The National tribune., 1910-04-14
The Louisiana Timers.

Editor National Tribune: have read
with interest many recita.s OF per-
lSonat experiences in the war. con-
tributed to The National Tribune by my
c9mradeS-in-arnlS from various States.
Fierce encounters with the foe, sanquin-
ary struggles. thrilling episodes, and hair
breadth escapes were many during those
longest years of the COS. FeatS of daring
were common with both the FederalS aud
ConfederatcS. With all allowances for
pride OF courage shown in repelling at
tackS by rebel regiments. let us dispose
Of the Louisiana Tigers The men
composing the quota from the Bayou
State in the rebel army were doubtless
as good soldiers as from any other State.
In some way the impression. however.
was current among the Union forces that
one regiment was particularly fierce. reg
uiar Tigers in fight. This regiment
seemed to have been present and de
Stroyed IN various engagements. The
last time it was Slaughtered" was Mt Get
tySburg. One comrade declares the 9TH
Me. BATTERY destroyed it. and another
SAYS Carroll'S Brigade wiped it off the
earth.
Now for a few facts. as far as l have
been able to CLEAN them from official re-
ports. In the first place, there was no
Louisiana regiment officially designated
or mentioned in the Confederate records
| as Tigers" \ company known as the
Tiger Bayou GuardS' came to Rich-
mond from Louisiana. but it was dis
| banded and the men distributed among
other regiments. Let us see what the
Records of the War of the Rebellion
say about the part the Louisiana regi-
mentS played at Gettysburg Volume ~
Part 2, page $40. gives the losses by rezi-
ments of the two Louisiana BrigadeS in
that battle:
Hays Brigade. Earlv's Division. Sec
ond Corps.-Army of Northern Virginia
total. 70; 9Th La, , killed 81 wounded, 21
missing. total. 90: 18th La. s killed. Is
wounded. missing. total. 81: Sth La.
s killed, II wounded, 13 missing total,
| 10; 9th La. 10 killed, 80 wounded %
missing, total, ~. Total. SO killed. pol
wounded, T6 missing; aggregate, 313.
Awful slaughter. wasn't it:
} Nichols Brigade, Johnson's Division,
Second Corps. Army of Northern Virginia
1st La, killed, 80 wounded. total, 80
I'd La, 10 killed. - wounded. total. 90
10th La, II killed. a wounded. total. 81
! 18th La, Q killed, Sc wounded. total. 80
10th La, > killed. 36 wounded. total. 3S
total, 43 killed, 800 wounded, So missing
aggregating 3SS.
Another awful slaughter
Now let us see how some other South
ern brigades Jared in comparison with the
mythical Tigers. Here is the record OF
Pettigrew's Brigade, of North Carolina
! 11th \. c.. 80 killed. 159 wounded. total
3OS; 26th y. c., Sc killed J02 wounded
total, 5S8: 41th \. c.. u killed. 14O
wounded, total, 161; sd y. c., 33 killed
ia wounded, total, 147; total. 100
killed. 9l5 wounded. aggregate. 1.103.
Here were four North Carolina regi-
ments with more than three times the loss
! inflicted on 10 Louisiana regiments
Davis's Brigade. of the same division
and corps, composed of the I'd, 11th and
AID Miss. and 55th n c. had a total OF
$50 killed and III wounded; total S97.
| Now, comrades, drop the Louisiana
Tiger myth. 1t was hard proposition to
90 up against the Southerners. who were
| fighting on their own ground, without try
ing to make ourselves believe there were
a few Tigers among them.-J. ". B.
| Cole, Audubon, Iowa