Louisiana Civil War Facts
Louisiana was the 6th state to suceed from the Union on January 26, 1861. Louisiana provided 82,276 of her sons for the war effort which translates to 2.1% (ranked 17th out of 44 states and territories) of the total men who served on both sides of the conflict. There were a total of 566 raids, skirmishes and battles in the state. Louisiana had 1 Union P.O.W. Camp at
Louisiana State House, and 3 Confederate P.O.W. Camps at Baton Rouge, Parish (New Orleans)*, Shreveport
Louisiana adopted a 13 stripe flag (3 red, 6 white and 4 blue) with a gold star in a red canton on Feb. 11, 1861.
The stripes were to represent the French tricolor. The canton was red, with a single gold (or yellow) star; the colors representing the Spanish colors, the star representing independence. Of course, Louisiana was French, and, for a time, Spanish.
One of the many early flags of Louisiana. This flag (right) was flown in January of 1861. It never had official status. It is described on page 147 of the book "Flag Book of the United States" by Whitney Smith. There is an image of this flag on page 136 of the book "Flags through the Ages and Across the World" by Whitney Smith.
| Confederate - 15 States and Territories |
| Total number of men recruited |
53,000 |
| % of Confederate Army |
5.1% |
| Overall rank |
9 |
| % of South's population |
7.5% |
| Overall rank |
11 |
| Regiments of foreign-born soldiers |
Avegno Zouaves, mixed
1st Infantry: 3 Companies (Co. D, Irish; Co. E, Irish; Co. F, mixed)
5th Infantry: 3 Companies (Co. B, mixed; Co. C, Irish; Co. G, mixed)
6th Infantry: 6 Companies (Co.B, Irish; Co. G, German; Co. H, mixed; Co. K, mixed; Co. F, Irish; Co. I, Irish)
7th Infantry: 2 Companies (Co. D, Irish; Co. F, Irish)
8th Infantry: 2 Companies (Co. B, mixed; Co. D, mixed)
9th Infantry: 1 Company (Co. E, Irish)
10th Infantry: 6 Companies, Irish and mixed
14th Infantry: 6 Companies, Irish and mixed
15th Infantry: 2 Companies (Co. B, mixed; Co. D, mixed)
20th Infantry: 6 Companies, German
20th Infantry: 4 Companies, Irish
Wheat's Battalion, Irish
Garibaldi Legion: 1 Company, Italian
Coppen's Zouaves: mixed |
| Confederate Army Deaths |
| Killed |
3,486 |
| Died of Disease |
3,059 |
| Total |
6,545 |
| State Military Units |
| Artillery |
7 regiments
6 battalions
17 batteries
6 companies |
| Cavalry |
21 regiments
5 battalions
13 companies
1 squadron |
| Infantry |
45 regiments
12 battalions
2 companies
1 brigade |
| Engineers |
1 corps |
| Sharpshooter |
1 regiment
3 battalions |
|
| Union - 43 States and Territories |
| Total number of men recruited |
29,276 |
| % of Union Army |
1.0% |
| % of state's population |
4.1% |
| Overall rank |
20 |
| Union Army Deaths |
| Killed/Mortally Wounded |
214 |
| Disease |
624 |
| Disease in Prison |
15 |
| Accidents/Drowning |
36 |
| Suicide |
1 |
| Military Execution |
1 |
| Sunstroke |
5 |
| Known/Not Classified |
19 |
| Unknown |
30 |
| Total |
945 |
| State Military Units |
| Artillery |
None |
| Cavalry |
2 regiments
1 battalion |
| Infantry |
7 regiments |
|
