The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-13
COLONEL OF. THE
''OLD FIRST DEAD
Continued from First Page.
salvation Of the day at a cost Of an

salvation Of the day at a cost Of an
From the hill, when the gallant First
lay in reserve, they could see Birney 8
and Humphreys divisions, the one on
the line from the peach orchard to
DEVILS Den, the other on the Emmits-
burg road, battling for life against the
try. On their right, in the depression!
in Cemetery Ridge, which was Sickles
original position, there was not man;
This dangerous gap was, perhaps, half
a mile long.
Sickles men were in the form Of an
angle, the point toward the enemy
and were being raked with Calling
hold out in front all was well; but once
he began to lose ground, the open space
to the left Of the Second corps was a
dangerous place, Gradually the union
men were forced back thru the space
between the First Minnesota and Lit
tie Round Top. Every moment the
retreat became more OF. a rout, till
lying in double battleSline formation
had to turn on their sides to permit the
horde of disordered, defeated, detected
troops to pass thru. Wizards brigade
had been ordered to relieve the threat
ened point, but could not arrive in time
Charge Those Lines!''
At this juncture General Hancock
with a single aide, rode up at full
ored to rally Sickles' retreating men
Then his quick eye caught sight of the
perfectly formed First Minnesota. Gal
| Looping up to it, the handsome general
his face all aglow with activity anc
excitement, cried: ~
"What regiment is this?' ~
- First Minnesota replied Colone
Colvill.
Charge those 1nes!" commanded
Hancock.
Every man of the First realized in
an instant what this order meant
death or wounds to all; the sacrifice OF
the regiment to gain few moments
time and save the position probably
the battlefield! Every man saw anC
accepted the necessity Of the sasrice
ders of Colonel Colvill, the regiment
in perfect line, with arms at . right
shoulder Shift was in moment
sweeping down the slope directly upor
| the enemy's center. No hesitation, nc
stopping to fire, tho the men fell fast
at every stride before the concentrated
fire Of the whole. Confederate force
directed upon it as sso S!1 as the move move,
|
orders, double quick was changed tx
utmost speed; for in utmost speed lay
the only hope of passing thru that
storm Of lead and striking the enemy
Held an Army at Bay.
| stChargel' shouted Colvill.
With 1eveled bayonets the regiment
rushed upon the first line Of the Con
Ifederates, who in turn had been slight
r 1xy hxr q
the foot Of the slope. Men were neve
made who could stand against levelet
bayonets driven with such momentum
and desperation. The first line Of Con
federates broke as 1.-THE steel of tn
| First Minnesota reached it, and rushet
back thru the second line, stopping tn
whole advance. 49, --.,...s
it's first fire, the men awaiting them
selves of such shelter as the low bank
of the dry brook. afforded held tn
entire force at bay for q considerabl
time, and until the union reserves ap
peared on the brow of the hill the brav
First had recently left: vs.f. :c
T Had the enemy raMed quickly to 7
Numbers would haVe CRUSHED the FRS
Minnesota men in moment. But tn
ferocity of the onset seemed@sto para
we them for a time, Rltho they poure
in a terrible, continuous fire from from
1 and enveloping TANKS. Them unde
the added fire Of the advancing unto
reserves, the Conf ederates began to RI
tire and the First Minnesota was o.
dered back. a.za7a.s,s .,-7..
What Hancock had ordered Colont
Colvills to do was thoroly done. Blu
nearly every officer was dead or la
weltering with bloody wounds. Anon
the latter were the gallant Colonel Co
. will and every field officer.
Colviu Twice Wounded.
OF the 262 men who made the charg
215 lay upon the field stricken by Coz
). federate bullets. Foftyseven onl
were still in line. And not a man wa
missingl
) There is no parallel to this charg
In it's desperate valor, complete exec1
/. tion, successful result, and in its sa
: rifce of men in proportion to the nun
Der engaged, authentic history has 7
record with which it can be compared
Colonel Colvill fell shortly after /
gave the order to charge, and b
!, dauntless regiment executed his fin
: order without his leadership. He W;
shot in the shoulder and in the foo
: being MANNED for life, tho he insiste