The Louisiana Tigers, Some Of The Confederacy's Most Seasoned Soldiers, Guarded The Rappahannock Bridgehead

The Louisiana tigers, some of the confederacy's most seasoned soldiers, guarded the rappahannock bridgehead is the next fact about the battle of Rappahannock Station. During the American Civil War, the infantry soldiers from the State of Louisiana who served in the Confederate army were known as Louisiana Tigers. The moniker, which was first used to refer to a particular company, was later extended to a battalion, a brigade, and ultimately to all Louisiana soldiers serving in the Army of Northern Virginia. Although the Louisiana Tigers' precise make-up changed as the war went on, they earned a reputation as fearless, tenacious shock troops.

One pontoon bridge across the Rappahannock River at Rappahannock Station was left standing by Lee in preparation for a spring operation intended to drive the Army of the Potomac out of Northern Virginia. Lee gave the order to build a bridgehead, complete with earthworks and trenches, on the river's north bank in order to defend the bridge. The bridgehead was shielded by artillery batteries on both banks of the river. Lee assigned protection of the bridgehead to Major General Jubal A. Early's Division of Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell's Second Corps. Brigadier General Harry T. Hays' Louisiana brigade, often known as the Louisiana Tigers, comprised some of Brigadier General Early's best soldiers and manned the position.

North of the Rappahannock, Confederates built earthworks to defend the pontoon bridge. This area was under the command of the irascible Gen. Jubal Early, who was tasked with maintaining the bridgehead. Early assigned the Louisiana Tigers, a brigade under Gen. Harry T. Hays, to carry out this crucial mission. Early could trust Hays' four regiments with a crucial task because they had participated in almost all of the major battles in the east from First Manassas to Gettysburg and had a reputation for fierce combat.