The 1st Minnesota Infantry at the Battle of Gettysburg

From their position on Cemetery Ridge, the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment watched in growing alarm as the five Alabama regiments of Brigadier General Cadmus Wilcox's Brigade broke through the line of Union defenders to their front along the Emmitsburg Road. It was early in the evening of July 2nd, 1863, the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The 1st Minnesota Infantry was providing support for Battery C of the 4th U.S. Artillery. The men watched as the orderly retreat in front of them disintegrated into disorder.

Major General Winfield Hancock, the commanding officer of the Second Corps rode up to the 1st Minnesota's position, looking for troops to stop Wilcox's advance before the Confederates overran the Union line on Cemetery Ridge and rolled up the Federal left flank. The only infantry available was the 1st Minnesota, and three of its companies were detached on other service, leaving eight companies with a total of 262 men. The 1st Minnesota would have to slow the Confederate advance to buy time for reinforcements to arrive.

The 1st Minnesota Infantry is Ordered In

Hancock ordered the 1st Minnesota's commanding officer, Colonel William Colville, to charge the enemy line. "Every man realized in an instant what that order meant--death or wounds to us all, the sacrifice of the regiment to gain a few minutes' time and save the position" recalled Lieutenant William Lochren adding "And every man saw and accepted the necessity for the sacrifice".

The 1st Minnesota stepped off quickly, and with a sense of urgency, began running at full speed towards the advancing Confederates. The Minnesotans began taking casualties immediately but continued on full speed without stopping to fire. As they neared the first line of Confederates, Colville ordered "Charge!" and the Federals did so with bayonets leveled at the enemy. The bayonet charge stunned the Confederate line and the Alabamians quickly fell back and reformed with their support line. When the 1st Minnesota reached the dry bed of a stream called Plum Run, they stopped and fired.

The 1st Minnesota Holds Its Ground

Colville ordered his men to take cover along Plum Run. Wilcox's Brigade greatly outnumbered the Minnesotans, and Colville expected a counterattack. But none was forthcoming, and both sides exchanged fire while holding their positions. Gradually, Confederates moved into position on the 1st Minnesota's right flank and delivered enfilade fire. But Union artillery fire from batteries on Cemetery Ridge began taking a toll on Wilcox's men, and Federal reinforcements from the 111th New York Infantry arrived. Wilcox called for his own reinforcements, but none were forthcoming. Wilcox concluded he could not carry Cemetery Ridge and broke off his attack. As the pressure eased, the 1st Minnesota returned to Cemetery Ridge. The fight had lasted about 15 minutes, but that bought the time necessary for Hancock to get reinforcements in place and stop the Confederate assault.

Casualties of the First Minnesota

Of the 262 men that made the charge, 40 were killed and 175 were wounded. Only 47 came out of the fight unscathed. An incredible 82% of those engaged were casualties. The 1st Minnesota was engaged again on July 3rd, helping to repel the Confederate assault known as Pickett's Charge. The regiment had 17 more killed and wounded in this decisive action of the battle.

The 1st Minnesota Infantry was the only Minnesota unit at Gettysburg. It's action on July 2nd secured it's place in history. Perhaps Lt. Lochren summed it up best when he wrote that the 1st Minnesota charged "with nothing but death to look for, and no chance for any other success than to gain the brief time needed to save that battlefield. And not a man wavered."

Sources

Gottfried, Bradley M. The Maps of Gettysburg. New York: Savas Beatie LLC, 2007

Holcombe, R.I. History of the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry 1861-1854. Stillwater, MN: Easton and Masterman Printers, 1916.

Lochren, William. "The First Minnesota at Gettysburg" In Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, Minnesota Commandery, Glimpses of the Nation's Struggle, 3rd Series, 1890.

Pfanz, Harry W. Gettysburg: The Second Day. Chapel Hill NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 1987.

Trudeau, Noah Andre. Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage. New York: HarperCollins, 2002.