The 26th North Carolina was the largest Confederate regiment to fight at Gettysburg. They went in with 800 men and after the clashes with the Iron Brigade on the first day of battle (Reynold's Woods, McPherson's Woods, Herbst Woods... all the same, just called different names), their casualty loss was calculated at 82%... the highest percentage of regimental loss in a lone battle for either side in the entire Civil War. Even though they had lost so many troops, they were called on to take part in the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble Charge on the third day of the battle. Some of the 26th troops made it to the wall... but with such small numbers to begin with, there was of course, heavy loss that day as well, adding to the regiment's devastating casualty numbers. After the three days of fighting, the "Bloody 26th" as they were later called, had shocking troop numbers remaining... of the 800 going in, 67 men and 3 officers came out without ending up on the casualty list either wounded or killed. :-( I have never lived in the south, but this is one of the Gettysburg stories that feels closest to me. I'll be stopping at their monument on Monday, as I always do... a quiet time to remember the sacrifice.
