New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1894-07-11
Minneso & Heroes

volunteer infantry for the front. The
regiment was made up Of men who had
stepped out Of offices, their stores, their
workshops and their homes and hastily
put on the "blue,' taking up the ac-
coutrements Of war and prepared to do
battle for the honor Of the flag, the pre-
servation of the Union and the pyinci-
pies of justice and freedom as formulat-
ed in our national constitution.
The change from the tranquilities of
peace to the horrors Of war was sudden
and appealing. Minnesota was the first
state to offer 1000 men to the govern
ment for whatever conflict gigantic re-
bellion might develop. We cannot, in
this article, follow the "Old First
through all the vicissitudes of war
through which they passed. but they
were at Bulls Run, Balls Bluff, Fair
Oaks, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chan
cellorsville, Gettysburg and many other
battles and they always did their best.
They never faltered when ordered
straight "into the jaws of DEATH and
they fought like spartans, resolved to
win victory or die on the field. Mime
sofa watched the devoted band with emo
tions of wonder and pride, we'll know
ing that the glory reflected upon her es-
cutcheon by their valorcus deeds would
shine in history with untarnished ]ustre.
Other gallant regiments had she in the
"Army of the Cumberland" the s.Army
of the Tennessee" and elsewhere, but
she had only one in the "Army of the
Potomac" and many wreath oil laurel
has bedecked her brow because CT their
brave conduct on numerous CORY fields.
At Gettysburg the :sOld First" deci-
mated as it was by loss in many battles,
was still ready to do or die for the flag.
All the world was thrilled by the story
Tennyson tells about ''The Charge ofthe
Six Hundred,' but Minnesota can tell
story far surprising it, and it wasn't be-
cause "some one had blundered." either.
Let me tell it to you as it was told to me.
It was on July 2, 1858, during that aw-
full cyclone of battle which svrged
around Little Round Top that Gen. Han
cock, finding it imperative to hold in
check body of $4,000 rebels who were
pressing forward to occupy al imper-
tant position, ordered the 1st Minnesota
to charge and hold them at bay until his
reserves could come up. The Minnese-
tians numbered at the time but 2G2, as
part of the regiment was elsewhere.
But that handful Of men ''paused not
to reason why" They charged the ad-
vancing column at double quick and
stood in the brcech they had made, and
both gave and received murderous fire
until relieved by Hancock's reserves.
No wonder there were but 81 of them to
answer at roll call the next morning.
The position they had held at the cost Of
205 of their number killed and wounded
was the key of the field, and had they
joined in the panic caused by the re-
treat of the Third Army corps under
Gen. Sickles, which swept past :hcir po-
siticn, the day would, in all probability,
have been lost and a triumphant foe
would have been free to sweep his law
less hosts to the rorthward, leaving de-
struction in his path. History will class
this brilliant deed of the First Minneso-
Ia with that of Leonidas nature.
Col. Fox, in his work, "Regiat Their
mopYlae, and others Of like mental Los
ses in the American Civil War;" says
The fighting was deadly in the extreme,
the percentage of loss in the First Min
nesota, Gibbons division, being without
an equal in the records Of modern war
fare.'' .~-@.-. 4
Gen. Hancock is quoted as saying:
''There is nc more gallant deed recorded
in history. I ordered these men in there
because I saw must gain five minutes
time. \ I would have ordered
that regiment in If had known every
man would have been killed. It had to
be done. and was glad to find such
gallant body of men at hand willing to
make the terrible sacrifice that the occa-
sion demanded"
The regiment was recruited from time
to time, and remained in the field to the
last.
Now has come day when great bat
tie fields such as Gettysburg are devoted
to the memory Of those who fell there:
Every state represented at the battle has
a monument, and our own state in 1898,