Post on 14-Jul-2020
220 Minnesota History
FourthMinnesotaRegimentEnteringVicksburg,July4,1863, Francis D. Millet’s
1907 painting that hangs in the Governor’s Reception Room, Minnesota State Capitol
Minnesota at Gettysburg and Vicksburg
1863 was a Pivotal Year—a“gamechanger”inmodernparlance—forthecourseandconse-quenceoftheAmericanCivilWar.Aftertwobloodyyears,itwasbru-tallycleartobothNorthandSouththattheconflictwasgoingtobelongandcostly,notthebriefaffairsomepoliticiansandmilitaryleadershadpresumedin1861.AbrahamLin-coln’sEmancipationProclamation,issuedinJanuary,changedthetenorofthewaraswell.Itwasnolonger
simplyafighttopreservetheUnion;anewmoralimperativehadbeenembraced—thedeathofslavery.ThisparadigmshiftfortheNorthmeantthattherewasnoplaceforcompro-mise.IftheNorthweretobevictori-ous,thentheSouthwouldhavetobesubdued.
1863wasalsoayearofspectacle,transformation,andturmoil.Theen-
listmentofblacktroops,theEman-cipationProclamation,andtheflightofAfricanAmericansfromslaveryastheUnionArmymovedintotheSouthforeshadowedchangestotheframeworkofAmericansocietyandchallengedwhiteAmerica’sper-spectiveonrace.DraftriotsinNewYorkCity,breadriotsinRichmond,Virginia,andresistancetothewar
Long Remember:
Adam Scher
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Summer 2013 221
intheNorthandSouthalikeledtoupheavalonthehomefront.
Someofthewar’slargestandmostimportantcampaignsprovidedthespectacleaswellasdreadfullylongcasualtylists.TheconcurrentUnionvictoriesatGettysburg,Penn-sylvania,andVicksburg,Mississippi,inJuly1863markedacrucialturn-ingpoint.AtGettysburg,Confeder-ateGen.RobertE.LeelostacriticalengagementandreturnedtoVirginiawithabatteredarmythatwouldneveragainbeabletolaunchamajoroffensive.WiththeConfederatesur-renderofVicksburg,theUnionArmysecuredcontroloftheMississippiRiver,avitaltransportationsourcefornortherncommerce,andeffec-tivelysplittheConfederacyinhalf.ComingthedayafterLee’sdefeatatGettysburg,thefallofVicksburgalsohadasignificantimpactonmorale,NorthandSouth.Southernerswon-derediftheirdreamofindependencecouldbesustained,whilenorthern-ersrenewedtheirhopeforareunitedcountry.
Minnesota’ssoldiersplayedkeyrolesatbothpivotalengagements,withtheFirstMinnesotaVolunteerInfantrymakingasacrificialchargetoholdtheUnionlineatGettysburg,andtheFourthMinnesotaVolunteerInfantrybeingamongthefirstFed-eraltroopstoenterVicksburg.TheFifthMinnesotaVolunteerInfantryandtheFirstMinnesotaBatteryofLightArtilleryalsoservedasveterancampaignersintheseven-monthbattleforVicksburg,whiletheThirdMinnesotaVolunteerInfantrypar-ticipatedinthefinalpushtotakethecity.TheFirstMinnesota’sexploitsat
Adam Scher is a senior curator in the collections department at the Minne-sota Historical Society.
GettysburgpropelledtheregimenttolegendarystatusasoneofthemostdistinguishedfightingunitsoftheCivilWar,whiletheVicksburgCam-paignaddedlustertothereputationofMinnesotaunitsthathadfoughtwithdistinctionatShiloh,Tennessee,andIukaandCorinth,Mississippi.Vicksburgalsoplayedapartinre-storingthemoraleandstatureoftheThirdMinnesotaInfantry,whichhadbeendeceivedbyConfederatecavalrycommanderNathanBedfordForrestintosurrenderingatMurfreesboro,Tennessee,onJuly13,1862.
Hallowed Ground: GettysburgFollowing on the heelsofhisbrilliantvictoryattheBattleofChancellorsvilleinMay1863,LeeledhisArmyofNorthernVirginiainasecondinvasionoftheNorth.(AnunsuccessfulcampaignwaswagedinMarylandinSeptember1862.)Withhismeninhighspirits,LeeplannedtosecureprovisionsfromtherichPennsylvaniafarmlandsandtakethefightingawayfromwar-tornVir-ginia.HealsohopedthatwinningamajorvictoryonnorthernsoilmightbringtheFederalsclosertopeacene-gotiations.UrgedbyPresidentLin-coln,Maj.Gen.JosephHookersenthisUnionArmyofthePotomacinpursuitbutwasrelievedofcommandjustthreedaysbeforethebattle.Hisreplacement,Maj.Gen.GeorgeG.Meade,movednorthward,keepinghisarmybetweenLeeandWashing-ton,D.C.WhenLeediscoveredthatMeadewasinPennsylvania,heconcentratedhisarmyinthevicinityofGettysburg.
Elementsofthetwoarmiescol-lidedwestandnorthofthetownonJuly1,1863;theConfederates
pushedtheFederalsbackthroughGettysburgtoCulp’sHillandCeme-teryRidge,southoftown.Reinforce-mentsfrombotharmiesarrivedthatevening,includingtheFirstMin-nesotaInfantryaspartofMaj.Gen.WinfieldScottHancock’sSecondArmyCorps.
TheFirstMinnesotahadthedistinctionofbeingthefirststatevolunteerregimentformallyten-deredinresponsetoPresidentLin-coln’scallfor75,000troopsin1861.OrganizedatFortSnellingonApril29,1861,andre-musteredforthreeyearsofserviceonMay10,theFirstMinnesotahaditsbaptismbyfireonJuly21,1861,atBullRun,whereitwasamongthelastunitstoretirefromthefieldandsufferedsomeoftheheaviestcasualtiesofanyUnionregiment.Itsmenservedfaithfullythroughout1862,includingatthebattlesofAntietamandFredericks-burgandinthePeninsulaCampaign,buttheirtruetestofcouragecameontheseconddayatGettysburg.
OnthemorningofJuly2theFirstMinnesotawassituatedontheleftoftheFederallinealongCem-eteryRidgeaspartofafishhook-shapeddefensivepositionthatstretchedacrossthehillsandridgessouthofGettysburg.Theregimenthadroughlyathirdofitsoriginalcomplementof1,000menreportingfordutyunderthecommandofCol.WilliamColvillofRedWing.
Intheafternoon,LeelaunchedaheavyassaultontheUnionleftflank,andfiercefightingragedatDevil’sDen,LittleRoundTop,theWheat-field,andCemeteryRidge.About6p.m.,ConfederatebrigadesattackednearthePeachOrchardontheEm-mitsburgRoad.EightcompaniesoftheFirstMinnesotaInfantrywereinsupportofCompanyCoftheFourthU.S.Artillery,andfromtheirposi-
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222 Minnesota History
tiontheywatchedasUniontroopsoftheThirdArmyCorpsretreatedindisorder.DesperatetohalttheCon-federateadvanceuntilreservescouldarrive,Gen.HancockrodeouttoCol.Colvillandorderedthevastlyout-numberedFirstMinnesotatoattack.
Lt.WilliamLochrenofCompanyKlaterrecalled,“Everymanreal-izedinaninstantwhatthatordermeant—deathorwoundstousall;thesacrificeoftheregimenttogainafewminutestimeandsavetheposi-tion,andprobablythebattlefield—andeverymansawandacceptedthenecessityforthesacrifice.”Advancing300yardsoveropenground,thereg-
imenthaltedatthedrystreambedofPlumRuntofiretheirmuskets,thencommencedtheirchargewithleveledbayonets.“Bulletswhistledpastus,shellsscreachedoverus;canisterandgrapefellaboutus,”wroteSgt.AlfredCarpenterofCompanyK.“Comradeaftercomradedroppedfromtheranks;butonthelinewent.Noonetookasecondlookathisfallencom-panion.Wehadnotimetoweep.”1
TheConfederatesmettheattackwithgreatresistance,buttheMin-nesotansheldfirmuntilreservesarrived.TheFirstMinnesotahadfulfilleditsmission,butataterribleprice;historiansestimatethatlikely60to80percentofthoseparticipat-inginthechargebecamecasualties,includingCol.Colvill,whowas
Ambulance wagon,
Battle of Bull Run, 1861
William Colvill, First Minnesota
Infantry, about 1863
woundedintherightshoulderandrightankle.WithColvilldisabled
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andmostofhisofficerskilledorwounded,commandoftheregimentdevolvedtoCapt.NathanS.MessickofCompanyG.AlthoughtheConfed-erateshadgainedground,theUniondefendersstillheldstrongpositionsbytheendoftheday.
ThebattlereacheditsclimaxonJuly3withPickett’sCharge,adra-maticConfederateinfantryassaultagainstthecenteroftheUnionlineonCemeteryRidge.Despitetheappallingcasualtiessufferedthepre-viousday,theFirstMinnesotawasagaincalledupontostemarisingtideofenemysoldiers.Sgt.JamesWrightofCompanyFwatchedasabout12,000ConfederatetroopscrossednearlyamileofopengroundtowardtheUnionline. “Itwasamagnificentspectacle.Arisingtideofarmedmenrollingtowardusinsteelcrestedbillows,”Wrightre-called.Atabout200yards,theMin-nesotansopenedfire.“Theirfront
linewentdownlikegrassbeforethescythe,”rememberedoneveteran.TheMinnesotansjusthappenedtobepositionedatoneofthefewplaceswhereUnionlineswerebreachedand,asaresult,chargedtheadvanc-ingConfederatesonelasttimeasaunit.Thefightingbecamefrantic,asrecountedbytheFirstMinnesota’sLt.WilliamHarmonofCompanyC:“Ifmeneverbecomedevils,thatwasoneofthetimes.Wewerecrazywiththeexcitementofthefight.Wejustrushedinlikewildbeasts.Mensworeandcursedandstruggledandfought,grappledinhand-to-handfight,threwstones,clubbedtheirmuskets,kicked,yelledandhurrahed.”2
ItwasherethatPvt.MarshallShermanofCompanyCcapturedtheflagoftheTwenty-EighthVirginiaInfantry,forwhichhewasawardedtheMedalofHonor.Cpl.HenryD.O’BrienofCompanyEalsoreceivedtheMedalofHonorforseizingthe
regimentalcolorsaftertheyhadfallenandthenleadinghiscomradesinachargeagainsttheadvancingConfederates.Pickett’sChargewasrepulsedatgreatexpensetotheCon-federatearmy,whichsufferednearly5,600casualties.Unionlossesnum-beredabout1,500,including17killedandwoundedintheFirstMinnesota.Shotinthehead,commandingof-ficerMessickwasamongthedead;theregimentwastakenoverbyCapt.HenryC.CoatesofSt.Paul.AlthoughvirtuallydecimatedatGettysburg,theFirstMinnesotacontinuedintheArmyofthePotomac,servinglaterin1863intheBristoeandMineRuncampaigns.Itwasmusteredoutofserviceuponcompletionofitsenlist-mentonApril29,1864,atFortSnel-ling.EnoughofitsveteransreenlistedtoformthenucleusoftheFirstMin-nesotaBattalionofInfantry,whichreturnedtoVirginiaandservedthroughtheendofthewar.
“If men ever become devils, that was one of the times. We were crazy with the excitement of the fi ght.”
Site of Pickett’s Charge photographed 20 years later
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224 Minnesota History
Vicksburg is the Key!BY the MiD-nineteenthcentury,themightyMississippiRiverhadbecomeAmerica’seconomicsuperhighway,connectingthenation’sabundanceofagriculturalproductstoworldmarkets.WiththeonsetoftheCivilWar,theSouthimposedrestrictionsonnavigation,whichthreatenedtohindertheNorth’scommercialinterests.Situ-atedonahighriverbluff,VicksburgwasthenexusoftheConfederacy,serving,inthewordsofitspresidentJeffersonDavis,as“thenailheadthatheldtheSouth’stwohalvestogether.”PresidentLincoln,whohadpilotedaflatboatdowntheMississippiRivertoNewOrleansasayoungman,recognizedthestrategicimportanceofsubduingVicksburgandwrestingcontroloftheriver.“Vicksburgisthekey,”hedeclaredtohismilitaryleadersinastrategysession.“Thewarcanneverbebroughttoacloseuntilthatkeyisinourpocket.”3
Unionlandandnavalforcesbegantheircampaigntogaincontroloftheriverinthespringof1862.Movingswiftlyfromtwodirectionsinaconvergingattack,UniontroopspouringsouthfromCairo,Illinois,seizedFortsHenryandDonelsonontheTennesseeandCumberlandrivers,respectively,openingthepathwayofinvasiontotheDeepSouth.Continuingthedrive,UnionforceswonvictoriesatShilohinApril—wheretheFirstMinnesotaLightArtillerysawintensecombatatthelegendaryHornets’Nest—andCorinthinMay,wheretheSecond,Fourth,andFifthMinnesotaInfan-trywereengaged.
Underthecommandofflagof-ficerDavidFarragut,FederalnavalforcescapturedNewOrleans,BatonRouge,andNatchezbeforeturningtheirattentiontoVicksburg.StartinginlateMay,Farragut’sshipsinflictedasteadybombardmentonthecityforthreemonths,buttheConfeder-atesstoodfirmandtheUnionfleet,plaguedbyillness,withdrewtoNewOrleans.
Knowingthatthecitycouldonlybetakenbyajointlandandnavalas-sault,ConfederatecommandersweredeterminedtomakeVicksburgafor-tress.Itsnaturaldefensefeatures—sharp,narrowridgesfrontedbysteepravines—weresupplementedwithninefortsconnectedbytrenchesencirclingthecityandgarrisonedby30,000troopscommandedbyLt.Gen.JohnC.Pemberton.InNovem-ber1862,Maj.Gen.UlyssesS.Grant,commanderoftheUnionArmyoftheTennessee,attemptedatwo-prongedattack,splittinghisforceswithMaj.Gen.WilliamT.Sherman.Grant’splanwastodivertConfeder-ateforceswithanoffensiveontheMississippiCentralRailroadwhile
View of Vicksburg, Mississippi, about 1863
ShermanmadeadirectassaultonVicksburgbywater.
AmongGrant’sforcesweretheFirstMinnesotaLightArtillery,com-mandedbyCapt.EmilD.MunchofChengwatanaTownship(PineCounty);theFourthMinnesotaIn-fantry,ledbyformerMinnesotastatesenatorandadjutantgeneralJohnB.Sanborn;andsevencompaniesoftheFifthMinnesotaInfantryunderfuturegovernorLuciusF.Hubbard.TheMinnesotansservedprimarilyasskirmishersandwerenotheavilyengaged;theoffensivewascurtailedwithoutsuccesswhenGrant’scachesofsuppliesweredestroyedinaseriesofdaringConfederatecavalryraidsledbygeneralsNathanBedfordFor-restandEarlVanDorn.Withtheonsetofwinter,GrantsoughtrefugeforhisarmyatMilliken’sBendandYoung’sPoint,Louisiana,ontheMis-sissippiRiveroppositeVicksburg.There,Federalforcesstockpiledsup-pliesandcontemplatedtheiroptionsforthespring.
InlateMarch1863,Grantlaunchedthenextphaseofthecam-paignwithanotherjointoperation.WhilehisinfantryopenedaroadfromMilliken’sBendtoHardTimesLandingtoprepareforacrossing,
For more on Minnesota and the Civil War, visit www.mnhs.org/civilwar
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Summer 2013 225
UnionvesselsranpastVicksburg’sbatteriesonApril16,givingGrantthemeanstocrosstheriver.OnApril30morethan22,000Unionsoldiers,includingtheFourthMin-nesotaInfantry(assignedtoGen.JamesB.McPherson’sSeventeenthArmyCorpsandledbyLt.Col.JohnE.TourtellotteofMankato)andtheFifthMinnesotaInfantry(assignedtoSherman’sFifteenthArmyCorps),landedonMississippisoilandbegana17-daycampaigntodisruptConfederatesupplylinesfeedingintoVicksburg.Aftercaptur-ingJackson,thestatecapital,onMay14,Grant’sforceswonanothervic-torytwodayslateratChampionHill,wheretheFourthMinnesotatook118Confederateprisoners.Rebelforcesweredealtanotherdefeatthefollow-ingdayatBigBlackRiverBridge,forcingthemtoretreatintothede-fensesofVicksburg.
Emil Munch, who commanded the First
Minnesota Light Artillery during
Grant’s 1862 attempt on Vicksburg
William Christie, First Minnesota
Light Artillery, about 1864
Nineteen- year- old Richard Reeves,
Fourth Minnesota Infantry, 1865
GrantattackedonMay19,begin-ningwithanartillerybarragethatincludedthetwo12-poundhowitzersandfour6-poundrifledgunsoftheFirstMinnesotaLightArtillery.ThebatterywouldparticipateinadailycannonadeofVicksburgforthenextsixweeks.WilliamChristie,whoservedintheunitwithhisbrotherThomas,vividlydepictedthesceneinalettertohisfather.
Thismorningatthreeo’clockthe
BatteriesofGen.Grant’sArmyat
hisPlace,opennedatonceonthe
doomedcityofVicksburgh,And
theeffectsofsuchasightallmost
defiesdescription.Thelineex-
tendssomeeightmilesaroundthe
Besiegedtown....Nowjuststand
withmeonthePointwhereour
BatteryisPlaced,andseethevivid
flashesoftheGuns,likelightning,
andtheshoweringofshell,asthey
madetherequickcurvesthrough
theair,hissingandhurtling,and
finnallyexploddingwithareport
almostasloudastheGun.4
Thisdirectassaultwasturnedback,althoughsomeFederalunitsdidplanttheircolorsontheparapetsofthecity.Aftermakingamorethroughreconnaissanceoftheground,adeterminedGrantlaunchedasecondoffensivewithalargerforceonMay22.Manydidnotrelishthethoughtofmakinganotherassaultontheformidabledefenses.RichardS.Reeves,adrummerwithCompanyFoftheFourthMinnesota,recordedtheapprehensionincamp: “Youcanseemanywithlongfacessittingdownawaitingtheirdoom....Iallmostfeltasthoughmydayswasreckonedmyself....Thewordcomesfallin.Youcanseelotswithtearsintheireyes.Theycanseedeathstaring
“Vicksburg is the key. . . . The war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocket.”
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226 Minnesota History
SiegeofVicksburg,TheFightinthe
CraterofFortHill,aftertheExplosion,
June23,63,and ( facing) TheSiegeof
Vicksburg, lithographs of drawings by
Alfred S. Mathews, 1863
John B. Sanborn, who led the
Fourth Minnesota into
Vicksburg on July 4, 1863
theminthefacebutdutycallsthemandtheygo.”5
Followingafour-hourbom-bardment,Grant’smen—includingtheFourthandFifthMinnesotaInfantry—attackedalongathree-milefront.TheFederalsonceagainbrieflypenetratedConfederatelinesbutwererepelledandsus-tainedmorethan3,000casualties.TheFourthMinnesotasuffered12deadand42wounded,whiletheFifthMinnesotalost2menand1wounded.TheFifthMinnesota’sadjutantThomasP.Gerewrotelaterthatday,“Theassaultwasmade;throughthoseterribleravines;theslaughterwasawful;ourbraveboysfelllikeleavesinautumn;ourarmywasrepulsed,havinglostmanymenandgainednothing....Thisdaywilllongberememberedbythousands.”6
Undeterredbythesecostlyde-feats,GrantlaidsiegetoVicksburg,extendinghislinesandchokingoffthecity’sroutesofresupply.TheThirdMinnesotaInfantry,whichhadservedintheU.S.–DakotaWarsinceitsparoleafterMurfreesboro,arrivedonJune8andwaspositionednorth-eastofVicksburgtopreventtroops
andsuppliesfromenteringthecity.BytheendofJune,dailyrationsforPemberton’sgarrisonwerereducedtoahandfulofpeasandriceperman.Civiliansalsosuffered.Forcedoutoftheirhomesbytheconstantbombardment,manylivedincavesdugintothehillsandsupplementedtheirpaltrydietswithmulemeat.
Sensingtheendwasnear,Grantorderedhistroopstodigtunnelsundertheenemyworksandfillthemwithblackpowderinhopesofexplodingthefortifications.TwosuchminesweredetonatedonJune25andJuly1,butPemberton’smenmaintainedtheirtenaciousresis-tance.Nevertheless,theConfeder-ates,wearyandweakenedfrommonthsofbattleandprivation,wereontheirlastlegs,andonJuly3Pem-bertonaskedfortermsofsurrender.WhenherebuffedGrant’sinitialrequestforunconditionalsurrender,theUnioncommanderamendedhistermstoparoleforthegarrison,andPembertonagreed.GranthadfinallytakenVicksburg,butthecostwashigh:theUnionArmysuffered10,142casualties,including80Min-nesotanskilledinaction.
After47daysofsiege,UniontroopsenteredVicksburgonJuly4.Col.JohnSanborn,formerlyregi-mentalcommanderoftheFourthMinnesotaInfantryandnowabri-gadecommander,recalledacquiringnewuniformsfortheevent.
OnthemorningofJuly4allsuch
uniformswereputon,every
enlistedmanburnishedhisgun
sothatitglimmeredinthesun-
shinelikepuresilver,thebandsof
musictooktheirpositionatalittle
aftersunrise,andthecommands
marchedfromtheircamping-
places...throughthecitytothe
courthouseandthebanksofthe
Mississippi....Asorderedby
Gen.McPhersonIledthecolumn
thatmarchedintoVicksburg,and
theFourthMinnesotabandand
regimentledmybrigade.7
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Summer 2013 227
“Ihavejustbeenuponthehillandsawtherebelsmarchingoutandstackingtheirarms,”wroteJohnThurstonofCompanyC,FourthMinnesotaInfantry.“Ourforcesarealsomovingin.MarchedintoVicks-burg,bannersflyingandmusicplay-ing.ThisisthemostgloriousFourthofJulyIeverspent.Fireworksseemtobeallaroundthelines.”KnudHellingoftheFourthMinnesota’sCompanyHprovidedamoresober-ingdepiction.
Wemarchedintothecityingood
orderwithmusicplayingandthe
flagsflying,whichservedavery
impressivesight.TheRebelsol-
diersandtheinhabitantsstood
ingroupsonthestreetcorners
andstaredatuswhilewepassed
bythem.Allseemedtobevery
satisfiedwiththeirnewsituation,
becausetheyhadahardtime
undertheirsiege.Theyhadlainin
thetrenchesfor47dayswithout
hardlydaringtosticktheirheads
up.Thelast5daystheylivedon
mulemeat,andtheirbreadwas
composedofbeansgroundto-
getherwithgrain.Theinhabitants
hadlivedincavesthattheyhad
dugintothehills.Theylooked
paleandshabby.8
WorD of the sUrrenDer atVicksburgandtheUniontriumphatGettysburgreachedajubilantMinne-sotaafewdayslater.“GlorytoGod!”exclaimedtheSt. Paul Daily Press,“TherighthandofthenationfollowsupontheMississippitheblowstruckbyitslefthandontheSusquehanna,andtherebellionstaggers,undertwomortalwounds,toadisastrousandignominiousfall.”ThenewsofGettysburg,firsttoarrive,igniteda“spontaneousandspirited”celebra-
For Further Readingb Authored by the men who led Minnesota’s soldiers in battle, Minnesota in the Civil
and Indian Wars: 1861–1865 (1890) provides a comprehensive overview of the
state’s role in the confl ict. this two- volume set includes unit histories, regimental
rosters, and offi cial reports and correspondence. it is a “go- to” resource.
b originally released in 1961, the expanded version of Kenneth Carley’s Minnesota
and the Civil War: An Illustrated History (2000) draws extensively on the Minne-
sota Historical Society’s holdings of letters, diaries, photographs, and artifacts
to provide a multifaceted approach to the story.
b More books have been written about the Battle of Gettysburg than any other
engagement of the war. notable works include edwin Coddington’s detailed ac-
count, The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command (1997), and Stephen
Sears’s highly readable Gettysburg (2004). Gettysburg— The Second Day (1998)
by former Gettysburg national Military Park historian Harry Pfanz is a defi nitive
work on July 2, and Jeffry Wert’s Gettysburg, Day Three (2002) provides a
compelling summary of the battle’s last day.
b Many excellent books published in recent years document the history of the First
Minnesota infantry and its role at Gettysburg, including The Last Full Measure:
The Life and Death of the First Minnesota Volunteers by Richard Moe (2001);
Pale Horse at Plum Run: The First Minnesota at Gettysburg by Brian leehan
(2004); and Every Man Did His Duty: Pictures and Stories of the Men of the First
Minnesota by Wayne Jorgenson (2012).
b Former Vicksburg national Military Park historian terrence Winschel has written,
coauthored, or edited several fi rst- rate works on that campaign, including Vicks-
burg: Fall of the Confederate Gibraltar (1999), Triumph and Defeat: The Vicksburg
Campaign (1999), and Vicksburg is the Key: The Struggle for the Mississippi
River (with William Shea, 2003). Michael Ballard’s Vicksburg: The Campaign That
Opened the Mississippi (2010) offers a brief yet detailed account of the battle.
b Readers seeking a Minnesota perspective on the campaign will be captivated
by two outstanding compilations drawn from the manuscript collections of the
Minnesota Historical Society. Go If You Think It Your Duty: A Minnesota Couple’s
Civil War Letters, edited by Andrea Foroughi (2008), presents an intimate and
poignant portrait of the relationship between James Madison Bowler and lizzie
Bowler, a newly married couple who exchanged letters for four years after Madison
enlisted with the third Minnesota infantry. Brother of Mine: The Civil War Letters
of Thomas and William Christie, edited by Hampton Smith (2011), chronicles
the brothers’ experiences in the First Minnesota Battery, including more than
30 letters detailing the Vicksburg campaign.
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228 Minnesota History
tioninSt.Paul,soonmadeallthesweeter:“WhenthegloriousnewsofthesurrenderofVicksburgcameintheafternoon,theenthusiasmandjoyofthepeopleknewnobounds.Itfairlyboiledover,andinitsirrepress-iblephrenzy,itseemedthatthewholepopulacehadreallygonemad.”9
Afterservingoccupationdutyinthecity,MinnesotaveteransoftheVicksburgCampaignweredeployedthroughouttheSouth,wheretheycontinuedtoserveuntiltheendofthewar.TheThirdMinnesotaInfantrywenttoArkansas,partici-patedintheBattleofBayouFourcheoutsideofLittleRockonSeptember10,1863,andmadeaheroicbayonetchargeagainstConfederatecavalryattheBattleofFitzhugh’sWoodsnearAugustaonApril1,1864.TheFirstMinnesotaLightArtilleryjoinedSherman’sforcesintheAtlantaCampaignandthefamousMarchtotheSeain1864andcontinuedwithShermanthroughthefinalWesternTheatercampaignintheCarolinasin1865.TheFourthMinnesotaIn-fantrywasdeployedtoTennesseeinthefallof1863,fightingintheThirdBattleofChattanoogaonNovember23–25beforemovingtoAlabamaforgarrisonduty.TheFourthalsoparticipatedinSherman’sMarchtotheSeaandtheCarolinasCampaign.TheFifthMinnesotaInfantryservedinMississippiandLouisianathrough1864,participatinginengagementsatPleasantHill,Louisiana,onApril9andTupelo,Mississippi,onJuly14–15.TheregimentservedattheBattleofNashvilleonDecember15–16,1864,beforedeployingtoAla-bamainthespringof1865fortheMobileCampaign.
Long RememberThe Union viCtorY at ViCKs-burg,coupledwiththecaptureofPortHudson,Louisiana,onJuly9,1863,securedFederalcontroloftheMississippiRiverfromMinnesotatotheGulfofMexico.TheimportanceoftheVicksburgCampaignwasnotlostonitsparticipants,andonJuly4,1864,occupyingUnionsoldierserectedamarbleobeliskontheVicksburgbattlefieldtocommemo-ratethefirstanniversaryoftheConfederatesurrenderthere.Post-warreunionsofVicksburgveterans,particularlythereunionof1890,encouragedtheestablishmentofVicksburgNationalMilitaryParkbyCongressin1899.
In1901theMinnesotalegislatureauthorizedacommissionledbyJohnSanborntoplaceamemorialinthemilitaryparktohonorMinnesota’ssoldiers.NewYorksculptorWilliamCouperwaschosentodesignthemonument,consistingofawhitegraniteobeliskwithabronzestatueofawoman,representingpeace,atitsbase.Sixengravedbronzemark-ersonredgranitewerealsosituated
throughoutthepark,commemorat-ingtheMinnesotanskilledinbattle.“Minnesotawillespeciallycherishthespotonwhichthismemorialstands,”saidformerFifthMinnesotaInfantrycommanderHubbardatthededicationonMay24,1907,“andthesoilinwhichtheremainsofhervaliantdeadhererepose,hencetothislocalityshewillinfutureyearsoftenturninfilialremembrance,astoaspothallowedbythebloodofthesonsofheryoungeryears.”10
DespitethestrategicsignificanceoftheVicksburgCampaign,theBattleofGettysburgcametosurpassitinthenation’scollectivememory,bothinmilitarysignificanceandromanticimagery.ThereGeneralPickettmadehisfatefulchargeandPresidentLincolnspokewithepicel-oquence.TheretheUnionwassavedinthebloodiestsinglebattlefoughtonAmericansoil.ThereRobertE.LeebroughthisseeminglyinvincibleArmyofNorthernVirginiatowinavictoryonnorthernsoilwhich,inallprobability,wouldhaveweakenedtheNorth’sdeterminationtocon-tinuethewar.
ThevaloroftheFirstMinnesota
Long remember: Dedicating the Min-
nesota monument, Vicksburg National
Military Park, 1907
MNHist_Sum13-opt.indd 228 6/5/13 1:35 PM
Summer 2013 229
andtheterriblelossesitsufferedonJuly2certainlycontributedtothebattle’sHomericqualityanditssubsequentmemorialization.TheurnplacedinGettysburgNationalCemeteryin1867bythesurvivorsoftheFirstMinnesotawasthefirstofthemonumentsandmarkerstobelocatedonthebattlefield.Twoad-ditionalmemorials,astatelymonu-mentcommemoratingtheJuly2chargeandanobeliskmarkingtheregiment’spositionduringPickett’sChargeonJuly3,werededicatedin1893.
Postwaraccoladespennedbycivicleaders,politicians,andveter-ansoftheFirstMinnesotafurtherfortifiedtheregiment’sheroicstatus.
“TherecanbenoquestionthattheFirstMinnesotaRegimentinthatbattledisplayedsuchheroismandunselfishsoldierlydevotionashasnotbeenshown,inequaldegree,byanybodyofsoldierssinceLeonidasstoodonthepassatThermopylae,”wroteWilliamLochrenin1890.In1928PresidentCalvinCoolidgepro-claimedsimply:“Sofarashumanjudgmentcandetermine,ColonelColvillandthoseeightcompaniesoftheFirstMinnesotaareentitledtorankasthesaviorsoftheircountry.”11
Minnesota’s veterans ofGettysburgandVicksburghavelongsincebeenlaidtorest.Wecannever
trulyrecapturewhattheysaw,whattheythinktheysaw,andallthattheycould—andcouldnot—rememberabouttheirexperienceofwar.For-tunately,thereremainsabodyofevidencetoserveusinthequesttounderstandwhotheywereandwhattheydidonthebattlefield.TheMin-nesotaHistoricalSocietypreservesarichcollectionofmaterialsrelat-ingtotheroleofMinnesotansinthesetwohistoricevents,includinggovernmentrecords,letters,diaries,photographs,andartifacts.Throughthesetreasures(seefollowingpages),wecangainaglimpseintothesol-diers’worldandensurethattheirdeedswilllongendureinthemem-oryofMinnesotans. a
Notes1. WilliamLochren,“Narrativeofthe
FirstRegiment,”Minnesotain the Civil and Indian Wars, 1861–1865(St.Paul:PioneerPressCo.,1891),1:35;AlfredP.Carpenterletter,July30,1863(copy),manuscriptscollection,MinnesotaHistoricalSociety(MHS).AssignedastheFirstMinnesota’sadjutantafterGettysburg,Lochrenau-thoredtheofficialbattlereportfortheregi-ment. HewasdischargedfordisabilityonDecember30,1863. CarpenterwaswoundedtwiceinthechargeatGettysburgandwashospitalizedfortwomonths.
2. JamesA.Wright,“StoryofCompanyF,”unpublishedmanuscript, 160,JamesA.WrightPapers,MHS;excerptfromaletterbyan“unknownsergeant,”St. Paul Pioneer,Aug.9,1863;WilliamHarmon,“Co.CatGettysburg,”Minneapolis Journal,June30,1897.SlightlywoundedinthefaceduringPickett’sCharge,WrightwasdischargedwiththeregimentonMay5,1864. HewasthelastsurvivoroftheFirstMinnesota,dyingonAugust25,1936,attheageof95.
3. QuotedinShelbyFoote,The Civil War: A Narrative (NewYork:RandomHouse,1963),2:346;DavidDixonPorter,Incidents and Anecdotes of the Civil War(NewYork:D.AppletonandCo.,1885),95–96. LincolntalkedabouttakingVicks-burgwithU.S.NavyCommanderDavidPorterwhilepointingatamapandsaying,asquotedbyPorter:“Seewhatalotoflandthesefellowshold,ofwhichVicksburgisthekey....LetusgetVicksburgandallthatcountryisours. Thewarcanneverbe
broughttoacloseuntilthatkeyisinourpocket.”
4. WilliamChristietoJamesChristie,May31,1863,JamesC.ChristieandFamilyPapers,MHS. Thiscollectionpreserves274lettersbyWilliamandThomasChristiedocumentingfouryearsofserviceintheFirstMinnesotaBattery,includingaccountsofarmylife,combat,militarypolitics,andWilliam’scaptureaftertheBattleofBen-tonville(NC)onMarch21,1865.
5. RichardS.Reeves,diaryentry,May22,1863,RichardS.ReevesPapers,MHS.
6. ThomasP.Gere,diaryentry,May22,1863(copy),WilliamB.andThomasP.GerePapers,MHS. GerewasawardedtheMedalofHonorforcapturingthecolorsoftheFourthMississippiInfantryatNashvilleonDecember16,1864.
7. JohnB.Sanborn,“TheCampaignagainstVicksburg,”Glimpses of the Nation’s Struggle,secondseries(St.Paul:St.PaulBookandStationeryCo.,1890),138.
8. AlonzoLeightonBrown,History of the Fourth Regiment of Minnesota Infantry Volunteers During the Great Rebellion, 1861–1865(St.Paul:PioneerPressCo.,1892),240;KnudH.HellingtoGuulGuthormson(alsospelledGuttormson),Aug.3,1863,Hellinglettersandphotographs,MHS. HellingwroteinNorwegianthroughoutthewartohisbestfriend,Guthormson,inWis-consin.
9. St. Paul Daily Press,July8,1863,1,4.10. LuciusHubbard,“DedicationofMin-
nesotaMemorialsintheVicksburgNational
MilitaryPark,”May24,1907,Minnesota in the Campaigns of Vicksburg, November 1862–July 1863(Minnesota-VicksburgMonumentCommission,1907),49.
11. WilliamLochren,“TheFirstMinne-sotaatGettysburg,” Glimpses of the Nation’s Struggle,thirdseries(St.Paul:D.D.MerrillCo.,1893),55. LochrenreadthispaperonJanuary14,1890,totheMinnesotaCom-manderyoftheMilitaryOrderoftheLoyalLegionoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica;CalvinCoolidge,“AddressDedicatingaMemorialtoCol.WilliamColvill,CannonFalls,Minn.,”July29,1928,atGerhardPetersandJohnT.Woolley,The American Presidency Project,www.presidency.ucsb .edu/ws/?pid=461.
The painting on p. 220 is courtesy State of Minnesota; p. 226, bottom, and 227 are courtesy Library of Congress Prints and
Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. All other illustrations are in MHS collections.
On the following pages, the photos of the splint, canteen, handkerchief, rifle, and sur-
gical kit are by Jason Onerheim; all flags and flagstaff by Eric Mortenson; and diary,
sword, and rain cap by Sondra Reierson. The Boyd portrait is in MHS collections.
MNHist_Sum13-opt.indd 229 6/5/13 1:35 PM
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