Near Gettysburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Sacriﬁce of the 1st Minnesota
July 2, 1863 - Second Day
Lieut. William Lochren, U.S.A.
1st Minnesota Infantry
Late on the afternoon of July 2, after the collapse of the Union line at the Peach Orchard, Confederate infantry in front of you threatened to pour through a gap in the Union line here. When Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, commander of the Union Second Corps, rode up to assess the situation, only one regiment was at hand to stop the Confederate tide - the 1st Minnesota.
"My God, are these all the men we have here?" Hancock asked. It was, but they would have to do. "Charge those lines!" shouted Hancock, and immediately the lone regiment swept down the slope "double quick." With levelled bayonets, the Minnesotans crashed into Brig. Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcox's Alabamians who outnumbered them 4-to-1.
The charge broke the Confedereate ranks and stalled the Southerners long enough for Union reinforcements, but at a terrific cost. According to a regimental officer, of the 262 Minnesotans in the charge, only 47 escaped death or injury.
Erected by Gettysburg National Military Park.
Location. 39° 48.4′ N, 77° Click for map. Located south of the Pennsylvania Memorial in Gettysburg National Military Park. Marker is in this post office area: Gettysburg PA 17325, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 12th Massachusetts (here, next to this marker); First Regiment Minnesota Volunteers (a few steps from this marker); 88th Pennsylvania Volunteers Position (a few steps from this marker); 90th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (within shouting distance of this marker); Battery B, First Pennsylvania Light Artillery (within shouting distance of this marker); Batteries C & F, Pennsylvania Independent Light Artillery (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pennsylvania Memorial (about 300 feet away); Battery A, 1st New Jersey Artillery (about 300 feet away). Click for a list of all markers in Gettysburg.
More about this marker. In the center is a painting depicting the 1st Minnesota's Charge. Col. William Colvill (with hand raised at center) leads the 1st Minnesota Infantry in a daring bayonet charge against Wilcox's Confederate Brigade (left). More than 200 Union officers and men were killed or wounded in the charge.
On the right side is a photo of Cpl. William N. Irvine of the 1st Minnesota Infantry who survived the charge here, but died less than one year later at Petersburg.
Below the painting is a drawing of the 1st Minnesota Infantry Monument which marks the spot where the Union charge began. The bronze infantryman with fixed bayonet indicates the direction of the charge.
Also see . . .
1. Cemetery Ridge. National Park Service virtual tour stop. (Submitted on February 1, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
2. "The sacrifice of the regiment, to gain a few minutes' time". Article discussing the charge of the 1st Minnesota. (Submitted on February 2, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Categories. • War, US Civil •
Credits. This page originally submitted on , by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,675 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on , by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016.