Lee's Tar Heels: The Pettigrew-Kirkland-MacRae BrigadeThe Pettigrew-Kirkland-MacRae Brigade was one of North Carolina's best-known and most successful units during the Civil War. Formed in 1862, the brigade spent nearly a year protecting supply lines before being thrust into its first major combat at Gettysburg. There, James Johnston Pettigrew's men pushed back the Union's famed Iron Brigade in vicious fighting on July 1 and played a key role in Pickett's Charge on July 3, in the process earning a reputation as one of the hardest-fighting units in Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Despite suffering heavy losses during the Gettysburg campaign, the brigade went on to prove its valor in a host of other engagements. It marched with Lee to Appomattox and was among the last Confederate units to lay down arms in the surrender ceremony. Earl Hess tells the story of the men of the Pettigrew-Kirkland-MacRae Brigade, and especially the famous 26th North Carolina, chronicling the brigade's formation and growth under Pettigrew and its subsequent exploits under William W. Kirkland and William MacRae. Beyond recounting the brigade's military engagements, Hess draws on letters, diaries, memoirs, and service records to explore the camp life, medical care, social backgrounds, and political attitudes of these gallant Tar Heels. He also addresses the continuing debate between North Carolinians and Virginians over the failure of Pickett's Charge. |
Contents
1 | |
Pettigrews Brigade | 34 |
Back to Carolina | 57 |
New Bern and Washington | 80 |
North to Pennsylvania | 101 |
Gettysburg | 119 |
Fire and Blood | 138 |
Back to Virginia | 159 |
Petersburg | 234 |
Rebel Autumn | 258 |
The Road to Appomattox | 281 |
After the War | 306 |
A Military Profile of the PettigrewKirklandMacRae Brigade | 327 |
Notes | 353 |
Bibliography | 411 |
425 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
11th North 26th North Carolina 47th North 52nd North Carolina A. P. Hill Albright Papers April artillery attack August band battle Benjamin Wesley Justice Bethel Regiment Burgwyn Family Papers Burgwyn to mother camp campaign Capt casualties cavalry colonel command Company F Confederate Cooke’s County D. H. Hill December deserted father Federals Fifty-Second fighting fire flag Foster Gettysburg Heels Henry Clay Henry Clay Albright Henry Heth Henry King Burgwyn Heth to William Hill Hoyle Papers Johnston Pettigrew Jones Jordan,North Carolina July June killed Kirkland’s Kirkland’s brigade Lee’s army Lemuel Linebach Linebach diary Louis G MacRae MacRae’s March miles NCDAH North Car North Carolina lost North Carolina Troops October officers olina percent Petersburg Pettigrew’s brigade Phipps Family picket prisoners railroad Rebel SCL-DU Setser SHC-UNC skirmishers soldiers Stedman Tar Heels Thomas took Twenty-Sixth Underwood Union Vance Webb wounded and captured Yankees Young Zebulon Baird Vance