16th Michigan Infantry
The monument to the 16th Michigan is located on a ledge of Little Round Top known as “Vincent’s Spur,” below the monument to the 44th New York.
The 16th was recruited from the counties of Ionia, Ontonagon, Saginaw, and Wayne. It numbered just over 350 at Gettysburg. It was commanded by Lt. Col. Norval E. Welch (1835-1864). Welch was the secretary to Senator Lewis Cass and was acting governor briefly for the Nebraska Territory. He was killed leading the 16th at Peebles Farm.
16th Michigan Infantry
5th Corps, 1st Division, 3rd Brigade
Engaged: 356; 23 killed, 34 wounded, 3 missing
Monument: Little Round Top
Tags: Gettysburg, Little Round Top, Monument Project, us regulars, V Corps
Jenny,
As you know, Welch’s reputation suffered as a result of his actions on LRT. In the West Point obituary for Romeyn Ayres, Welch’s superior at Peebles’ Farm, this story by a friend of Ayres is said to be referring to Welch:
During the Rebellion, a colonel of his brigade showed a timidity before the enemy too observable to the command to be overlooked by the brigadier. What passed at the subsequent interview nobody will ever know, but the next day the colonel was found in the hottest part of the action. Soon an officer of his regiment reported to Ayres, “General, poor Colonel — is killed”. “Thank God!” says Ayres, “his children can now be proud of him.”
Wow. Poor Welch. I’m currently re-reading Pfanz and I notice in the text he didn’t make too much of the fact that Welch and the colors went to the rear during the fight on Little Round Top. Treats it more in a footnote.