Long Remember:
Minnesota at Gettysburg and Vicksburg
Adam Scher
1863 was a Pivotal Year—
a“gamechanger”inmodern
parlance—forthecourseandconsequenceoftheAmericanCivilWar.
Aftertwobloodyyears,itwasbrutallycleartobothNorthandSouth
thattheconflictwasgoingtobelong
andcostly,notthebriefaffairsome
politiciansandmilitaryleadershad
presumedin1861.AbrahamLincoln’sEmancipationProclamation,
issuedinJanuary,changedthetenor
ofthewaraswell.Itwasnolonger
220 Minnesota Histor y
simplyafighttopreservetheUnion;
anewmoralimperativehadbeen
embraced—thedeathofslavery.This
paradigmshiftfortheNorthmeant
thattherewasnoplaceforcompromise.IftheNorthweretobevictorious,thentheSouthwouldhavetobe
subdued.
1863wasalsoayearofspectacle,
transformation,andturmoil.Theen-
listmentofblacktroops,theEmancipationProclamation,andtheflight
ofAfricanAmericansfromslavery
astheUnionArmymovedintothe
Southforeshadowedchangestothe
frameworkofAmericansocietyand
challengedwhiteAmerica’sperspectiveonrace.DraftriotsinNew
YorkCity,breadriotsinRichmond,
Virginia,andresistancetothewar
FourthMinnesotaRegimentEnteringVicksburg,July4,1863, Francis D. Millet’s
1907 painting that hangs in the Governor’s Reception Room, Minnesota State Capitol
intheNorthandSouthalikeledto
upheavalonthehomefront.
Someofthewar’slargestand
mostimportantcampaignsprovided
thespectacleaswellasdreadfully
longcasualtylists.Theconcurrent
UnionvictoriesatGettysburg,Pennsylvania,andVicksburg,Mississippi,
inJuly1863markedacrucialturningpoint.AtGettysburg,ConfederateGen.RobertE.Leelostacritical
engagementandreturnedtoVirginia
withabatteredarmythatwould
neveragainbeabletolaunchamajor
offensive.WiththeConfederatesurrenderofVicksburg,theUnionArmy
securedcontroloftheMississippi
River,avitaltransportationsource
fornortherncommerce,andeffectivelysplittheConfederacyinhalf.
ComingthedayafterLee’sdefeatat
Gettysburg,thefallofVicksburgalso
hadasignificantimpactonmorale,
NorthandSouth.Southernerswonderediftheirdreamofindependence
couldbesustained,whilenorthernersrenewedtheirhopeforareunited
country.
Minnesota’ssoldiersplayedkey
rolesatbothpivotalengagements,
withtheFirstMinnesotaVolunteer
Infantrymakingasacrificialcharge
toholdtheUnionlineatGettysburg,
andtheFourthMinnesotaVolunteer
InfantrybeingamongthefirstFederaltroopstoenterVicksburg.The
FifthMinnesotaVolunteerInfantry
andtheFirstMinnesotaBatteryof
LightArtilleryalsoservedasveteran
campaignersintheseven-month
battleforVicksburg,whiletheThird
MinnesotaVolunteerInfantryparticipatedinthefinalpushtotakethe
city.TheFirstMinnesota’sexploitsat
Adam Scher is a senior curator in the
collections department at the Minnesota Historical Society.
Gettysburgpropelledtheregimentto
legendarystatusasoneofthemost
distinguishedfightingunitsofthe
CivilWar,whiletheVicksburgCampaignaddedlustertothereputation
ofMinnesotaunitsthathadfought
withdistinctionatShiloh,Tennessee,
andIukaandCorinth,Mississippi.
Vicksburgalsoplayedapartinrestoringthemoraleandstatureofthe
ThirdMinnesotaInfantry,whichhad
beendeceivedbyConfederatecavalry
commanderNathanBedfordForrest
intosurrenderingatMurfreesboro,
Tennessee,onJuly13,1862.
Hallowed Ground:
Gettysburg
Following on the heels
ofhisbrilliantvictoryattheBattle
ofChancellorsvilleinMay1863,Lee
ledhisArmyofNorthernVirginiain
asecondinvasionoftheNorth.(An
unsuccessfulcampaignwaswagedin
MarylandinSeptember1862.)With
hismeninhighspirits,Leeplanned
tosecureprovisionsfromtherich
Pennsylvaniafarmlandsandtake
thefightingawayfromwar-tornVirginia.Healsohopedthatwinninga
majorvictoryonnorthernsoilmight
bringtheFederalsclosertopeacenegotiations.UrgedbyPresidentLincoln,Maj.Gen.JosephHookersent
hisUnionArmyofthePotomacin
pursuitbutwasrelievedofcommand
justthreedaysbeforethebattle.His
replacement,Maj.Gen.GeorgeG.
Meade,movednorthward,keeping
hisarmybetweenLeeandWashington,D.C.WhenLeediscoveredthat
MeadewasinPennsylvania,he
concentratedhisarmyinthevicinity
ofGettysburg.
Elementsofthetwoarmiescollidedwestandnorthofthetown
onJuly1,1863;theConfederates
pushedtheFederalsbackthrough
GettysburgtoCulp’sHillandCemeteryRidge,southoftown.Reinforcementsfrombotharmiesarrivedthat
evening,includingtheFirstMinnesotaInfantryaspartofMaj.Gen.
WinfieldScottHancock’sSecond
ArmyCorps.
TheFirstMinnesotahadthe
distinctionofbeingthefirststate
volunteerregimentformallytenderedinresponsetoPresidentLincoln’scallfor75,000troopsin1861.
OrganizedatFortSnellingonApril
29,1861,andre-musteredforthree
yearsofserviceonMay10,theFirst
Minnesotahaditsbaptismbyfire
onJuly21,1861,atBullRun,where
itwasamongthelastunitstoretire
fromthefieldandsufferedsomeof
theheaviestcasualtiesofanyUnion
regiment.Itsmenservedfaithfully
throughout1862,includingatthe
battlesofAntietamandFredericksburgandinthePeninsulaCampaign,
buttheirtruetestofcouragecame
ontheseconddayatGettysburg.
OnthemorningofJuly2the
FirstMinnesotawassituatedonthe
leftoftheFederallinealongCemeteryRidgeaspartofafishhook-
shapeddefensivepositionthat
stretchedacrossthehillsandridges
southofGettysburg.Theregiment
hadroughlyathirdofitsoriginal
complementof1,000menreporting
fordutyunderthecommandofCol.
WilliamColvillofRedWing.
Intheafternoon,Leelauncheda
heavyassaultontheUnionleftflank,
andfiercefightingragedatDevil’s
Den,LittleRoundTop,theWheatfield,andCemeteryRidge.About
6p.m.,Confederatebrigadesattacked
nearthePeachOrchardontheEmmitsburgRoad.Eightcompaniesof
theFirstMinnesotaInfantrywerein
supportofCompanyCoftheFourth
U.S.Artillery,andfromtheirposiSummer 2013 221
tiontheywatchedasUniontroopsof
theThirdArmyCorpsretreatedin
disorder.DesperatetohalttheConfederateadvanceuntilreservescould
arrive,Gen.HancockrodeouttoCol.
ColvillandorderedthevastlyoutnumberedFirstMinnesotatoattack.
Lt.WilliamLochrenofCompany
Klaterrecalled,“Everymanrealizedinaninstantwhatthatorder
meant—deathorwoundstousall;
thesacrificeoftheregimenttogaina
fewminutestimeandsavetheposition,andprobablythebattlefield—
andeverymansawandacceptedthe
necessityforthesacrifice.”Advancing
300yardsoveropenground,theregAmbulance wagon,
Battle of Bull Run, 1861
222 Minnesota Histor y
imenthaltedatthedrystreambedof
PlumRuntofiretheirmuskets,then
commencedtheirchargewithleveled
bayonets.“Bulletswhistledpastus,
shellsscreachedoverus;canisterand
grapefellaboutus,”wroteSgt.Alfred
CarpenterofCompanyK.“Comrade
aftercomradedroppedfromthe
ranks;butonthelinewent.Noone
tookasecondlookathisfallencompanion.Wehadnotimetoweep.”1
TheConfederatesmettheattack
withgreatresistance,buttheMinnesotansheldfirmuntilreserves
arrived.TheFirstMinnesotahad
fulfilleditsmission,butataterrible
price;historiansestimatethatlikely
60to80percentofthoseparticipatinginthechargebecamecasualties,
includingCol.Colvill,whowas
William Colvill, First Minnesota
Infantry, about 1863
woundedintherightshoulderand
rightankle.WithColvilldisabled
“If men ever become devils, that was one of the times.
We were crazy with the excitement of the fight.”
andmostofhisofficerskilledor
wounded,commandoftheregiment
devolvedtoCapt.NathanS.Messick
ofCompanyG.AlthoughtheConfederateshadgainedground,theUnion
defendersstillheldstrongpositions
bytheendoftheday.
Thebattlereacheditsclimaxon
July3withPickett’sCharge,adramaticConfederateinfantryassault
againstthecenteroftheUnionline
onCemeteryRidge.Despitethe
appallingcasualtiessufferedthepreviousday,theFirstMinnesotawas
againcalledupontostemarising
tideofenemysoldiers.Sgt.James
WrightofCompanyFwatchedas
about12,000Confederatetroops
crossednearlyamileofopenground
towardtheUnionline. “Itwasa
magnificentspectacle.Arisingtide
ofarmedmenrollingtowardusin
steelcrestedbillows,”Wrightrecalled.Atabout200yards,theMinnesotansopenedfire.“Theirfront
linewentdownlikegrassbeforethe
scythe,”rememberedoneveteran.
TheMinnesotansjusthappenedto
bepositionedatoneofthefewplaces
whereUnionlineswerebreached
and,asaresult,chargedtheadvancingConfederatesonelasttimeasa
unit.Thefightingbecamefrantic,as
recountedbytheFirstMinnesota’s
Lt.WilliamHarmonofCompanyC:
“Ifmeneverbecomedevils,thatwas
oneofthetimes.Wewerecrazywith
theexcitementofthefight.Wejust
rushedinlikewildbeasts.Menswore
andcursedandstruggledandfought,
grappledinhand-to-handfight,
threwstones,clubbedtheirmuskets,
kicked,yelledandhurrahed.”2
ItwasherethatPvt.Marshall
ShermanofCompanyCcapturedthe
flagoftheTwenty-EighthVirginia
Infantry,forwhichhewasawarded
theMedalofHonor.Cpl.HenryD.
O’BrienofCompanyEalsoreceived
theMedalofHonorforseizingthe
Site of Pickett’s Charge photographed 20 years later
regimentalcolorsaftertheyhad
fallenandthenleadinghiscomrades
inachargeagainsttheadvancing
Confederates.Pickett’sChargewas
repulsedatgreatexpensetotheConfederatearmy,whichsufferednearly
5,600casualties.Unionlossesnumberedabout1,500,including17killed
andwoundedintheFirstMinnesota.
Shotinthehead,commandingofficerMessickwasamongthedead;
theregimentwastakenoverbyCapt.
HenryC.CoatesofSt.Paul.Although
virtuallydecimatedatGettysburg,
theFirstMinnesotacontinuedinthe
ArmyofthePotomac,servinglater
in1863intheBristoeandMineRun
campaigns.Itwasmusteredoutof
serviceuponcompletionofitsenlistmentonApril29,1864,atFortSnelling.Enoughofitsveteransreenlisted
toformthenucleusoftheFirstMinnesotaBattalionofInfantry,which
returnedtoVirginiaandserved
throughtheendofthewar.
Vicksburg is the Key!
BY the MiD-nineteenth
century,themightyMississippiRiver
hadbecomeAmerica’seconomic
superhighway,connectingthe
nation’sabundanceofagricultural
productstoworldmarkets.With
theonsetoftheCivilWar,theSouth
imposedrestrictionsonnavigation,
whichthreatenedtohinderthe
North’scommercialinterests.Situatedonahighriverbluff,Vicksburg
wasthenexusoftheConfederacy,
serving,inthewordsofitspresident
JeffersonDavis,as“thenailheadthat
heldtheSouth’stwohalvestogether.”
PresidentLincoln,whohadpiloteda
flatboatdowntheMississippiRiver
toNewOrleansasayoungman,
recognizedthestrategicimportance
ofsubduingVicksburgandwresting
controloftheriver.“Vicksburgis
thekey,”hedeclaredtohismilitary
leadersinastrategysession.“The
warcanneverbebroughttoaclose
untilthatkeyisinourpocket.”3
Unionlandandnavalforces
begantheircampaigntogaincontrol
oftheriverinthespringof1862.
Movingswiftlyfromtwodirections
inaconvergingattack,Uniontroops
pouringsouthfromCairo,Illinois,
seizedFortsHenryandDonelson
ontheTennesseeandCumberland
rivers,respectively,openingthe
pathwayofinvasiontotheDeep
South.Continuingthedrive,Union
forceswonvictoriesatShilohin
April—wheretheFirstMinnesota
LightArtillerysawintensecombat
atthelegendaryHornets’Nest—and
CorinthinMay,wheretheSecond,
Fourth,andFifthMinnesotaInfantrywereengaged.
View of Vicksburg, Mississippi, about 1863
UnderthecommandofflagofficerDavidFarragut,Federalnaval
forcescapturedNewOrleans,Baton
Rouge,andNatchezbeforeturning
theirattentiontoVicksburg.Starting
inlateMay,Farragut’sshipsinflicted
asteadybombardmentonthecity
forthreemonths,buttheConfederatesstoodfirmandtheUnionfleet,
plaguedbyillness,withdrewtoNew
Orleans.
Knowingthatthecitycouldonly
betakenbyajointlandandnavalassault,Confederatecommanderswere
determinedtomakeVicksburgafortress.Itsnaturaldefensefeatures—
sharp,narrowridgesfrontedbysteep
ravines—weresupplementedwith
ninefortsconnectedbytrenches
encirclingthecityandgarrisonedby
30,000troopscommandedbyLt.
Gen.JohnC.Pemberton.InNovember1862,Maj.Gen.UlyssesS.Grant,
commanderoftheUnionArmyof
theTennessee,attemptedatwo-
prongedattack,splittinghisforces
withMaj.Gen.WilliamT.Sherman.
Grant’splanwastodivertConfederateforceswithanoffensiveonthe
MississippiCentralRailroadwhile
For more on Minnesota and the Civil War, visit www.mnhs.org/civilwar
224 Minnesota Histor y
Shermanmadeadirectassaulton
Vicksburgbywater.
AmongGrant’sforceswerethe
FirstMinnesotaLightArtillery,commandedbyCapt.EmilD.Munch
ofChengwatanaTownship(Pine
County);theFourthMinnesotaInfantry,ledbyformerMinnesotastate
senatorandadjutantgeneralJohnB.
Sanborn;andsevencompaniesof
theFifthMinnesotaInfantryunder
futuregovernorLuciusF.Hubbard.
TheMinnesotansservedprimarily
asskirmishersandwerenotheavily
engaged;theoffensivewascurtailed
withoutsuccesswhenGrant’scaches
ofsuppliesweredestroyedinaseries
ofdaringConfederatecavalryraids
ledbygeneralsNathanBedfordForrestandEarlVanDorn.Withthe
onsetofwinter,Grantsoughtrefuge
forhisarmyatMilliken’sBendand
Young’sPoint,Louisiana,ontheMississippiRiveroppositeVicksburg.
There,Federalforcesstockpiledsuppliesandcontemplatedtheiroptions
forthespring.
InlateMarch1863,Grant
launchedthenextphaseofthecampaignwithanotherjointoperation.
Whilehisinfantryopenedaroad
fromMilliken’sBendtoHardTimes
Landingtoprepareforacrossing,
“Vicksburg is the key. . . . The war can never be brought
to a close until that key is in our pocket.”
UnionvesselsranpastVicksburg’s
batteriesonApril16,givingGrant
themeanstocrosstheriver.On
April30morethan22,000Union
soldiers,includingtheFourthMinnesotaInfantry(assignedtoGen.
JamesB.McPherson’sSeventeenth
ArmyCorpsandledbyLt.Col.
JohnE.TourtellotteofMankato)
andtheFifthMinnesotaInfantry
(assignedtoSherman’sFifteenth
ArmyCorps),landedonMississippi
soilandbegana17-daycampaign
todisruptConfederatesupplylines
feedingintoVicksburg.AftercapturingJackson,thestatecapital,onMay
14,Grant’sforceswonanothervictorytwodayslateratChampionHill,
wheretheFourthMinnesotatook118
Confederateprisoners.Rebelforces
weredealtanotherdefeatthefollowingdayatBigBlackRiverBridge,
forcingthemtoretreatintothedefensesofVicksburg.
GrantattackedonMay19,beginningwithanartillerybarragethat
includedthetwo12-poundhowitzers
andfour6-poundrifledgunsofthe
FirstMinnesotaLightArtillery.The
batterywouldparticipateinadaily
cannonadeofVicksburgforthenext
sixweeks.WilliamChristie,who
servedintheunitwithhisbrother
Thomas,vividlydepictedthescene
inalettertohisfather.
andtheshoweringofshell,asthey
Thisdirectassaultwasturned
back,althoughsomeFederal
unitsdidplanttheircolorsonthe
parapetsofthecity.Aftermaking
amorethroughreconnaissanceof
theground,adeterminedGrant
launchedasecondoffensivewitha
largerforceonMay22.Manydidnot
relishthethoughtofmakinganother
assaultontheformidabledefenses.
RichardS.Reeves,adrummerwith
CompanyFoftheFourthMinnesota,
recordedtheapprehensionincamp:
“Youcanseemanywithlongfaces
sittingdownawaitingtheirdoom....
Iallmostfeltasthoughmydayswas
reckonedmyself....Thewordcomes
fallin.Youcanseelotswithtearsin
theireyes.Theycanseedeathstaring
Emil Munch, who commanded the First
William Christie, First Minnesota
Nineteen-year-old Richard Reeves,
Minnesota Light Artillery during
Light Artillery, about 1864
Fourth Minnesota Infantry, 1865
Thismorningatthreeo’clockthe
BatteriesofGen.Grant’sArmyat
hisPlace,opennedatonceonthe
doomedcityofVicksburgh,And
theeffectsofsuchasightallmost
defiesdescription.Thelineextendssomeeightmilesaroundthe
Besiegedtown....Nowjuststand
withmeonthePointwhereour
BatteryisPlaced,andseethevivid
flashesoftheGuns,likelightning,
madetherequickcurvesthrough
theair,hissingandhurtling,and
finnallyexploddingwithareport
almostasloudastheGun.4
Grant’s 1862 attempt on Vicksburg
Summer 2013 225
theminthefacebutdutycallsthem
andtheygo.”5
Followingafour-hourbombardment,Grant’smen—including
theFourthandFifthMinnesota
Infantry—attackedalongathree-
milefront.TheFederalsonceagain
brieflypenetratedConfederate
linesbutwererepelledandsustainedmorethan3,000casualties.
TheFourthMinnesotasuffered12
deadand42wounded,whilethe
FifthMinnesotalost2menand1
wounded.TheFifthMinnesota’s
adjutantThomasP.Gerewrotelater
thatday,“Theassaultwasmade;
throughthoseterribleravines;the
slaughterwasawful;ourbraveboys
felllikeleavesinautumn;ourarmy
wasrepulsed,havinglostmanymen
andgainednothing....Thisdaywill
longberememberedbythousands.”6
Undeterredbythesecostlydefeats,GrantlaidsiegetoVicksburg,
extendinghislinesandchokingoff
thecity’sroutesofresupply.The
ThirdMinnesotaInfantry,whichhad
servedintheU.S.–DakotaWarsince
itsparoleafterMurfreesboro,arrived
onJune8andwaspositionednortheastofVicksburgtopreventtroops
andsuppliesfromenteringthecity.
BytheendofJune,dailyrationsfor
Pemberton’sgarrisonwerereduced
toahandfulofpeasandriceper
man.Civiliansalsosuffered.Forced
outoftheirhomesbytheconstant
bombardment,manylivedincaves
dugintothehillsandsupplemented
theirpaltrydietswithmulemeat.
Sensingtheendwasnear,Grant
orderedhistroopstodigtunnels
undertheenemyworksandfill
themwithblackpowderinhopes
ofexplodingthefortifications.Two
suchminesweredetonatedonJune
25andJuly1,butPemberton’smen
maintainedtheirtenaciousresistance.Nevertheless,theConfederates,wearyandweakenedfrom
monthsofbattleandprivation,were
ontheirlastlegs,andonJuly3Pembertonaskedfortermsofsurrender.
WhenherebuffedGrant’sinitial
requestforunconditionalsurrender,
theUnioncommanderamended
histermstoparoleforthegarrison,
andPembertonagreed.Granthad
finallytakenVicksburg,butthecost
washigh:theUnionArmysuffered
10,142casualties,including80Minnesotanskilledinaction.
John B. Sanborn, who led the
Fourth Minnesota into
Vicksburg on July 4, 1863
After47daysofsiege,Union
troopsenteredVicksburgonJuly4.
Col.JohnSanborn,formerlyregimentalcommanderoftheFourth
MinnesotaInfantryandnowabrigadecommander,recalledacquiring
newuniformsfortheevent.
OnthemorningofJuly4allsuch
uniformswereputon,every
enlistedmanburnishedhisgun
sothatitglimmeredinthesunshinelikepuresilver,thebandsof
musictooktheirpositionatalittle
aftersunrise,andthecommands
marchedfromtheircamping-
places...throughthecitytothe
courthouseandthebanksofthe
Mississippi....Asorderedby
Gen.McPhersonIledthecolumn
thatmarchedintoVicksburg,and
theFourthMinnesotabandand
regimentledmybrigade.7
SiegeofVicksburg,TheFightinthe
CraterofFortHill,aftertheExplosion,
June23,63,and ( facing) TheSiegeof
Vicksburg, lithographs of drawings by
Alfred S. Mathews, 1863
226 Minnesota Histor y
“Ihavejustbeenuponthehill
andsawtherebelsmarchingout
andstackingtheirarms,”wroteJohn
ThurstonofCompanyC,Fourth
MinnesotaInfantry.“Ourforcesare
alsomovingin.MarchedintoVicksburg,bannersflyingandmusicplaying.ThisisthemostgloriousFourth
ofJulyIeverspent.Fireworksseem
tobeallaroundthelines.”Knud
HellingoftheFourthMinnesota’s
CompanyHprovidedamoresoberingdepiction.
Wemarchedintothecityingood
orderwithmusicplayingandthe
flagsflying,whichservedavery
impressivesight.TheRebelsoldiersandtheinhabitantsstood
ingroupsonthestreetcorners
andstaredatuswhilewepassed
bythem.Allseemedtobevery
satisfiedwiththeirnewsituation,
becausetheyhadahardtime
undertheirsiege.Theyhadlainin
thetrenchesfor47dayswithout
hardlydaringtosticktheirheads
up.Thelast5daystheylivedon
mulemeat,andtheirbreadwas
composedofbeansgroundtogetherwithgrain.Theinhabitants
hadlivedincavesthattheyhad
dugintothehills.Theylooked
paleandshabby.8
WorD of the sUrrenDer at
VicksburgandtheUniontriumphat
GettysburgreachedajubilantMinnesotaafewdayslater.“GlorytoGod!”
exclaimedtheSt. Paul Daily Press,
“Therighthandofthenationfollows
upontheMississippitheblowstruck
byitslefthandontheSusquehanna,
andtherebellionstaggers,under
twomortalwounds,toadisastrous
andignominiousfall.”Thenewsof
Gettysburg,firsttoarrive,igniteda
“spontaneousandspirited”celebra-
For Further Reading
b 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 conflict. this two-volume set includes unit histories, regimental
rosters, and official 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 Minnesota 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 account, 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 definitive
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 first-rate works on that campaign, including Vicksburg: 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.
Summer 2013 227
tioninSt.Paul,soonmadeallthe
sweeter:“Whenthegloriousnewsof
thesurrenderofVicksburgcamein
theafternoon,theenthusiasmand
joyofthepeopleknewnobounds.It
fairlyboiledover,andinitsirrepressiblephrenzy,itseemedthatthewhole
populacehadreallygonemad.”9
Afterservingoccupationdutyin
thecity,Minnesotaveteransofthe
VicksburgCampaignweredeployed
throughouttheSouth,wherethey
continuedtoserveuntiltheend
ofthewar.TheThirdMinnesota
InfantrywenttoArkansas,participatedintheBattleofBayouFourche
outsideofLittleRockonSeptember
10,1863,andmadeaheroicbayonet
chargeagainstConfederatecavalryat
theBattleofFitzhugh’sWoodsnear
AugustaonApril1,1864.TheFirst
MinnesotaLightArtilleryjoined
Sherman’sforcesintheAtlanta
CampaignandthefamousMarchto
theSeain1864andcontinuedwith
ShermanthroughthefinalWestern
TheatercampaignintheCarolinas
in1865.TheFourthMinnesotaInfantrywasdeployedtoTennesseein
thefallof1863,fightingintheThird
BattleofChattanoogaonNovember
23–25beforemovingtoAlabama
forgarrisonduty.TheFourthalso
participatedinSherman’sMarchto
theSeaandtheCarolinasCampaign.
TheFifthMinnesotaInfantryserved
inMississippiandLouisianathrough
1864,participatinginengagements
atPleasantHill,Louisiana,onApril
9andTupelo,Mississippi,onJuly
14–15.Theregimentservedatthe
BattleofNashvilleonDecember
15–16,1864,beforedeployingtoAlabamainthespringof1865forthe
MobileCampaign.
Long remember: Dedicating the Minnesota monument, Vicksburg National
Military Park, 1907
228 Minnesota Histor y
Long Remember
The Union viCtorY at ViCKsburg,coupledwiththecaptureof
PortHudson,Louisiana,onJuly9,
1863,securedFederalcontrolofthe
MississippiRiverfromMinnesotato
theGulfofMexico.Theimportance
oftheVicksburgCampaignwasnot
lostonitsparticipants,andonJuly
4,1864,occupyingUnionsoldiers
erectedamarbleobeliskonthe
Vicksburgbattlefieldtocommemoratethefirstanniversaryofthe
Confederatesurrenderthere.PostwarreunionsofVicksburgveterans,
particularlythereunionof1890,
encouragedtheestablishmentof
VicksburgNationalMilitaryParkby
Congressin1899.
In1901theMinnesotalegislature
authorizedacommissionledbyJohn
Sanborntoplaceamemorialinthe
militaryparktohonorMinnesota’s
soldiers.NewYorksculptorWilliam
Couperwaschosentodesignthe
monument,consistingofawhite
graniteobeliskwithabronzestatue
ofawoman,representingpeace,at
itsbase.Sixengravedbronzemarkersonredgranitewerealsosituated
throughoutthepark,commemoratingtheMinnesotanskilledinbattle.
“Minnesotawillespeciallycherish
thespotonwhichthismemorial
stands,”saidformerFifthMinnesota
InfantrycommanderHubbardatthe
dedicationonMay24,1907,“and
thesoilinwhichtheremainsofher
valiantdeadhererepose,henceto
thislocalityshewillinfutureyears
oftenturninfilialremembrance,as
toaspothallowedbythebloodofthe
sonsofheryoungeryears.”10
Despitethestrategicsignificance
oftheVicksburgCampaign,the
BattleofGettysburgcametosurpass
itinthenation’scollectivememory,
bothinmilitarysignificanceand
romanticimagery.ThereGeneral
Pickettmadehisfatefulchargeand
PresidentLincolnspokewithepiceloquence.TheretheUnionwassaved
inthebloodiestsinglebattlefought
onAmericansoil.ThereRobertE.
Leebroughthisseeminglyinvincible
ArmyofNorthernVirginiatowina
victoryonnorthernsoilwhich,inall
probability,wouldhaveweakened
theNorth’sdeterminationtocontinuethewar.
ThevaloroftheFirstMinnesota
andtheterriblelossesitsuffered
onJuly2certainlycontributedto
thebattle’sHomericqualityandits
subsequentmemorialization.The
urnplacedinGettysburgNational
Cemeteryin1867bythesurvivorsof
theFirstMinnesotawasthefirstof
themonumentsandmarkerstobe
locatedonthebattlefield.Twoadditionalmemorials,astatelymonumentcommemoratingtheJuly2
chargeandanobeliskmarkingthe
regiment’spositionduringPickett’s
ChargeonJuly3,werededicatedin
1893.
Postwaraccoladespennedby
civicleaders,politicians,andveteransoftheFirstMinnesotafurther
fortifiedtheregiment’sheroicstatus.
“Therecanbenoquestionthatthe
FirstMinnesotaRegimentinthat
battledisplayedsuchheroismand
unselfishsoldierlydevotionashas
notbeenshown,inequaldegree,by
anybodyofsoldierssinceLeonidas
stoodonthepassatThermopylae,”
wroteWilliamLochrenin1890.In
1928PresidentCalvinCoolidgeproclaimedsimply:“Sofarashuman
judgmentcandetermine,Colonel
Colvillandthoseeightcompaniesof
theFirstMinnesotaareentitledto
rankasthesaviorsoftheircountry.”11
Minnesota’s veterans of
GettysburgandVicksburghavelong
sincebeenlaidtorest.Wecannever
trulyrecapturewhattheysaw,what
theythinktheysaw,andallthatthey
could—andcouldnot—remember
abouttheirexperienceofwar.Fortunately,thereremainsabodyof
evidencetoserveusinthequestto
understandwhotheywereandwhat
theydidonthebattlefield.TheMinnesotaHistoricalSocietypreserves
arichcollectionofmaterialsrelatingtotheroleofMinnesotansin
thesetwohistoricevents,including
governmentrecords,letters,diaries,
photographs,andartifacts.Through
thesetreasures(seefollowingpages),
wecangainaglimpseintothesoldiers’worldandensurethattheir
deedswilllongendureinthememoryofMinnesotans. a
N otes
1. WilliamLochren,“Narrativeofthe
FirstRegiment,”Minnesotain the Civil and
Indian Wars, 1861–1865(St.Paul:Pioneer
PressCo.,1891),1:35;AlfredP.Carpenter
letter,July30,1863(copy),manuscripts
collection,MinnesotaHistoricalSociety
(MHS).AssignedastheFirstMinnesota’s
adjutantafterGettysburg,Lochrenauthoredtheofficialbattlereportfortheregiment. Hewasdischargedfordisabilityon
December30,1863. Carpenterwas
woundedtwiceinthechargeatGettysburg
andwashospitalizedfortwomonths.
2. JamesA.Wright,“StoryofCompany
F,”unpublishedmanuscript, 160,JamesA.
WrightPapers,MHS;excerptfromaletter
byan“unknownsergeant,”St. Paul Pioneer,
Aug.9,1863;WilliamHarmon,“Co.Cat
Gettysburg,”Minneapolis Journal,June30,
1897.Slightlywoundedinthefaceduring
Pickett’sCharge,Wrightwasdischarged
withtheregimentonMay5,1864. Hewas
thelastsurvivoroftheFirstMinnesota,
dyingonAugust25,1936,attheageof95.
3. QuotedinShelbyFoote,The Civil
War: A Narrative (NewYork:Random
House,1963),2:346;DavidDixonPorter,
Incidents and Anecdotes of the Civil War
(NewYork:D.AppletonandCo.,1885),
95–96. LincolntalkedabouttakingVicksburgwithU.S.NavyCommanderDavid
Porterwhilepointingatamapandsaying,
asquotedbyPorter:“Seewhatalotofland
thesefellowshold,ofwhichVicksburgis
thekey....LetusgetVicksburgandallthat
countryisours. Thewarcanneverbe
broughttoacloseuntilthatkeyisinour
pocket.”
4. WilliamChristietoJamesChristie,
May31,1863,JamesC.ChristieandFamily
Papers,MHS. Thiscollectionpreserves274
lettersbyWilliamandThomasChristie
documentingfouryearsofserviceinthe
FirstMinnesotaBattery,includingaccounts
ofarmylife,combat,militarypolitics,and
William’scaptureaftertheBattleofBentonville(NC)onMarch21,1865.
5. RichardS.Reeves,diaryentry,May
22,1863,RichardS.ReevesPapers,MHS.
6. ThomasP.Gere,diaryentry,May22,
1863(copy),WilliamB.andThomasP.
GerePapers,MHS. Gerewasawardedthe
MedalofHonorforcapturingthecolorsof
theFourthMississippiInfantryatNashville
onDecember16,1864.
7. JohnB.Sanborn,“TheCampaign
againstVicksburg,”Glimpses of the Nation’s
Struggle,secondseries(St.Paul:St.Paul
BookandStationeryCo.,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.
HellingwroteinNorwegianthroughoutthe
wartohisbestfriend,Guthormson,inWisconsin.
9. St. Paul Daily Press,July8,1863,1,4.
10. LuciusHubbard,“DedicationofMinnesotaMemorialsintheVicksburgNational
MilitaryPark,”May24,1907,Minnesota in
the Campaigns of Vicksburg, November
1862–July 1863(Minnesota-Vicksburg
MonumentCommission,1907),49.
11. WilliamLochren,“TheFirstMinnesotaatGettysburg,” Glimpses of the Nation’s
Struggle,thirdseries(St.Paul:D.D.Merrill
Co.,1893),55. Lochrenreadthispaperon
January14,1890,totheMinnesotaCommanderyoftheMilitaryOrderoftheLoyal
LegionoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica;
CalvinCoolidge,“AddressDedicatinga
MemorialtoCol.WilliamColvill,Cannon
Falls,Minn.,”July29,1928,atGerhard
PetersandJohnT.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 surgical 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.
Summer 2013 229
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