Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-06-04

But" says one chronicler, 1.-THE most re-
markable instance of all is that of the First
Minnesota Infantry, at Gettysburg. 1t was
coming on the field alone, just at the time
when General Hancock observed Confeder-
ate column advancing through his line to
point where there were no Union troops to
confront them. In order to delay the Con-
federate advance until some brigade could be
brought up, Hancock ordered the First Min
nesota alone to charge the enemv's line. This
forlorn hope moved forward with only 252
officers and men, accomplished the purpose
forced back the Confcderates, and captured
their flag; but when it was over only Al men
clustered around their own colors, while POS
Law dead or wounded on the field-a loss of
over 80 per cent. The muster-out rolls of this
regiment bear the names of IS men all marked
as killed at Gettysburg, or died of wounds re-
ceived there. Fifty-slx of these men are
buried in the Gettysburg cemetery the
others, dying of their wounds in hospitals at
Philadelphia or New York, were buried else
where.
CHARGE OF THE FIRST MINNESOTA,
for the fray:
Hurry the reserve battalions: bring every banner
and gun:
Charge on the enemy, Coivle. stay the advance Of
his lines
Hereby the God of our fathers!-hcre shall the
battle be won,
Or we'll die for the banner of freedom the Gettys
burg hills today
hri rang the voice of our Colonel, the bravcst and
best of he brave:
Forward the First Minnesota, Forward and follow
me, men,
allantly forward he rode, the bravest and best OF
the baaVe
Two hundred and fifty and two-all that were left of
Two hundred and fifty and two fearless, unfaterng
men
Dashed at run for the enemy sprang to the charge
with yell:
On their batteries thupdered sOldshot, grapeshot
| and shell,
voeyed their deader rifles hurting the hailsoncs Of
| hell:
| fell.
.Forward the First Minnesota" like tigers We
| sprang at our foes,
Grim gaps of death in ranks, but ever the brave
| ranks close:
Down went our Sergeant and coors-deflant oul
! colOrs arese!
| sFire!'' and we gave them volley-grm gaps ir
| the ranks of our foes!
| s'Ferward, the First Minnesota" our brave colone
| cried as he fell
Dashed and shattered and mangled-'' Forward I" HI
| cried as he fell.
Over him manged and bleeding frenzed we snranf
! to the fight,
Over him mangled and bleeding sprang to tn
| jaws of hell.
Flashed in our faces their rifles, roared the lef
| and the right,
Swarming around us by thousands we fought then
| with desperate might.
Five times our banner went down-fve times ou
| banner arose.
Tattered and torn but defent-and tapped in tn
face Of our foes
Hold them? We held thom at bay as bear hold
the hounds on his track;
Knee to knee shoulder to shoulder, met them ant
staggered them back.
Never man of us farersd or 1inched in the fire o
the fray,
For we bore the banner Of Freedom the Gettysburg
! hills that day.
4 X
Two hundred and fifty and two, we held their mat
| thousands at bay,
Met them and bafHed and broke them, turning tn
tide of the day:
Two hundred and fifty and two when the sun hunl
low in heaven,
But when the stars rode over numbered but fort.
seven; ss5.... ..9.-
Dead on the field or wounded the rest of regi
! ment lay;
Never man Of MS faltered 1inched in the FIRE o
I the fray, IT.. r.. r.
For we bore the banner of Freedom on the Gettys
| ! burg hills that day. i-.~.- >'.5 *&
z Il \ \ 4