Wheat's Tigers by John Jenkins

The battalion called the Louisiana Tigers was the creation of Roberdeau Chatham Wheat, and was to become one of the most notorious military corps ever to be raised during this conflict. In New Orleans Wheat looked for his recruits among the Irish roustabouts and riffraff of the city. His company was soon joined by four others and on June 9th 1861, they were mustered into the Confederate service as the 1st Louisiana Special Battalion.

The battalion soon gained a fine reputation for brawling and theft!

In action finally at the First Manassas, the Tigers showed they could also fight in battle. An English observer wrote, “Although few in number these heroic soldiers sustained every shock with unwavering courage, and on more than one occasion dropped their rifles and rushed among the enemy with long bowie knives.”

Wheat, brave to the point of recklessness was killed 27th June 1862 at Gaines’ Mill. For the first time the battalion broke and ran. With Wheat gone there was no one to keep the Tigers in hand and on 21st August the battalion was disbanded and its men transferred to other Louisiana regiments serving in Virginia.

The name “Louisiana Tigers” however lived on to describe the Louisiana Brigade as it fought through to Appomattox.