14mo LOUISIANA compagnia G

The 14th Louisiana regiment, Nicholls brigade, Johnson division,2° Army Corps had a distinguished record during the great Pennsylvania campaign of 1863.

General Ewell, the new corps commander after the death of general Jackson, was charged to attack the Federal stronghold of Winchester, gateway to the Shenandoah Valley.

On June 15,at 8 a.m. the brigade had order to advance on the Martinsburg Pike,3 miles away from Winchester and join Steuart brigade.

The Federals sighted the Rebs coming on the Potomac Railroad bridge and immediately opened up a murderous fire. Colonel Williams, brigade commander replacing Nicholls, wounded at Chancellorsville, ordered his men to form a battle line across Martinsburg Pike and he directed also Lt.Col. Zable,14th Louisiana , to the Charlestown Road. Zable was a warhorse, in charge of his unit since Antietam and so were his men among the first to join the ranks for the cause of the Bayou State.

While the regiment was witholding the enemy onslaught, the 2nd and 10th Louisiana assaulted the yankees flank ,taking 1000 prisoners and the colors of 67° Pennsylvania. Winchester was taken and so the Rebs tide flooded the enemy territory. Pennsylvania campaign was a Godsend to the brave but hungry Louisianians ,who in 15 days march put their hands on the most delicious food on earth. At dawn of July 1 news came that A.P. Hill spearhead was engaged in a hard contest with yankee cavalry in the outskirts of a hamlet called Gettysburg. Williams hurried his men and at 7 a.m. they were on the Cashtown road bound for Gettysburg. Once there ,they took position near the unfinished railroad where just a few hours earlier a bloody encounter took place resulting in the destruction of North Carolina regiments at the hands of the Iron Brigade.

However, The battle of Gettysburg began for the Louisianians only at 7 p.m. July 2nd,when the entire Johnson division was ordered to attack Culp’s Hill and take the enemy from the rear. Williams sided Jones brigade and he immediately came into action facing George Sears Greene New Yorkers. On they came with unyielding courage, but they were repulsed and had to fall back sustaining heavy casualties, especially against the 78 New York infantry.

According to the orders, Jones should guard the flank of Williams while advancing, instead Williams had to fight hard its way not to be outflanked. The coming darkness didn’t set the fighting thouroughly and the Rebels could claim a foothold on Culp’s Hill.

Casualties had been heavy ,the men needed ammo and water, or they would be smashed by a Union counterattack.

And so it was at 4.30 a.m. men of XII Corps, general Alpheus Williams commanding, broke through. The gallant Louisianians fought stubbornly, but they could not stem the Yankee tide. At noon general Johnson was forced to recall his men and the recrossed the Rock Creek, abandoning the ground they gained at such a bloody price. For the 14th Louisiana the battle of Gettysburg was over, at daylight July 4th the received the order to retreat and the long and racking return to Williamsport got under way.

The 14th Louisiana had fought brilliantly, but the battle was lost and with it any real hope to win the war. However the regiment was one of the last Confederate units to surrender at Appomattox.

Prof. Giuseppe Rufino is author of the book “Gettysburg”, in Italian language, about the battle .

During the initials engagements between the Confederate States army and the United States army emerged a problem that had not to be underestimated: the national flags (that were used as battle flags) of both the armies were similar, becoming indistinguishable by the officers on the battleground making high the risk of friend fire and errors, that in war can be paid with high price.

[ from left: first Confederate State national flag; United States national flag ]

A first solution, ordered by the Gen. Joseph Johnston, was that every regiment adopted his own national flag, nevertheless only the Virginian regiments were able to provide of enough national flags and the result however was not satisfactory considering that also these were resembled in the colours to those national of the union.

The deputy William P. Miles suggested then to the Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard to try to adopt a model of flag that had been discarded by the congress as national banner. Between the August and the September 1861 the politician sent a draw to the Gen. Beauregard which decided to try this solution and proposed it to Gen. Johnston, that consented to the realization of the model.

This flag, as it resulted after some changes brought to the original draw, it brought a dark blue cross of St. Andrew hemmed of white and inside 12 stars, everything on scarlet red field, it was made of silk and it measured about 48” for the infantry; smaller were the models of artillery (36") and cavalry (30"). The banner was finally edged by a gilded binge.

The distribution of this type of flag, that had been produced in an absolutely insufficient number in comparison to the regiments of the army, happened between the October and the November 1861. There were some variations (said “second type”) that for instance had a dark or clear pink field rather than red and different edgings.

In spring 1862 the Richmond Clothing Depot, found again to short of silk, having to refold on another material for the production to banish, so was born a model of flag in cotton (cotton issue), similar to the model of silk but slightly smaller (42”) always with twelve stars but the cross of St. Andrew was of a blue faded and the flag didn't have any edging. The distribution of the flags continued but this model had a scarce diffusion.

In May 1862 however the Richmond Depot succeeded to provision of a good quantity of wool bunting, from British manufacture, in the federal naval arsenal of Norfolk. It began so the production of the 1st bunting issue that had the same dimensions of the model in silk, brought 13 stars but was edged with an orange edge.

The first units to receive this model were those of the division of Gen. James Longstreet among which 14th Louisiana Infantry.

In June 1862 the model suffered another change: remaining equal the general dimensions was decreased the thickness of the cross of St. Andrew. The distribution of this 2nd bunting issue continued to the regiments that had not jet received the battle flags and in the same month a special order allowed the units to set on their banish the regimental dates and the names of the battles which had taken part: the battles honours.

Reached the July 1862 a further change was brought with the substitution of the orange edges with a white edging. This model, the 3rd bunting issue, had greater diffusion in the regiments of the army of the North Virginia and was delivered to the remainders units until April of 1864 when, for motives still not known, it was slightly replaced with a model of greater dimensions (51x51). The 4th bunting issue didn't bring battle honours and was mainly employed for replacing the flags lost in battle or no more usable.

Between the September and the October 1864 a further change was brought. The new model produced, the 5th bunting issue, was not squarer but slightly rectangular (49”x51”) and was also it mainly employed as replace for the lost flags; nevertheless the flags of this model produced were very few.

After the defeat of Cedar Creek was necessary to furnish the troops, that had lost theirs, with new flags. Was created therefore the 6th bunting issue; it measured 4 feet and was again square.

At the end, in March 1865, the last model of battle flag was produced, also it destined to replace the lost flags in fight. The 7th bunting issue was substantially equal to the 6th bunting except that for the slightly small measures (48”). Even if this model had been produced just before the fall of Richmond today survive numerous of it.

During the course of the war the Confederacy also modified the national flag, in autumn 1863 were produced a second type of flag. On the left superior angle there was a ANV battle flag style, everything on white field. This model had a modest employment in the army of North Virginia, over that was also used by some regiments as flag and by head quarters.

In 1865 a third national flag was created, very similar to the second it brought a red vertical bar to the leaf. It was mainly employed by the garrisons and were produced few exemplary.

[ from left: second and third national flag of the Confederate States of America ]

When arrive on Virginian front 14th Lousiana was sent to defens of Yorktown. Entered so in the army corp of Maj.Gen. J. B. Magruder insert in Brig.Gen. Roger A. Pryor brigade ( 14th Alabama, 2nd Florida, 14th Louisiana, 1st Louisiana Battalion ) of Maj.Gen. James Longstreet division.

During the Second Manassas campaign changed the commands of the Northern Virginia Army and the regiment was set in third division ( Maj.Gen. Richard S. Ewell ) of Maj.Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson army corp, Hays’s brigade, the 1st Louisiana brigade “Louisiana Tigers” ( 5th Louisiana, 6th Louisiana, 7th Louisiana, 8th Louisiana, 14th Louisiana ), commanded at second Bull Run by Colonel Henry Forno, wonded during the fight.During the Maryland ivasion 14th Louisiana was still set in the Hays’s brigade, this time at Antitem was Gen. Harry Hays to command the brigade that had heavy losses.

[from left generals Jackson, Ewell, Hays]

The 14th Louisiana was than tranferred into the 2nd Louisiana Birgade ( 1st Louisiana, 2nd Louisiana, 10th Louisiana, 14th Louisiana, 15th Louisiana, 1st Louisiana Battalion ) of Maj.Gen. William B. Taliaferro (Jackson’s division) division always in “Stonewall” army corp. Was in that brigade that the regiment take part to battle of Fredericksburg where was commanded by colonel Edmund Pendleton; at Chancellorsville the 2nd Louisian Brigade passed under command of Brig.Gen. Francis T. Nicholls that was wonded and remplaced by colonel Jessie M. William, Maj.Gen. Trimble’s division ( commanded in this battle by Brig.Gen. Raleigh E. Colston ).

During the Gettysburg campaign the 2nd Louisiana Brigade was still commanded by colonel Williams because Gen. Nicholls was still bedridden for the wonded that caused him the lost of an arm. However with the death of Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson the Northern Virginia Army was reorganized and the brigade was so insert in the second corp of Lt.Gen. Richard S. Ewell, Maj.Gen. Edward Johnson division.Because Gen. Nicholls did not take again active duty was substituted by Brig.Gen. Leroy A. Stafford that was mortally wonded and substiuted by the colonel of 14th, Zebulon York, durign the Wilderness campaign.

[from left generals Johnson, Stafford, York]

In 1864 the 2nd Lousiana Brigade was insert in the army of Shenandoah of Lt.Gen. Jubal Early, Mj.Gen. John B. Gordon division, and was commanded in a first time by colonel E. Waggaman. During the Cedar Creek battle14th Louisiana and 1st Louisiana were consolidated and when the brigade come back to Petersburg the two brigades of Louisiana were unified and form a single brigade commanded by Brig.Gen. Zebuoln York (1st Louisiana, 2nd Louisiana, 5th Louisiana, 6th Louisiana, 7th Louisiana, 8th Louisiana, 9th Louisiana, 10th Louisiana, 14th Louisiana, 15th Louisiana ) Mj.Gen. Gordon corp, Gordon’s division ( commanded by Brig.Gen. Clement A. Evans ) until the end of the was.

American Civil War (1861-1865) brought out impressive progress in the organization of military health services, both scientifically and logistically.
The organization of first aid and the evacuation of wounded from the front line was impressive: the dressing stations, ever numerous and well-positioned allowd rapid "displacement". Were for the first time tested on a large scale and with good result, trains hospitals and hospital ships and sick and wounded could be removed quickly from the battlefield with these vehicles.
After the Battle of Gettysburg (1-3 July 1863) there were 21,000 injured to transport and dress.
The next morning everyone was hospitalised in their health units and not one was left on the battlefield! Thus it was also after the Battle of Fredericksburg, in which over 9,000 wounded were, the same day, carried to the rear.

All this happened thanks to the geography of the war scenario: coastal areas to the sides of the fighting armies in the rear and large navigable rivers, as well as a rich railway network.
In tents and barracks used as field hospital could be admitted around one million between the sick and wounded, with a mortality rate of just 8%, a level which had never been able to achieve in previous wars!
No less important were the advances in surgery: Chisolm practiced for the first time the approximation of the margins in gunshot wounds and suturing of the same, the water was recognized as the best substance to wash the wound (.. abandonment of caustic ... ) and began to make use of anesthetics and bandages to replace the simple tow with tar that allow more rapid healing and in the same time immobilized the leg hurt more.
In June of 1862 the Confederate army established the ambulance wagons with two beds and three ambulances were assigned to each regiment of 500 men. This enable, in the battle of Antietam (September 17, 1862) to a rapid evacuation of wounded from the battlefield (over 10,000) to the military hospitals that are within six miles, in less than 24 hours!

Lastly, I want to remember that during the civil war, two great surgeons: Barnes and Otis, compiled one of the most famous treatises on "medicine and surgery on the battlefield," well translated by two Italian surgeons captains (Baroffio and Sforza) in which there are described 253,142 cases of wounds and injuries, 39,163 surgeries and over 1400 cases were able to study the outcomes remote by connecting by letters with the same injuries and surgeons with them were subsequently treated. All this served also for the payment of war pensions and therefore gives us an idea of the organizational capacity of the Confederate medical corps that also gave its contribution of blood with 19 combat deaths, 8 deaths from various injuries, 9 for diseases and 75 for wounded, discrediting the false popular belief that in war the workplace and action of medical officers is in place of relative safety.