The National tribune., 1910-07-14
The Notable Second Corps.

Editor National Tribune: The answer
to the Tote of inquiry of Comrade Ell
lott, of the 10Th Me, as to what regi-
ments were in the First Brigade. Sec
ond Division, Second Corps, from 1862
to the close of the war, was very much
in error. and beg to correct the same.
In March, 1862. the Second Corps was
composed of the 1st Mimi, 18th Mass.
34th N. Y. and the SD n. Y. Cor I'd N
Y. Militia). These regiments went thru
the Peninsular Campaign, the battle of
Fair Oaks, the Seven Days Fight, to
the relief of Pope the battle of Antie-
tam and to the Rappahannock, COM
manded in succession by Brig. Gen.
Willis A. German and Brighten. Sully.
At Bolivar Eights, in October, 1862,
the brigade was recruited by the 18th
Me- AS thus recruited ii went thru the
battles of Fredericksburg and Chancel-
lorsyille On June 9, 1863, the 34th N
Y. left for home, 1t being a two-years
regiment and their time having expired.
Gen. Sully on May IL left the brigade
to take command in the Northwest
against the Indians, and the brigade as
thus eonstituted-namely. the 1st
Mimi, 18th Mass, SD N. Y. and 18th
Me-, Brighten. Harrow-passed thru
the battle of Gettysburg, fenced with
Lee at Mine Run, Bristol and the Rap
idan until the Second Corps was reor-
ganized in the Winter of 1S63-64.
In February, 1864, the 1st Mimi, at
the approaching expiration of its term
and its terrible losses in action, was
sent home to recruit its ranks. The
brigade as reorganized consisted of the
18th, 18th and 10th Mess, 18th Me-,
42d, 59th and SD n. Y. and 7th Mich.
(Brig. .-Gen. Alexander Webb. Thus or
ganized the brigade went thru the Will
derneSs, SpotSylvania and the Annas
with almost continual hghting and
s,t~IYv tIa
1st Minn. rejoined the First Brigade,
organized as a battalion and command
ed by Capt. James c. Farwell, former
private in Co A. The organization of
the First Brigade, Second Division, Sec
ond Corps. on June 80, 1864, was as
follows: Lieut.-Col. +. G. Pierce, COM
manding (Gen. A. S. Webb absent,
wounded), eth Mich, 18th Me-, 18th,
18th and goth Mass, 1S4th Pa. AID,
59th, 152d n. Y, 36th Wis. and 1st
Mimi. Sept. 80, 1864, the brigade was
commanded by Brighten. Thomas w.
Edgar, and by reason of expiration OF
term of service the 18th Mass. and the
42d and SD n. Y. were mustered out
The brigade was at Petersburg and at
the surrender of Lee. The brigade was
dissipated forever by muster-out as fol-
lows: 18th Me-, May 81, 1865; 18th
Mass, June 80, 1865; Goth Mass, July
16, 1865; 7th Mich, July s, 1865; 59th
N. Y. June 80, 1865; 1921 N. y, July
Ia, 1866; 36th Wis, July IL, 1865; 1st
Mimi, July Ia, 1865.
Minnesota, the youngest State in the
Union, gave the first three-years regi-
nlent in the first great battle of the
war. Its loss was the greatest (first
Bull Rum. 1t served in that corps
whose losses in killed and wounded
were the greatest, the Second Corps.
1t, served in that division whose losses
in killed and wounded were greatest,
Second Division, Second Corps. 1t
served in that brigade whose losses in
killed and wounded were greatest First
Brigade, Second Division, Second Corps,
and, finally, was the last of the old bri-
gade to be mustered out
''The first shall be the last and the
last first."-R. s. Mowry, Co. A, 1st
Mimi, Providence. r. ].