The Battle of the Wheatfield :: Estimating Casualties

Aiding in estimating casualties for the Wheatfield fighting is the fact that most of the regiments that fought in the Wheatfield action only saw significant action on July 2, 1863. For other areas on July 2, such as the fight for Cemetery Ridge, numbers from July 2 and July 3 mingle together to an extent that it is difficult to estimate casualties.

This list contains units that principally fought in the Wheatfield. Casualty numbers are from "Union and Confederate Regimental Strengths and Losses at Gettysburg" by Busey and Martin.

The Federals

 Caldwell's Division (First Division, 2nd Corps) *John Caldwell commanding* 3,320 men

187 killed, 880 wounded, and 208 missing/captured

38.4%

Cross' Brigade (First Brigade) *Edward E. Cross commanding, mortally wounded. Colonel Henry Boyd McKeen, successor* 853 men

57 killed, 260 wounded, 13 missing

33.7%

  • 5th New Hampshire 44.7%

  • 61st New York 59.6%

  • 81st Pennsylvania 35.4%

  • 148th Pennsylvania 31.9%

Irish Brigade (Second Brigade) *Colonel Patrick Kelly commanding* 532 men

27 killed, 109 wounded, 62 missing

37.2%

  • 28th Massachusetts 44.6%

  • 63rd New York 30.7%

  • 69th New York 33.3%

  • 88th New York 31.1%

  • 116th Pennsylvania 33.3%

Zook's Brigade (Third Brigade) *Brig. Gen. Samuel K. Zook commanding, mortally wounded. Lieut. Col. John Fraser, succesor* 975 men

49 killed, 227 wounded, 82 missing

36.7%

  • 52nd New York 28.4%

  • 57th New York 19.4%

  • 66th New York 29.9%

  • 140th Pennsylvania 46.8%

Brooke's Brigade (Fourth Brigade) *Col. John R. Brooke, commanding* 851 men

54 killed, 284 wounded, 51 missing

45.7%

  • 27th Connecticut 49.3%

  • 2nd Deleware 35.9%

  • 64th New York 48.0%

  • 53rd Pennsylvania 59.3%

  • 145th Pennsylvania 44.6%

De Trobriand's Brigade (Third Brigade, Birney's First Division, Third Corps) *Col. Philip Regis De Trobriand commanding 1,387 men

75 killed, 394 wounded, 21 missing

35.2%

  • 17th Maine 38.0%

  • 3rd Michigan 18.9%

  • 5th Michigan 50.5%

  • 40th New York 34.8%

  • 110th Pennsylvania 34.9%

Elements of Burling's Brigade (Third Brigade, Humphery's Second Division, Third Corps) *Col. George C. Burling commanding*

Engaged in the wheatfield:

  • 8th New Jersey (170 men) 27.6%

  • 115th Pennsylvania (151 men) 15.9%

Tilton's Brigade (First Division, Fifth Corps) *Col. William Tilton commanding* 655 men

12 killed, 102 wounded, 11 missing

19.1%

  • 18th Massachusetts 19.4%

  • 22nd Massachuesetts 22.6%

  • 1st Michigan 29.0%

  • 118th Pennsylvania 10.7%

Sweitzer's Brigade (First Division, Fifth Corps) *Col. Jacob B. Sweitzer commanding* 1,423 men

67 killed, 239 wounded, 121 missing

30.0%

  • 9th Massachusetts 1.7%

  • 32nd Massachusetts 33.1%

  • 4th Michigan 48.2%

  • 62nd Pennsylvania 41.1%

Day's Brigade (Second Division, Fifth Corps) *Col. Hannibal Day commanding* 1,553 men: 46 killed, 318 wounded, 18 missing 24.6%

  • 3rd United States 24.3%

  • 4th United States 23.1%

  • 6th United States 29.3%

  • 12th United States 22.1%

  • 14th United States 25.7%

Burbank's Brigade (Second Division, Fifth Corps) *Col. Sidney Burbank commanding* 954 men

78 killed, 342 wounded, 27 missing

46.9%

  • 2nd United States 34.0%

  • 7th United States 50.9%

  • 10th United States 54.8%

  • 11th United States 42.0%

  • 17th United States 57.7%

Confederate Losses

Anderson's Brigade (Hood's Division, Longstreet's Corps) *Brig. Gen. George T. Anderson commanding* 1,874 men

152 killed, 468 wounded, 102 missing

38.5%

  • 7th Georgia 5.6%

  • 8th Georgia 53.8%

  • 9th Georgia 55.6%

  • 11th Georgia 64.8%

  • 59th Georgia 27.0%

Kershaw's Brigade (McLaws' Division, Longstreet's Corps) *Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw commanding* 2,183 men

179 killed, 419 wounded, 51 missing

29.7%

  • 2nd South Carolina 41.3%

  • 3rd South Carolina 21.4%

  • 7th South Carolina 28.2%

  • 8th South Carolina 32.1%

  • 15th South Carolina 32.1%

  • 3rd South Carolina Btn. 23.6%

Semmes' Brigade (McLaws' Division, Longstreet's Corps) *Brig. Gen. Paul J. Semmes commanding, mortally wounded. Col. Goode Bryan, successor* 1,334 men

80 killed, 261 wounded, 91 missing

32.4%

  • 10th Georgia 33.3%

  • 50th Georgia 31.8%

  • 51st Georgia 31.4%

  • 53rd Georgia 23.5%

Wofford's Brigade (McLaws' Division, Longstreet's Corps) Brig. Gen. W.T. Wofford commanding. 1,627 men

48 killed, 184 wounded, 138 missing

22.7%

  • 16th Georgia 34.3%

  • 18th Georgia 11.9%

  • 24th Georgia 28.1%

  • Cobb Legion 10.3%

  • Phillips Legion 24.2%

  • 3rd Georgia Batn SS 5.7%

Battle for the Wheatfield at Gettysburg - www.wheatfield.goellnitz.org - Copyright 1997-2007 by Jennifer Goellnitz. Based on theme by Bob.