Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Snodgrass Hill, Part II

Continued.
22nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment Monument, Snodgrass Hill
Found at.

Inscription:
MICHIGAN
TO HER
TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT OF INFANTRY
COMMANDED BY
COLONEL HEBER LeFAVOUR
LIEUT. COLONEL WILLIAM SANBORN
CAPT. ALONZO M. KEELER
WHITAKER'S BRIGADE, STEEDMAN'S DIVISION, GRANGER'S CORPS
This monument marks the position where the regiment performed its most important service, Sept. 20th, 1863.
Casualties:
Engaged 455
Killed 32
Wounded 96
Missing 261
Total loss 389
On the 19th the regiment marched from Rossville joining the brigade near McAfee's Church. From thence it moved about noon of the 20th toward this position. After three hours desperate combat having exhausted their ammunition, they charged overwhelming numbers until overcome.
In the Chattanooga campaigns it performed important engineer service, Major Henry S. Dean, Commanding.
Monument #898
 That "march" from Rossville to McAfee's Church was 50 miles.  In a day.  On hardtack and salt pork, with gear that, while it didn't weigh anywhere near what a GI humps today, was significantly less ergonomic.  As I recall from the Regimental history I found in Eastern Michigan University's library, they marched without specific instructions:  This may have been the origin of the command "March to the sound of the guns."

Somewhere along the way they passed General Granger, who complimented Colonels LeFavour on the appearance of his "Brigade."  The Corps Commander is said to have expressed his admiration for a regiment that could arrive at a raging battle with few, if any, falling out.

I think I mentioned that I visited the battlefield about 20 years ago.  Where I stood next to the regiment's monument on Snodgrass Hill, I counted  6 or monuments to Confederate regiments.  Granted that, by this time, the average rebel regiment was about the size of a battalion, or smaller, they were still seriously outnumbered.  And effectively disarmed, out of ammo.

Monument to the Regiment's most famous member:


Also: Chickamauga Blog

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