The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-27
NO FEAT OF ARMS LIKE 1T.
THE RIDE OF THE SIX HUNDRED
OUTDONE AT GETTYSBURG.
Heroic Charge OF tho First Mlnnesota-Oniy 81
Men OF . Passed the Ordeal Unscath.d-
A Record Unparalleled In the Annals OF
Modern wars-Tributea to the Regiment.

NhhrHo Of tuc Etrht Nhtnutsotn-Vuty -
Men OF 989 Passed the Ordeal Unscathsd-
A Record Unparalleled In the Annals OF
Modern Wars-Tributes to the Regiment.
GETTYspURa, June -" We ought to have a
Gettysburg Day In our national calendar of
patriotic ~feasts. said a veteran Now York on
cor while strolling along Hancock avenue, point
Ing out the sights for n party OF pilgrims to tho
battlefield. New England has her Bunker Hin
Day all right, though the battle OF Bunker Hill
was only n starter In the Revolution. Gettys-
burg was a flnisher in the war Of the rebellion.
"Why. there are object lessons to stir Ameri-
can pride and patriotism at overy turn OF this
classic field. For instance, there, TO our loft, is
the scene OF the deed oommomoratod by that In
scription you have Just paused over on the
monument to the dead heroes Of tho First Min
nesota: All time is the millennium Of your
glory You thought, rs haze others. that those
words were placed upon enduring marble
through an outburst Of extravagant hyperbole.
What l could not make clear TO you before l
hope to now in telling you upon the spot where
1t was enacted on July 9. 1868. of q feat Of arms
unparalleled In the annals OF modern wars.
For nearly half q century all tho world has
wondered, just rs Tonnyson meant 1t should.
over tho picturesque ride of the Six Hundred
Into the jaws OF death,
Into the mouth OF hell.
at Balaklava. am not n rabid lingo, ordinari-
~, but 1t does mako my American heart beat
faster than its won't when l must listen to the
rhapsodies of tho crowd over the charge of the
Light Brigade. "a though that incident made
Balaklava a feld to date from in summing up
deeds of martial yalor. Frankly. the ride of tho
Sly Hundred down the Valley Of Death isn't In
this contest by forty.ayo points. all of them
| scored on American battlefeldsd during tho civil
war.
9TH, little block of marble you would have
stumbled over back there In the shadow of tho
grand nationa, nile. but for its catchy inscrip-
ton. ia placed above tho graves OF nfty.six Min.
neso.,ns who vere killed outright in n charge
made by a pbalanx of only 262 men. There
were nineteen mortallv wounded and buried
| elsewhcre- and lao wounded who recovered
leaving forty.seyen suryiyors out of 262. n loss
| NJ 40 mar cent
"Now the Light Bripade had oI7 killed and
wounded ont of s73 who rode In the fight. n loss
Of about AZ per cent. Alittle elementary msthe-
matics sbows a gan confronting the Britishers
of AZ stubborp units and that pon was bridped
noint for point. nm the battleaelds Of tho civil
war. all the wav IN tn 90. the hiyhest on record
in all the worlds showing.
"woll coma hack IN agures and comnar,son.
later. ~ Won hear with me while I tall what thew
ara all abont a decd NJ which Gen. Hancock
,aid, .Tbere ia none ,ub,iner recorded IN m,
nay,s NJ history. Nv apnre, sav there IA mono
an apbl,me counting the gains nm tbe bloody in.
yo.,m.rt
"Is av II with its prelude and ita seouel for 7
stood upon this ridg. that af,ernoon when Con
SictIe... Third Corns WA. overwbelmed ont
tbero on that hipb ground In opr front This
LONG ridge unon which wa are nov s~,and,ng was
hold Inv Hancock.. corns and tho defeat NJ
SicL,.. ,hr..tonsd d;saster IN th,s d.nt a,
the left. little Round Ton had NOT vet becn
seized nv our troops. Hancock affirmed all this
ground Of infantry To send to the aid Of sickles.
I.s wing opIv His batteries IN defend Csme,orv
R,d1s Tho movement n, these troons from,
Honcock,s line awav tn tbe left copld bs ssep nv
tho Confederate, on our front and thew were
suddenly inspired IN rush forward and nierce m,
interval between sickies and aancock. Nan.
col remainsd mar here tho no;nt NJ danger
ond h. cav ,hr,.,eh a rift in ,bs cloud,
Of battle smoke that lowered over the
field q column Of the enemy, marching boldly
Win ns,hs coiors' wl,n4n ,'w rous =. ~ me
II left alone they would strike Battery G, Fourth
kroiI sunnorted bv tho First Minnesota Thar
N''' NC
were no other Federal troops in sight. heinforse
49, awav m Tho other ado ~ Tho ride. hn, :,
n nnaH. 49, Sa , Uu t u -, thsm , =, Il , lug ous u
1880 wv
the little phalanx of a couple Of hundred or 30
ua,no,h .rol.iuod
"'What regiment is thisf
Its leader answered. The First Minnesota.
.somc WIN were near Hancoct At the tim
oome "h" "oio near ha n ~ .he 'ime
say that he also exclaimed, Great God! Is this
all the men we have here!' Then with a SWEEP
.,hIa oya ,oyard N. .dvoncir, c,n,odora,n,
"ne w IVA az ao-s NVn,ooo,"'e'
and their menacing battle flaSs or red, no shout
ed tn the commander of the First:
..CoI coI,iu oharoo .nd ~ ,h.o..,
."
Others say that he said simply Charge those
lines.' Others still say that he exclaimed. DC
ror. oo ,hosa colors1 choraa a,d ,.L. H., /,
YOU y atS II az t"en'
But the strict wording OF the order Is imma-
terial; the Idea was carried out to the letter,
"Thers vas M blunder abort ,h;s for,orr
ihero vas nv otunuof "oou' h'a ioriorn
hope. What followed was magnificent and l,
was war. The men knew the terrible situation
Ti Aoous n '"a, 'u'. m ia WEI" ane.l leaders
They arose with n Will and advanced quickly
down the slope toward the plain this side oil
Emmittsburg road, first at q lope, then al
double quick-muskets at right shoulder-shift-
then into a run at their utmost speed.