St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-07-17
THE FIRST MINNESOTA IN THE SEVEN
DAYS. BATTLES BEFORE KICH1IOND.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
Letter from Chaplain Neill.

The following Letter from Chaplain
Neill, gives brief history of the part taken
in the seven days battle before Richmond
by the First Minnesota:
BERKLEY PLANTATION ON JAMES R1vEE,
Thursday, July Sd. 1862.
His Excellency, Alexander Ramsey, Governor
Of Minnesota:
DEAR SIR An advance Of the whole army
of the Potomac, having been or tered, Sumner
crops d'a'mse was select ed for the arduous and
hazardous work Of protect ing our rear, and
valu .ble train at least twelve miles long, from
annoyance.
Sedgwick' s division, that had, since the bat
tie Of Fair Oaks, held our advanced position,
left the camp just before daylight on Sunday,
June 29th, the First Minnesota, commanded
Ivy Lieutenant Colonel Miller, and tho Brigade
by Colone! Sully, General German being sick
The division had roccedcd about mile and
a half, when the enemy made their appear
ance. Alters short contest the latter retired
About five o'clock in the afternoon, while our
troops were at Savage Station. on the York
Railroad, the enemy again gave bnttle. Un-
til dark the conflict ragged, but kind Provi-
dence inspired oar men with valor and cool
ness, and the foe were held in check.
The loss in t..e Minnesota Regiment upler
the circumstances, has been slight. but the
reading of the subjoincd list will, therefore,
cause none the less pain to the friends and re-
latives Of our noble color bearer, Sergeant
B,N ,ss, and others OF the killed and woun-
dcd:
Company Al. Adams, killed: Garfield,
wounded; Pitkin, do Keyes, slightly: THEM,
do; Lyon, do. in leg: AlattAison, do. slightly;
Kieter, do; Crawley, do.
Company B-Gof, slightly wounded; Brown,
do do.
Company c. Owing to an order causing
the regiment to fall into lire, have not the
list-about IL killed and wounded)
Company D-Nope.
Company E-Corporal Taylor, slightly
wounded; Patterson, wounded in SHOULDER ::
Hugh Cassidy do. in leg; Henry E. Scott,
wounded; Calvin G. Sherlock.
Company F-Corporal Whitman, killed; Cor
poral Johnson, do; Clark, wounded; Peterson,
do; ]. P. Davis, de-; E. +. Davis, do; Severd-
son, do.
company G-Alaklnslry, wounded; Wells, do
Company II Gilman, wounded in shoulder.
Company None.
Company K,--Sergeant Burgess, the color
bearer, killed.
SUNDAY NrcHr, June 20.
Died oftyphoid fever, James Skinner.
MONDAY, June 30,
Company F-One man killed.
Captain Colville, wounded by a shot in tho
breast.
On Monday. between White Oak Swamp and
Willis hurch. the enemy again appeared, and
at various points there was fighting.
In a skirmish, in which our division was en-
gagged, Captain Colville was wounded in the
breast.
On Tuesday, with the whole army. we were
drawn up i'll line Of battle, on the dividing line
| of Charles City and lienrico counties, in sight
of James river. Although exposed to the shell
We were not actually engaged. At midnight
| we moved in body, and arrived, in rain,
which lasted all the next day, on the James
river, at Berkley, the seat where General Har-
riGon was born.
Since have commenced writing. the enemy
lave commenced shelling our rear. and the or
der has just passed for the Regiment to fall in.
l must stop.
Yours truly, EDW'D. D. NELL
Chaplain.