Potomac, about
which there has been such a long
and heated discussion is correct,
and can be verified by reference to
records and history.
las to which of these brigades
has the legitimate right to be known
as the Iron Brigade, as member
of that organization I beg leave to
submit the following statement of
facts Up to the time of the battle
of South Mountain, Sept. IA, 1862,
at which battle it earned and &C
quired the right to the name. the
brigade had been known as the
Fourth Brigade, Kings Brigade
Gibbons Brigade and the Black
Hat Brigade'-the brigade wearing
what at that time, was the Regular
Army hat. Early in this battle
Gen. Mcclellan and Hooker, the lat
ter then commanding the First
Corps, were accommodating the re-
bel lines, when Gen. Mcclellan re-
marked: Gen. Hooker, if l had an
Iron Brigade" I could pierce the
enemy's center, by taking the gorge
on the pike. Gen. Hooker replied
Gen. Mcclellan, / have that bri-
gade IN my command Thereupon
Gen. Hooker detached Gibbons Bri-
gade from Hatch's Division and as
signed to it the duty of taking the
pass, thereby piercing the enemy's
center. Those participating in that
battle know how gallentlY the pass
was won, after several hours of san
culinary struggle, lasting until 8
o'clock at night, during which the
brigade suffered a loss of 800 men
OF about 1900 in action. The late
Gen. John B. Calls, formerly of the
7th Wis, in a letter said: Gen. Nc
Clellan told me at the Continental
Hotel in Philadelphia what he knew
of the origin of the name "Iron Bri-
, gade."' 1T was during the battle
of South Mountain my headquart-
ers were where could see every
move of the troops on the pike.
With my glass, l saw the men fight
ing against great odds. When Gen.