Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-22
BRAVERY: IN BATTLE
Famous Charge at BaIakIava
and Those at Gettysburg.
INTO THE JAWS OF DEATH
Feat of Pickett's Brigade Unparal-
leled in Authentic History.
HALTED AN ENTIRE DIVISION
Charge of the 1st Minnesota One of
the Turning Points in
the Battle.
INTO THE JAWS OF DEATH
HALTED AN ENTIRE DIVISION
HY WILLIAM L. CIRTlS

By WILLIAM +. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
In a letter from the Crimea published
August s. 1910. describing the battlefield
iof Balaklava it was said that 1.-THE charge
of the Light Brigade stands unparalleled
as an exhibition of soldierly discipline
and daring That assertion has been
challenged by a number of people who
insist that the charge of Picketts di-
vision of the Confederate army at the
battle of Gettysburg and the charge of
the LIST Minnesota Infantry in the same
battle were equal. if not superior, ex-
Ihibitions of courage and coolness ihe
three events were so essentially different,
however that it is impossible to compare
Them and in it's way each merits the
highest place in history as an illustration
Of human heroism.
The charge of the Light Brigade, con-
sisting of more than 700 horsemen, was
made down the center of q gently siophS
valley, a mile and quarter, at fuii gal
lop, to silence a battery. The brlgade kept
tits alignment the entire distance, ne
riderless horses salloping along In the
column after their saddles were emptieu
by the cannonading in front and the mus
kerry that poured like ram upon 1s
TANKS. The spectacle was witnessed ny
90. 600 men from the two ridges that in
closed the valley. OF the 100 dragons
who rode forth only 175 returned.
Charges at Gettysburg.
Pickett's charge on the third day of the
battle of Gettysburg is always described
as the greatest in history; more men
were engaged than in any other charge
although the exact number is disputed,
the minimum estimate being 14oOo ana
the maximum $4,000. More men were
killed and wounded than in any other
| charge the estimate being SOTO 10y some
authorities and as high as 4,SOO by others.
The exact figures will never be known.
Every one of the fifteen field officers was
killed or wounded The men marcheu
shoulder to shoulder in a line nearly one
mile long for a mile and a quarter against
a raking artillery fire and a hail OF bull
let's on both sides. When they reached-
the Union earthWorkS concealed batteries
opened upon them with such terrific erect
that the columns were thrown INTO con-
fusion retreat was blocked by piles OF
dead and wounded and such carnage fol-
flowed as had not been seen for centuries
upon a field of battle.
| The charge of the 1st Minnesota lnIah-
| try upon the same day by command
| of Gen, Hancock was a deliberate
| sacrifice of a battalion of brave men in
| order to arrest the advance or the Con-
| federate column for a few moments, until
/ he could get his batteries into position
! A noble shaft of granite bearing bronze
soldier charging with his bayonet marks
the spot on the field. The inscription
| gives brief but graphic reasons for its
| erection. 1t reads:
| ION the afternoon of July >. 1863.
| Sickles' Sd Corps, having advanced this
| line from the Emmitsburg road, eight COM
panies Of the 1st Minnesota hegiment.
numbering 262 men. We're sent to this
| place to support battery. Upon Sickles'
repulse. as his men We're passing here in
| confused retreat, two Confederate brl-
gades in pursuit, were crossing the sWail.
| To gain time to bring up reserves and
| save this position, Gen. Hancock in per-
son ordered the eight companies to charge
| the rapidly advancing enemy. The order
| was instantly repeated by Col. Colvill and
| the charge was instantly made.
Probably Saved the Battle.
! Down the slope at full speed through
| the concentrated fire of two brigades,
/ breaking with the bayonet the enemy's
| front line as it was crossing the small
| brook in low ground. There the remnant
| of the eight companies nearly surrounded
| by the enemy. held the entire force at
| bay for a considerable time. until it re-
| treated on the approach of the reserves.
| The charge successfully accomplished it's
| object. 1t saved this position and prob
! ably the battle.
| 1.-The loss of the eight companies was
% dead and wounded-more than y; per
cent. Only forty-seven men We're left in
line. and no man was missing.
| .'In sef-sacrifice and desperate .valor
this charge has no parallel in any war.
Among the severely wounded We're Col.
William Covill. Lieut.. Col. Charles p.
Adams and Maj. Mark W. Downie.
Among the killed We're Capt. Joseph
Periam. Capt. Lewis Miller and Lieut..
Waldo Farrar.
| ho no ti1i, tod
in repelling Pickett's charge. losing sew
enteen more men killed and wounded"
| That is the story, and of the 262 men
who went into the battle of Gettysburg
only thirty came out The survivors have
had several reunions al the scene of the
charge. and you can imagine the solem-
nifty of those occas ions.
Judge William Lochren of Minneapolis.
commissioner of pensions under President
Cleveland member of the legislature of
Minnesota for several years and since
an honor to the bench, was a lieutenant
in the 1st Minnesota Infantry and i'll
1880 prepared for the Loyal Legion an ac-
count of the services rendered by that
regiment. which is published in volume
3 of "Glimpses of the Nations Struggle"
page A..
Col Charles Colvill led his men before
daylight July =, 1852, to position on
the left of Cemetery Ridge near Little
Round Top. The regiment was in re-
serve and lay quietly i'll slight hollow
larry secure from the enemy shells.
No Other Troops Near.
| "No other troops were near u.s." Lieut.
Lochren writes, land we stood in full
view of Sickles' battle in the peach or
chard and saw our men give way before
the heavier forces of Longstreet and
Hill, and come back. slowly at first but
, soon In utter disorder, past our position
, to the rear. followed by the large bri-
gade of Wilcox and Barksdale in regular
lines coming steadily on in the flush of
victory and firing on the fugitives.
There was no organized force to oppose
, them, but handful of 262 men. Most
soldiers, in the face of the near advance
of such an overpowering force which
had just defeated the bulk of an army
| corps, would lave caught the panic and
joined the retreating forces. But the
1st Minnesota had never deserted any
| post, had never retired without orde $,