GEORGE PETROVICH
Civil War, Gettysburg, July 2, 1863
By Adam S. Eterovich

At 8 a.m. on July 2, 1863, practically the whole of both armies were upon the field at Gettysburg. The Confederate Army lost 28,063 men as killed, wounded and missing; the Federals 23,049. Some were Croatian.

Corporal George Petrovich volunteered on July 22, 1861, at Camp Moore, Louisiana, for Company D, 10th Louisiana Infantry. (The New Orleans Business Directory for 1860 lists George Petrovich at 111 Chartres Street, with a fruit store.) His enlistment papers state his residence at New Orleans.

His service record was impressive, and I would like to pay this valiant young Croatian belated respect by stating the major historical battles he participated in as a Confederate soldier:

Corporal George Petrovich was wounded at Williamsburg on May 4, 1862. He paid the highest respect toward his adopted country at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. He died in battle far from his beloved Dalmatia. Could he be buried at Gettysburg? It would be interesting to know.

In another regiment at Gettysburg, Jelanovich and Danilovich are listed as missing in action. Croatians served in many areas of the South. Steffano Vidovich was in the Italian (!) Guards Battalion; Pietro Vukalovich in the European Brigade; and S. Vuskovich in the 21st Alabama Infantry.

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