New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-06-17
The 8. Fj,.st'' M1,s,sesota,s
Gettysburg Charge.
Hotc They Saved the day.--Ass
Advance UneEceNed In the
Annals Of Modern Wa7..
fare---Iscide,ats, Etc.

J0fe-.-17aca0e1atS, Etc.
The following graphic description of
the conduct of the First regiment Min
nesota volunteers at the hard-fought
battle of Gettysburg will be read with
universal interest, especially as the
survivors Of the regiment will meet in
this city next Tuesday:
The First Minnesota was not forgot
ten at Gettysburg. They were
the heroes of the battle, and on all sides
they have been much talked about by
the celebrating survivors 1t is like
writing poetry on Parnassus to tell the
story Of that famous charge to Mime
sofa people. Gen. Hancock said of it in |
1864 that it was the bravest fighting
done in the war or in any other war in
America or Europe. The First was the
only Minnesota regiment in the army
of the Potomac and the honor of the
state was on its banners. 1t had been
brigaded with the Fifteenth Massachu-
sets, Gen. Deven's regiment, a crack
body of men. President Lincoln and
Secretary Stanton had reviewed the
First and it had come to be known as
perfectly unstampedeable. At Bull
Run, when everybody else was running,
the Minnesota boys captured a rebel
colonel. and retired with him in good
order. In number of battles they had
been put at the hardest point in the
field. So it was that the First was just
~ ordered at Gettysburg to do the most
heroic fighting in the whole history of
the war. By hard marching the regi-
ment reached Gettysburg the night of
the first day of the battle. Nothing
Happened to them until about 5 p. NJ,
when, as they stood far in advance of
the Union line on slight descent into
dry run, that had in spring been quite
stream, but was then overgrown with
grass, old Barksdale of Mississippi sud-
denly came down from the other side
of the river with seven regiments in
line. There was nothing in their path
except the $50 men of the First Mime
sofa. Half a mile away Gen. Gibbon
was hurrying up his division. Gen.
Hancock had not completed his line of
battle. Barksdale's success would have
turned the day, and perhaps have
changed the history Of the war. Sud-
denly on the right Gen. Hancock ap-
peared, squirting his horse wildly down
the hill. Advanced he shouted, land
take their color!'' DR.. Adams, of Has
tings, was lieutenant colonel and stood
to the right Hancock's order was Civ
en- to him. He passed it across the
line to Col. Colville who was OF: the left.
At the command ''Forward?' the regi-
ment moved as if on dress parade. A
terrible fire poured in on them from the
enemy's cannon. The round shot,
grape and shrapael were ra;ned
on them. Our boys did not
make :, noise. The gaps were closed
up and the line moved forward within
hunderd feet of the rebels at double
quick. In half minute Col. Colville,
1t. Col. Adams, Mai. Downie, Adjt. Pc
teller, Capt. Muller, Lieut. Farrell, Capt.
Periam, Lieuts. Sinclair, Demorest,
Gray and Boyd fell. Two-t thirds of the
men were killed or wounded. But the
line went on with fixed bayonets and
with wild avenging shouts they charg-
cd at the foe. Five volleys were pour
ed in on the rebels, and they broke and
fell back Here Barksdale fell dead.
The bravery of those few Minnesota
boys, who could stand as if in the mid
die of He'll, and load, and fire and
charge, terrified them. Just ut this
minute Gibbons division came up and
the rout began.
THE FIRST HAD SAVED THE DAY.
Four officers were killed, and AZ men:
13 officers and 1852 men were wounded,
a total of 226 out of 324. The light bri-
gade at Balaklava Jared better than
this. Capt. Messick, who took COM
mand after Colvill, Adams and Downie
fell, was killed next day. Three times
the color guard was shot down and the
| flagstaff was cut in two and carried by
the stump.
That fall the First wastreated to ban
quet at the national hotel in Washing
ton-an honor no regiment in the field
had ever before had. The wounded
had by this time recovered and were
back in camp. Col Colvill was carried
in on the shoulders of his men. His
bravery would have procured him a
brigadier's commission had he not been
|
er be Of service. OF this there is an
amusing story which I will tell a little
later. At the supper the boys were
given all the champagne they could
drink, and Secretary Stanton came
down and ate and drank with them The
expense was met by the Minnesota PEG.
pie in town and it ran up over $1,000.
The regiment from this time was the
hero regiment of the army. Its men
were tall and finely built, and their en-
thusiasm was one of the fine things Of
the service. Gen. Hancock wrote 8
letter to President Lincoln recommend.
ing that 1t. Col. Adams be promoted
to brigadier Tor his gallantry. That
he should overlook the bravery of Col
Colyille was remarkable. 1t happened
in this way. An order had been ISSUED
when the regiment marched from Fal
mouth, Va, to Gettysburg that the mer
should not be allowed to take off their
shoes and stockings when fording q
creek. The aim was to hasten the
march as much as possible. This order