The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-15
x The First Minnesota.

EIOlu tu0 washington COII0DpOuUeuC8
Of the Pioneer Press, we take the follow
ing reference to the celebrated Minne-
sofa First to which regiment Mesrs. H.
T. Bevans, J. g. .sonderman, N. E. Nelson
and r. ]. Strong Of this city belonged:
"The First Minnesota were not for
gotten at Gettysburg this week. They
were thelheroes of the battle, and en- all
sides they have been much talked about
by the celebrating survivors It is like
writing poetry on Parnassus to tell the
story of that famous charge to Minnesota
people. Gen. Hancock said of it in 1854
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 wae
on its banners. II had been brigaded
with the fifteenth Massachusetts,, Gen.
Devens' regiment, crack body Of men.
President Lincoln and Secretary Stanton
had reviewed the First, and it had come
to he known Is perfectly unstampedable.
At Bull Run, when everybody else was
running, the Minnesota boys captured q
rebel colonel. and retired with him in
good order. In a number of battles they
had been put at the hardest point in the
field. So it was that the First was justly
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 battle. Nothing happened
to them until about p. M, when, as
they stood far in advance of the Union
line on slight descent into a dry run,
that had in the spring been quite a
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 Minnesota.
Half a mile away Gen. Gibbon was hur-
rying up his division. Gen. Hancock
had not completed his line of battle.
Barksbale's success would have turned
the day, and perhaps have changed the
history Of the war. Suddenly on the
right Gen. Hancock appeared, squirting
his horse wildly down the hill. "Adv-
ANGEL" he shouted, "and take their
colors!" DR.. Adams, of Hastings, was
lieutenant colonel and stood to the right.
Hancock's order was given to him. He
passed it across the line to Col. Colville,
who was on the left. At the command
=" forward" the regiment moved as if on
dress parade. A terrible fire was poured
in on them from the enemy's cannon.
Round shot, grape and shrapnel were
rained on them. Our boys did not make
noise. The gaps were closed up and
the line moved forward at double quick
within a hundred feet of the rebel line.
In half minute Col. Colvill, Lieut.. Col.
Adams, Maj. Downie, Adjt. Peteler,
Capt. Muller, Lieut.. Farrell, Capt. Periam,
Lieutenants Sinclair, Demerest, Gray and
Bayk fell Two-thirls of the men were
killed or wounded. But the line went
on with fixed bayonets, and with wild,
avenging shout they charged at the foe.
Five volleys were poured in on the
rebels, and ti.ey broke and fell back.
Here Barksdale fell dead. The bravery
of these few Minnesota boys, who could
stand as if in the middle of hell and load
and fro and chovr< xo,.;9od 49,. rL
at this minute Gibbons division came up.
and the rout began. Four officers were
killed, and Al men; IL officers and 1872
men were wounded, total of 226 out of
3A. The light brigade at Balaklava
Jared better than this. Capt. Messick,
who took command 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.