The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-08-21

to the cannon's mouth and hand to hand
encounters of Understandable ferceness
where the loss of life is remarkably small.
The percentage of loss in killed and
wounded in the charge Of the First Mime
sofa was the highest sustained by any
Union regiment in the civil war, and it
was exceeded by only three-tenths of L
per cent by a Confederate regiment, the
First Texas, in the fatal corn-feld at
Antietam. The percentage Of killed in the
First Minnesota, according to Col Fox, the
military statistician, was unequaled in all
military experience so far as recorded OF
all the grand exploits Of that marvellous
battlefield of Gettysburg, the charge
Of the First Minnesota was by all odds the
most dramatic, the most eventful, the
most desperate.
The story Of the disaster Of the second
day of the battle, when Gen. Sickles' Third
corps was overwhelmed at the Peach Or
chard, is familiar to every one. Sickles
held the extreme left with one corps iso-
lated, and was attacked at time when he
could not be withdrawn, and the only
thing to do, as Gen. Meade expressed it,
was to stand and fight it out. The battle
ragged for hours with terrible fierceness,
and division after division was sent to the
succor Of the Third corps. Hancock q Sec
ond corps was on Sickles' right and con-
nected his line with the main army on.
Cemetery Ridge. From this line detach-
ments had been made until there was
barely a skirmish line left to support the
batteries, which were the mainstay Of the
position. The turning point Of Sickles'
fight was when the angle of his line was
broken in and his troops forced to retreat.
~ ~ e., H.
mander ordered forward fresh troops to
pierce the interval between Sickles and
Hancock. The smoke of battle covered the
whole field and anxious uncertainty filled
the minds of Meade and Hancock, who
passed up and down the line on the ridge
trying to keep the run Of what was hap
pening to Sickles. When at last it was
seen that the Third corps must fall back
Meade ordered up reinfo rcements from an
other part of the field to support Hancock.
and Hancock himself went toward Sickles'
field to see what could be done to- aid the
stricken corps. 9a
While making his way to that point he
saw through q rift in the clouds of battle
smoke that lowered over the field q Con-
federate brigade (Willcox's) moving up
boldly with flying colors within few rods
OF an exposed portion of his line. The en-
envy, If let alone, would strike battery
supported by eight companies of the First
Minnesota, and there were no other troops
IN sight. Re-enfOrcements were on the
way, but were some minutes distant.
Looking over the little phalanx Of couple
OF hundred or So the hero exclaimed.
Great God! is this all the men we have
here? Then with a sweep of his eagle eye
to the advancing columns and their men,
acing battle flags of red, he said to the
commander of the First, "Col. Colyille,
advance and take those colors.n
The men arose with a will and advanced
coolly down the slope to the plain to per-
form their terrible task The situation
was one that every man in the ranks could
understand. It was movement to save
time and the First Minnesota was to be a
stop gap to hold back the onrushing food
Of hostile bayonets until succor came.
There were 262 officers and men in the com
mand, and the Confederates numbered one
division, Willcox's brigade being in adj
vance Shot and shell tore over the field
and thousands Of muskets were sending
bullets across the plains to clear the road
for the Confederate advance At every
step some Minnesotians fell, but they
coolly held their fire, advanced with bare
payonets, and at the signal, within fifty
yards Of the enemy, they sprang ahead
with cheer #
Willcox's men wrapped their line at the
ends around the brave fellows, receiving in
turn the Minnesotian's first volley at
arms length. The Confederate colors were
seized and the advance was broken. Be
fore Wilcox could rally his men the Union
batteries were at work upon him, and
|! what would have been great Confederate
surprise and triumph was checked. The
supports Of Wilcox wandered off in the In