Organization and early service On April 14, 1861,
Alexander Ramsey, the Governor of
Minnesota, learned of the
attack on Fort Sumter, while visiting
Washington, D.C. Alongside
Senator Morton S. Wilkinson, he visited the office of the
Secretary of War,
Simon Cameron, to offer the services of 1,000 Minnesota soldiers to the
Union Army. Two days later, the
Adjutant General of
Minnesota, William H. Acker, issued an order for Minnesota's Commissary General, H. Z. Mitchell, to enlist men for the 1st Minnesota Regiment. After the news spread, communities and individuals in Minnesota created volunteer organizations. The companies traveled to the newly reactivated
Fort Snelling to be enlisted in the regiment on April 29, 1861. On May 10, 1861, the regiment was re-enlisted for three more years of service.
Josias R. King of the St. Paul Pioneer Guard, is often credited as the first northern volunteer to answer Lincoln's call for troops.
First Bull Run On July 21, 1861, near
Manassas, Virginia, the regiment fought in the first major battle of the American Civil War, the
First Battle of Bull Run. Holding Rickett's Battery in support, the regiment saw heavy fighting on
Henry House Hill in proximity to the enemy. The 1st Minnesota suffered heavy casualties: 49 killed, 107 wounded, and 34 missing. Of the 1st Minnesota Infantry's initiation to combat, Colonel Franklin wrote: The First Minnesota Regiment moved from its position on the left of the field to the support of Ricketts' battery, and gallantly engaged the enemy at that point. It was so near the enemy's lines that friends and foes were for a time confounded. The regiment behaved exceedingly well and finally retired from the field in good order. The other two regiments of the brigade retired in confusion, and no efforts of mine or staff were successful in rallying them. I respectfully refer you to Colonel Gorman's report for the account of his regiment's behavior and of the good conduct of his officers and men.
Antietam During
General John Sedgwick's ill-fated assault on the West Woods, the regiment suffered significant casualties (1 officer killed, 3 officers wounded, 15 enlisted killed, 79 enlisted wounded, 24 enlisted missing, for a total of 122 casualties [28%] of 435 engaged) as Union forces were routed on that part of the field. The brigade commander noted, "The First Minnesota Regiment fired with so much coolness and accuracy that they brought down [three times one] of the enemy's flags, and finally cut the flag-staff in two."
Gettysburg July 2 at
Gettysburg Battlefield, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, located on Cemetery Ridge, off South Hancock Avenue. One of the regiment's most famous actions occurred during the
second day of fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg. On that day,
Major General Winfield Scott Hancock ordered the regiment, composed of roughly 250 men, to charge into
Cadmus M. Wilcox's Alabama Brigade, part of
Richard H. Anderson's Division,
Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. Although the regiment was outnumbered by a ratio of at least 5 to 1, charging was Hancock's only opportunity to buy time for Union reinforcements to arrive. One survivor stated afterward that he expected the advance to result in "death or wounds to us all." During the charge, 215 of the 262 who made the charge became casualties within five minutes (47 killed, 121 wounded, 47 missing). That included the unit commander, Col. William Colvill, and all but three of his captains. All field commanders died in the assault. In his official report, Confederate Brigadier General
Cadmus M. Wilcox perceived the inequality of the fight differently (bold emphasis likely refers to the First Minnesota):
This stronghold of the enemy [i.e., Cemetery Ridge], together with his batteries, were almost won, when still another line of infantry descended the slope in our front at a double-quick, to the support of their fleeing comrades and for the defense of the batteries. Seeing this contest so unequal, I dispatched my adjutant-general to the division commander, to ask that support be sent to my men, but no support came. 'Three several times did this last of the enemy's lines attempt to drive my men back, and were as often repulsed.''' This struggle at the foot of the hill on which were the enemy's batteries, though so unequal, was continued for some thirty minutes. With a second supporting line, the heights could have been carried. Without support on either my right or left, my men were withdrawn, to prevent their entire destruction or capture. The enemy did not pursue, but my men retired under a heavy artillery fire, and returned to their original position in line, and bivouacked for the night, pickets being left on the pike.''
July 3 taken by St. Paulite. Private
Marshall Sherman of Company C. After sustaining heavy losses from the previous day's fighting, the remaining men of the 1st Minnesota were reinforced by detached Companies C and F. The reunited regiment was moved slightly north of the previous day's fight to one of the few places where Union lines were breached during
Pickett's Charge. They again had to charge into advancing Confederate troops with more losses. Capt. Messick was killed and Capt. W. B. Farrell was mortally wounded, and Capt. Henry C. Coates had to take command. During this charge, Private
Marshall Sherman of Company C captured
the colors of the
28th Virginia Infantry and received the
Medal of Honor for this exploit. After being knocked out by a bullet to the head and later shot in the hand, Corporal
Henry D. O'Brien repeatedly picked up the fallen colors of the 1st Minnesota and carried a wounded soldier back to the Union lines. He was also awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Later service The 1st Minnesota continued to serve in the
Army of the Potomac. In 1863, it participated in the
Bristoe and
Mine Run campaigns. The 1st Minnesota mustered at Fort Snelling on April 29, 1864. Many soldiers continued service as the
1st Minnesota Infantry Battalion and went on to fight in the
Appomattox Campaign. On May 23–24, 1865, the 1st Minnesota Battalion marched in the
Grand Review of the Armies in
Washington, D.C. In July 1865, the 1st Minnesota Battalion moved to
Louisville, Kentucky for duty. It was mustered out of service upon completion of its enlistment on July 15, 1865. "No soldiers on any field, in this or any other country ever displayed grander heroism." Gen. Hancock ascribed unsurpassed gallantry to the famed assault stating: "There is no more gallant deed recorded in history." Emphasizing the critical nature of the circumstances on July 2 at Gettysburg, President Coolidge considered: "Colonel Colvill and those eight companies of the First Minnesota are entitled to rank as the saviors of their country." Minnesota has two monuments at the
Gettysburg National Military Park, including the
1st Minnesota Infantry Monument. One of the monuments bears the inscription: == Commanders ==