The Iron Brigade was an infantry brigade in the Union Army during the American Civil War, consisting primarily of Western regiments, that was noted for its ability to withstand almost any fire, and its regiments combined took the highest casualty percentage of the war. Infantry of the 36th Ulster Division, in the First World War Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot, mainly with small arms and operate within organized military units. ... Brigade is a term from military science which refers to a group of several battalions (typically two to four), and directly attached supporting units (normally including at least an artillery battery and additional logistic support). ... The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Shermans veterans. ... The American Civil War (1861–1865) was fought in North America within the United States of America, between twenty-four mostly northern states of the Union and the Confederate States of America, a coalition of eleven southern states that declared their independence and claimed the right of secession from the... The states shown striped may or may not be considered part of the informal western United States today. ...

Brigade nickname

The Iron Brigade initially consisted primarily of regiments raised in Wisconsin, which led it to be also nicknamed the Iron Brigade of the West. Also, due to the black Hardee hats that the brigade wore (along with other units in I Corps), they were known early in the war as the Black Hat Boys. State nickname: Badger State Official languages None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Governor Jim Doyle (D) Senators Herb Kohl (D) Russ Feingold (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 23rd 169,790 km² 17 Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 18th 5,453,896 38. ... Hardee hat with infantry adornment The Hardee hat, also known as the Model 1858 Dress Hat and sometimes nicknamed the Jeff Davis, was the regulation dress hat for enlisted men in the U.S. Army during the American Civil War. ... I Corps (First Corps) was the designation of four different corps_sized units in the Union Army during the American Civil War. ...

The all-Western brigade earned its famous nickname while under the command of Brigadier General John Gibbon, who led the brigade in its first fight at Brawner's Farm during the Second Battle of Bull Run, where it stood up against Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson’s forces. The designation "Iron Brigade" originated at the battle for the gaps of South Mountain, the prelude to the Battle of Antietam. Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker, commanding I Corps, approached Army of the Potomac commander Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, seeking orders. McClellan asked, "What troops are those fighting in the Pike?" Hooker replied, "[Brigadier] General Gibbon's brigade of Western men." McClellan stated, "They must be made of iron." Hooker said that the regiment had performed even more superbly at Second Bull Run; to this, McClellan said that the brigade consisted of the "best troops in the world." Hooker became very elated and rode off with his orders; afterward, the name "Iron Brigade" stuck. A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... John Gibbon John Gibbon (April 20, 1827 – February 6, 1896) was a career U.S. Army officer who fought in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders John Pope Robert E. Lee Thomas J. Jackson Strength 63,000 54,000 Casualties 1,747 killed, 8,452 wounded, 4,263 captured/missing 1,553 killed, 7,812 wounded, 109 captured/missing The Second Battle of Bull Run, known... Stonewall Jackson For the 1960s country music artist, see Stonewall Jackson (musician); for the submarine, see USS Stonewall Jackson (SSBN-634). ... Battle of South Mountain Conflict American Civil War Date September 14, 1862 Place Frederick County and Washington County Result Union victory The Battle of South Mountain was a battle of the American Civil War, considered by some to be prelude to the Battle of Antietam. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders George B. McClellan Robert E. Lee Strength 87,000 men 45,000 men Casualties 2,108 killed, 9,549 wounded, 753 captured/missing 1,512 killed, 7,816 wounded, 1,844 captured/missing The Battle of Antietam (known as the... This article is about Joseph Hooker, the U.S. Civil War Major General. ... Generals Burnside, Hancock, Couch, Ferro, Patrick, Wilcox, Cochrane, Buford and others. ... George McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was a major general (and briefly the general-in-chief of all the Union armies) during the American Civil War. ...

Brigade history

Iron Brigade Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park

The Iron brigade was activated on October 1, 1861, upon the arrival in Washington, D.C., of the 7th Wisconsin Infantry regiment. The regiments in the original Iron Brigade were the 2nd, 6th, and 7th Wisconsin Infantry, the 19th Indiana, and the 24th Michigan. The brigade fought under the I Corps starting in 1862, when the Army of the Potomac was reorganized under Major General George B. McClellan. The brigade commanders, disregarding temporary assignments, were: Image File history File linksMetadata 3143. ... Image File history File linksMetadata 3143. ... October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in Leap years). ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Map showing Washington, D.C.s location in relation to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Generals Burnside, Hancock, Couch, Ferro, Patrick, Wilcox, Cochrane, Buford and others. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... George McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was a major general (and briefly the general-in-chief of all the Union armies) during the American Civil War. ...

• Brig. Gen. Rufus King: September 28, 1861 – May 7, 1862
• Brig. Gen. John Gibbon: May 7, 1862 – November 4, 1862
• Brig. Gen. Solomon Meredith: November 25, 1862 – July 1, 1863

The Iron Brigade lost its unofficial designation on July 16, 1863, following its crippling losses at Gettysburg, when a non-Western regiment (the 167th Pennsylvania) was incorporated into it. However, the brigade that succeeded it, which included the survivors of the Iron Brigade, was commanded by: Rufus King (January 26, 1814 - October 13, 1876) was a Union Brigadier General in the American Civil War. ... September 28 is the 271st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (272nd in leap years). ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... John Gibbon John Gibbon (April 20, 1827 – February 6, 1896) was a career U.S. Army officer who fought in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. ... May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses of the word Solomon, see Solomon (Disambiguation) Solomon Meredith (May 29, 1810 – October 2, 1875) was a Union Army general in the American Civil War. ... November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... July 16 is the 197th day (198th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 168 days remaining. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Main article: Gettysburg Campaign The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign, was the largest battle ever fought in North America, and is generally considered to be the turning point of the American Civil War. ...

• Col. William W. Robinson (of the 7th Wisconsin): July 1, 1863 – March 25, 1864
• Brig. Gen. Lysander Cutler (6th Wisconsin): March 25, 1864 – May 6, 1864
• Col. William W. Robinson: May 6, 1864 – June 7, 1864
• Brig. Gen. Edward S. Bragg (6th Wisconsin): June 7, 1864 – February 10, 1865
• Brig. Gen. John A. Kellogg (6th Wisconsin): February 28, 1865 – April 27, 1865
• Brig. Gen. Henry A. Morrow (24th Michigan): April 27, 1865 – June 5, 1865

In June of 1865, the units of the surviving brigade were separated and reassigned to the Army of the Tennessee. July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... General Lysander Cutler Lysander Cutler (February 16, 1807 – July 30, 1866) A Union Army general during the American Civil War. ... March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ... June 5 is the 156th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (157th in leap years), with 209 days remaining. ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ... The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. ...

The brigade fought in the Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Overland, Richmond-Petersburg, and Appomattox campaigns. Union soldiers at the Orange & Alexandria Railroad The Northern Virginia Campaign, or the Second Bull Run Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during August and September, 1862, in the American Civil War. ... Confederate dead at Antietam The Maryland Campaign, or the Antietam Campaign, was a series of battles fought in September, 1862—Robert E. Lees first invasion of the North—during the American Civil War. ... The Battle of Fredericksburg, fought on December 13, 1862 between General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. ... The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War in 1863. ... Eastern Theater operations in 1863, showing Chancellorsville and the Gettysburg Campaign (through July 3) The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July, 1863, during the American Civil War. ... Battle of Mine Run Conflict American Civil War Date November 27–December 2, 1863 Place Orange County, Virginia Result Inconclusive The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Paynes Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run Campaign (November 27 – December 2, 1863), was conducted in Orange County... Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee The Overland Campaign, or Grants Overland Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June, 1864, in the American Civil War. ... The Siege of Petersburg (June 15, 1864 – April 2, 1865) was a ten-month long siege of Petersburg, Virginia, during the American Civil War. ... Eastern Theater operations in 1865 The Appomattox Campaign (March 29 – April 9, 1865) was a series of battles fought in Virginia that culminated in the surrender of Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia and the effective end of the American Civil War. ...

The brigade took pride in its designation, "1st Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps", under which it played a prominent role in the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. It repulsed the first Confederate offensive through Herbst’s Woods, capturing much of Brig. Gen. James Archer's Confederate brigade, and Archer himself. It suffered tremendous losses in the second, larger Confederate assault that afternoon. Main article: Gettysburg Campaign The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign, was the largest battle ever fought in North America, and is generally considered to be the turning point of the American Civil War. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... James Archer (1823-1904) was a portrait-painter, born in Edinburgh. ... For other meanings of confederate and confederacy, see confederacy (disambiguation) National Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God our Vindicator) Official language English de facto nationwide Various European and Native American languages regionally Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Largest...

The Iron Brigade, proportionately, suffered the most casualties of any brigade in the Civil War. For example, 61% (1,153 out of 1,885) were casualties at Gettysburg. Similarly, the 2nd Wisconsin, which suffered 77% casualties at Gettysburg, suffered the most throughout the war; it was second only to the 24th Michigan (also an Iron Brigade regiment) in total casualties at Gettysburg. The latter regiment lost 397 out of 496 soldiers, an 80% casualty rate.

Other Iron Brigades

There were and are other brigades known to some extent by the same nickname:

• Another brigade in the Army of the Potomac had previously been known as the Iron Brigade (later the Iron Brigade of the East or First Iron Brigade to avoid confusion). This was the original 1st Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps, and consisted of the 22nd, 24th, 30th, and 84th New York (14th Brooklyn) Infantry regiments.

• A Confederate cavalry brigade was also known as the Iron Brigade, or Shelby’s Iron Brigade. It was in the division commanded by Brig. Gen. Joseph O. (Jo) Shelby in the Army of Missouri and fought in Maj. Gen. Sterling Price's Missouri Expedition in 1864.

• Recent scholarship^[1] identifies two other brigades referred to by their members or others as "The Iron Brigade":
  • 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps (17th Maine, 3rd Michigan, 5th Michigan, 1st, 37th, and 101st New York)
  • Reno's Brigade from the North Carolina expedition (21st and 35th Massachusetts, 51st Pennsylvania, and 51st New York)

• The Second Brigade of the US Army's First Armored Division has carried the Iron Brigade moniker since 1985.

Generals Burnside, Hancock, Couch, Ferro, Patrick, Wilcox, Cochrane, Buford and others. ... Italian cavalry officers practice their horsemanship in 1904 outside Rome. ... Joseph O. Shelby Joseph Orville (Jo) Shelby (December 12, 1830 – February 13, 1897) was a Confederate cavalry general in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. ... The Army of Missouri was an independent military command during the American Civil War within the Confederate States Army, created in late 1864 under the command of Maj. ... General Price Sterling Old Pap Price (September 20, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was an antebellum politician from the U.S. state of Missouri and a Confederate major general during the American Civil War. ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Daniel Sickles and staff after the Battle of Gettysburg There were four formations in the Union Army designated as III Corps (or Third Corps) during the American Civil War. ... Jesse Lee Reno (April 20, 1823 – September 14, 1862) was a Union general in the American Civil War, killed at the Battle of South Mountain. ... Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 1st Armored Division, the Old Ironsides. ...

Notes

1. ^  Clemens, Tom, Will the Real Iron Brigade Please Stand Up?

References

• Nolan, Alan T., The Iron Brigade, A Military History, Indiana University Press, 1961, ISBN 0-253-34102-7.

External links

• Iron Brigade website