The National tribune., 1885-02-12
THE FIRST MINNESOTA.
Its Part in the Battle Mt Gettysburg.

lV1 ~ ~ LAW ~
Its Part in the Battle at Gettysburg.
To THE EDITOR: / have been particularly
interested in the articles of Gen. Howard; the
more so, perhaps, because he commanded our
brigade-First Brigade. Second Division, Sec
ond Corps-at Antetim After Gen. Sedg-
wick was wounded he took command of the
division, which he commanded at trederIckS-
burg. recall that was sent to brigade head
quarters long before daylight, the morning of
the fight at Antietam, to get extra cartridges,
and heard him praying in a tent. had heard
considerable swearing about headquarters but
hitherto very few prayers 1t impressed me.
Gen. Howard makes brief reference to our
regiment in THE TRIBUNE of the 18th inst.
He says: Just before shutdown II y
Gen. Hancock himself led the LIST MINI. to the
exposed point and they drove back the intrud-
ers" Gen. Howard is cOrrect-right as to
time, place, etc. He simply states fact with
out particulars. Permit me. then, with an old
soldiers pride in his own regiment, to enlarge
n little upon the simple statement referred to.
During the war we gained some reputation as
a fighting organization in the Army of the Po-
tomac, but we never won any laurels at SO
bloody cost as those we gathered in /" at
Gettysburg We make no claims for special
hOnors, more than come with perilous duty
well performed. We simply obeyed orders, as
did the Light Brigade at Balaklava; but we
suffered a much greater proporiionate loss.
Their loss was one-half ours three-fOurths.
We captured many prisoners, lost none. Every
man but one was accounted fOr-among the
wounded dead on the field or present for duty.
/ believe the missing man is still unaccOunted
for
For anything I know to the contrary, others
may have suffered a loss equal to ours; but L
have an impression that but few if any regi-
ments recorded so great proportionate loss in
Ii cd nd 1nH- niSSi-,p prISOu-
ers-on any single battlefield, as we did at Get
tysburg If any did, we should like to hear
from them through the columns of The RIB
UNE.
In regard to the charge made by the list
Mimi, the evening of July =, at Gettysburg,
Gen. Hancock, in his official report, says:
Proceeding along the line / met regiment of
the enemy the bead of whose column was about
passing through an unprotected interval III our
line. A fringe of underground in front of the line
offered facilities for il TO approach very close to our
line without being observed. 1t was advancing
firmly, and had already twice wounded my AID
Capt. Miller. The lst MINI. coming up at this
moment charged the rebel regiment in handsome
style, capturing its colors and driving 1T back In
disorder cannot speak too highly of this regi-
ment and its commander in the attack, as well as
i'll its subsequent advance against the enemy, III
which it lost three-fourhs of the officers engaged
Col. VIM. Colvilc, jr., of Red Wing, Mimi,
commanded the regiment that day, and received
two severe wounds. Lieut.-COl. Adams, Maj
Dannie, and Adj't Peller were also wounded
Col. Colville still lives Gladly crippled) at his
old home in Red Wing MINI.
Gen. Hancock attended a Reunion of our
regiment at Minneapolis, Mimi, some years
after the war, and, i'll speech made i'll the
Opera House, among other things said:
Comrades of the battlefield, ] greet you as old
friends The last time we met was on the
memorable field of Gettysburg, where, in the per-
formance of your duty, you accomplished results
which will make the name OF the LIST Mimi. inn
mortal, if valor and devotion to n cause continue
to be priced by your countrymen. III was my Tor
tune TO give order in person to the LIST Mimi on
the second day at Gettysburg at critical period of
the battle, which was executed with such heroism
as TO win for it place i'll my esteem as enduringas
my life. and record of that service has been made
in my official report of the battle which trust will
be still more enduring l congratulate
myself that an opportunity has been presented
enabling me 10 attest in a feeble way my appecia-
ton of the debt due to you by your country for
your patriotic services
l trust that no comrade will accuse me of
blowing my own horn,'' for l make no claims
to superiority; but it does seem to me the serv
ices we rendered deserved more than the brief
mention Gen. Howard gave. Two companies
being on the skrmish line, and the regiment
somewhat advanced as support, it happened
to be the most available and was used. ldoubt
not any other regiment of the old White Club
Division would have done as well if called on.
| should like to hear something from some of
the comrades Of the old Second Division, Sec
oDd Corps wish to say to the 18th Mass. that
the 1st MINI. remembers them most kindly.
Our hearts throb with gratitude when we re-
member-and we cannot forget it-how gal
lantly they came to our aid when our right
flank was turned at Savage's Station. Our
| hearts also swell with sympathetic fellow
feeling when we recall how thickly their dead
lay in front of the rocks and wood at Antie-
tam. To the 10th Mass. would say that we
still have the old feeling of fraternal respect :;
have not forgotten how they shared honors
with us III the camp and on the field, and to-
getlier with were complimented in general
orders, for efficiency, drill, and soldierly bear
ing at the review at Harrisons Landing. Of
the 9TH Mich. we also wish To say a word, for
our regiment fraternized with them, and we
are always ready to take of our hats to so
gallant body of fighting men. Like good
milestone they were all grit. A. WRIGHT,
First Scrg't, Co. +, 1st Mimi, Beverly, Mass.