Long Remember: Minnesota at Gettysburg and...

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

MNHist_Sum13-opt.indd 220 6/5/13 1:35 PM

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-



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


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



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


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.”



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


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.



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


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.


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