Minnesota Communities

	Red Wing: Civil War

Source

News 3

Type

Newspaper Article

Year

1863

Source

Goodhue County Republican

Size

104K

The Goodhue County Weekly Republican published this account of the Minnesota regiments in the battle of Gettysburg.

The Glorious First Minnesota

Who that saw that noble body of men
which composed the First Regiment of Min-
nesota's brave sons, but remembers what a
fine body of men they were, and how nobly
they have borne themselves through all the
trying scenes of the past two years. They
left our State 1,023 strong, buoyant with
hope, and caring only to render to their coun-
try's flag that homage which they owed it
as Americans and citizens of the Union. -
They were the first three year's regiment to
cross the Potomac, and helped cover the re-
treat of our army at Bull Run. They have
been in nearly all the battles which the
Army of the Potomac has fought, and to-
day they heart sickens and the tears come un-
bidden as we read the dispatch announcing
that the glorious, honorable First Regiment,
has but one hundred men and officers left.
Where are those men? A voice comes up
from many a gory field, saying "Gone!
Gone! Gone!" Aye, they have gone to a
better world; they fought the good fight , and
are at rest from their work of blood and car-
nage; they have died that we may live -
that the nation may live - and while we drop
a tear to their memory - while we enjoy the
pleasures of peace which their blood has pur-
chased, let them be remembered in our daily
oblations to the God of battles. Read the
record of their last fight: They numbered
410 when they went in:
WASHINGTON, July 8, 1863
Hon. A. Ramsey, St. Paul:
Liet. E.L. Sproat writes from Gettys-
burg, July 3d, 9 o'clock P.M., that the
First Regiment has less than one hundred
men and officers left.
Col. Colvill is wounded.
Lieutenant Colonel Adams is mortally
wounded.
Major Downie is wounded in the arm and
foot. Capt. Messick is reported dead.
Captains Miller, Berger, and Perlam, are
dead.
Capt Farrel is reported mortally wounded.
Lieutenants Farrer and Lochren are Dead.
Liet. Polar is wounded and many others
I cannot remember.
The men suffered equally. One brigade,
2,500 strong, has just drawn 400 rations, and
that is all that is left of as fine a body of
men as the world ever saw.
I hope this is overdrawn.
M.S. Wilkinson