Regimental History
MINNESOTA
1ST INFANTRY
Three Years

First Infantry.-Cols., Willis A. Gorman, Napoleon J. T.
Dana, Alfred Sully George N. Morgan, William Colville; Lieut.-
Cols., Stephen Miller, Charles Powell Adams; Majs., William H.
Dike, Mark W. Downie. This regiment, organized at Fort
Snelling in April, 1861, was mustered into the three months
service April 29, and the three years' service May 10. On May
28, Cos. B and G, were ordered to Fort Ridgely to relieve the
regulars at that point. Co. A was sent to Fort Ripley for
similar service, for which point Co. E also started June 6.
On June 10, Cos. C and D started for Fort Abercrombie. On the
14th the regiment was ordered to Washington, and the above six
companies were recalled. The regiment left the state June 22,
and went into camp at Washington on the 26th. It was ordered
to Alexandria in July, and brigaded with others in
Heintzelman's division. It fought like a veteran regiment at
Bull Run, repulsed two charges unaided, but was compelled to
fall back for want of support, losing 180 in killed, wounded
and prisoners, the heaviest percentage of loss suffered by any
regiment in that battle. It returned to Washington and on
Aug. 2, marched for Camp Stone near Edwards' ferry, where it
was engaged in picket duty and drill work. On Oct. 1, Col.
Gorman was appointed brigadier-general, being succeeded by
N. J. T. Dana. The regiment engaged in some skirmishing near
Edwards' ferry, was in the battle at Ball's bluff, and served
as rear-guard in the night retreat across the river. On Jan.
16, 1862, Gen. Sedgwick assumed command of the division. Late
in February, the regiment left for Harper's Ferry, then moved
to Charlestown and on March 10, to Berryville, where Cos. B
and K acted as skirmishers, aided to dislodge a body of
cavalry and hoisted the flag on the court-house. Col. Dana
was promoted to brigadier-general and Col. Sully took command
on March 13. On the 15th the regiment camped on Bolivar
heights, but returned to Washington a week later thence to
Alexandria and on the 29th moved toward Yorktown. It engaged
in a skirmish at West Point and in the battle at Fair Oaks.
It was joined by the 2nd Co. Minn. sharpshooters, Capt. W. F.
Russell, on June 3, and was on picket duty during most of the
month. It was engaged in the Seven Days' battles, after which
it encamped at Harrison's landing. On July 22, it was
reviewed by Gen. McClellan and pronounced to be one of the two
model regiments. It moved to the rear of Malvern hill in
August, its division driving the enemy from the field. It was
then recalled from the Peninsula and formed the rear-guard at
Chantilly, being under fire for some time. It fought at South
mountain and at Antietam formed the right line of the brigade
at the opening of the action, but in the subsequent movements
it was left without Support on either flank. However, it held
its position until ordered to retire, but lost 147 in killed
and wounded. It then marched to Bolivar heights, where it
went into camp, and in October, joined in a reconnaissance to
Charlestown, where a heavy force was dislodged. It then
crossed the Shenandoah and moved towards Fredericksburg, where
it held a steady line under heavy fire during the engagement.
It was engaged at Chancellorsville and joined the movement
toward Gettysburg in June. On July 2, while supporting a
battery at Gettysburg, with but 262 men, it charged two
brigades which had routed Sickles' forces, drove them back and
held its position until reserves came up and relieved it.
Nearly every officer was killed or wounded and of the gallant
262 who went into action 215 lay on the field 47 were in line,
and not a man missing. Of this magnificent charge Gen.-
Hancock said: "There is no more gallant deed recorded in
history." The percentage of loss was without an equal in the
records of modern warfare. The following day Cos. C and F
which had been detached for other duties, rejoined the
regiment and it charged a portion of the advancing Confederate
column, assisting in the capture of a large number of the
enemy. It marched to Harper's Ferry, thence to Kelly's ford
on the Rappahannock, and was sent to New York city in August
to assist in quelling the draft riots. It returned to
Alexandria in September, and in October, was in the hot
engagement at Bristoe Station, where it captured 322
prisoners, 5 cannon and 2 stands of colors. It was in the
Mine Run campaign in November, was then in camp at Stevenburg
until Feb. 5, 1864, when it was ordered to Fort Snelling and
was mustered out April 29, 1864. Several having reenlisted as
veterans, the time of recruits not having expired, and new
recruits offering themselves, a battalion of two companies was
formed, known as the 1st battalion Minn. infantry. The
battalion left the state May 16, 1864, for Washington and from
there went to White House on the Pamunkey river, where it was
assigned to the 1st brigade, 2nd division, 2nd army corps. It
moved to Petersburg; participated in the assault on June 18;
drove the enemy's skirmishers from their lines, was in the
skirmish as on the Jerusalem plank road, the assault at Deep
Bottom, the battle at Reams' station, and the sharp encounter
at Hatcher's run in October. It was then in winter quarters
until spring, being joined by recruits, forming Co. C. The
new company joined in a successful charge on the enemy's
rifle-pits the morning after its arrival, in the final assault
at Petersburg, and in the various actions in which the 2nd
corps was engaged up to the surrender of Lee at Appomattox,
after which the battalion was sent to Louisville. It was
mustered out at Fort Snelling July 15, 1865.


Antietam after battle report:

Report of Col. Alfred Sully, First Minnesota Infantry, of the battle
of Antietam.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST MINNESOTA VOLUNTEERS,
Camp near Sharpsburg, Md., September 20, 1862.
CAPT.: I have the honor to make the following report of the part the
regiment took in the action of the 17th instant:

We marched out of camp, the regiment on the right of the brigade. After
crossing the creek and gaining the high ground on the opposite side, we were
formed on the right of the front line of battle, under a very severe artillery
fire from the enemy, and advanced under this fire over several fields, the
distance of about three-quarters of a mile, into a woods close to the enemy
and in front of our line of battle. Here we were posted behind a rail fence.
The enemy soon appeared in force on the left of the brigade, opened a very
severe fire of musketry on us, while some of their artillery in front of us
also opened on us. Our loss here was very heavy, yet the men bravely held
their position, and did not leave it until after the two brigades in rear had
fallen back and the left regiments were moving, when they received the order
to retire. Retiring in line of battle, we again halted outside the woods,
to hold the enemy in check while the rest were retiring. Here the
Eighty-second New York with their colonel and colors reported to me, and
formed on my right. The Nineteenth Massachusetts also reported, and
formed on my left. We were soon again engaged with the enemy, but, seeing
that the enemy were turning my right, I ordered the line to fall back in line
of battle. The regiment here also suffered greatly in killed and wounded. We
again made a stand near some farm-house for a short time, and there took
up a strong position about 100 yards back, behind a stone fence, when a
section of artillery was sent to assist us. We kept the enemy in check till
they brought a battery of artillery on our flank, which compelled me to order
the regiments back to join our line of battle.

The officers and men of the regiment behaved nobly, and it was with some
difficulty I got some of them to obey the order to fall back. We marched into
the action with 435 men. This includes the sharpshooters'(Second Minnesota)
company, but not Company I. They were not with us. Our loss in killed,
wounded, and missing amounts to--Capt. G. A. Holyborn, Company K,
killed; Capts. Smith, Company D; Pomeroy, Company E; Adams,
Company H, wounded. Enlisted men killed, 15; wounded, 79; missing, 24.
Total enlisted men killed, wounded, and missing, 118.
Among the killed the regiment have to mourn the loss of a brave and useful
officer, Capt. Hozborn. Capt. Smith was severely wounded; Capts.
Adams and Pomeroy and Lieut. Shepley, slightly.

With much respect, your obedient servant,

ALF. SULLY
Col. First Minnesota.

Capt. J. W. GORMAN,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen., Gorman's Brigade.

Source: Official Records: Series I. Vol. 19. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 27



Gettysburg after battle report:

Report of Capt. Henry C. Coates, First Minnesota Infantry.

Near Ellis' Ford, Va.,
August 3, 1863.
Sir: Pursuant to circular of this date, I respectfully submit the following
statement of the part taken by this regiment in the late battle
near Gettysburg, Pa.:

About 3 o'clock on the morning of July 2, we were ordered into
position near the center of our line of battle, to the left of the town.
The battle commenced at daylight, and raged with fury the entire day.
We remained under a severe artillery fire, but were not actively engaged
until about 5 p. m., when we were moved to support Battery C,
Fourth U. S. Artillery. Company F was about this time detached
from the regiment as skirmishers, and Company L as sharpshooters.

Our infantry in front of us had advanced upon the enemy and pushed
him for a while, but were in turn driven back in some confusion,
the enemy following in heavy force. To check the enemy, we were
ordered to advance, which we did, moving at double-quick down the
slope of the hill right upon the rebel line. The fire we encountered
here was terrible, and, although we inflicted severe punishment
upon the enemy, and stopped his advance, we there lost in killed and
wounded more than two-thirds of our men and officers who were engaged.

Here Capt. Muller, of Company E, and Lieut. Farrar, of
Company I, were killed; Capt. Periam, of Company K, mortally
wounded. Col. Colvill, Lieut.-Col. Adams, Maj. Downie,
Adjutant Peller, and Lieut.'s Sinclair, Company B; Demarest,
Company E; De Gray, Company G; and Boyd, Company I,
were severely wounded.

The command of the regiment now devolved upon Capt. Nathan
S. Messick, and we were moved again to the right, near the position
first occupied by us, where we slept on our arms during the night.

At daybreak the next morning the enemy renewed the battle with
vigor on the right and left of our line with infantry, and about 10 a.
m. opened upon the center, where we were posted, a most severe fire
of artillery, which continued without intermission until 3 p. m., when
heavy columns of the enemy's infantry were thrown suddenly forward
against our position. They marched resolutely in the face of a
withering fire up to our lines, and succeeded in planting their colors
on one of our batteries. The point of attack was to the right of our
position, and held by the Second Brigade of our division (Second
Division, Second Army Corps). As the enemy approached, we were
moved by the right flank to oppose them, firing upon them as we approached,
and sustaining their fire, together with the fire of batteries
which they had brought up to within short range. The fighting
here was desperate for a time. At length the regiment and others
closed in upon the enemy, and nearly the whole of the rebel force
which remained alive were taken prisoners. About 500 were captured
by this regiment; also the colors of the Twenty-eighth Virginia
Regt., taken by Private Marshall Sherman, of Company C.*

The regiment here again lost severely. Capt. Nathan S. Messick,
while gallantly leading the regiment, fell early in the action. Capt.
W. B. Farrell, Company C, was mortally wounded, and died on the
day following. Lieut.'s Mason and Heffelfinger, Company D,
Harmon, Company C, and May, Company B, were wounded.

The enemy did not recover from this repulse, and the battle was
now won. The entire regiment, excepting Company L, was in this
last fight. This company had been detached as sharpshooters, to
support Kirby's battery, where it did very effective service. Every
man in the regiment did his whole duty.

The accompanying list of killed and wounded shows the severity
of our loss.

Your obedient servant,

H. C. COATES,
Capt., Comdg. Regt.

Lieut. F. W. Haskell,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.

Source: Official Records: Series I. Vol. 27. Part I. Reports. Serial No. 43

Battles Fought
Fought on 21 Jul 1861 at Bull Run, VA.
Fought on 22 Oct 1861 at Edward's Ferry, MD.
Fought on 8 May 1862 at Glendale, VA.
Fought on 31 May 1862 at Fair Oaks, VA.
Fought on 1 Jun 1862 at Fair Oaks, VA.
Fought on 13 Jun 1862 at Near Fair Oaks, VA.
Fought on 29 Jun 1862 at Savage's Station, VA.
Fought on 30 Jun 1862 at Malvern Hill, VA.
Fought on 7 Jul 1862 at Harrison's Landing, VA.
Fought on 1 Sep 1862 at Flint Hill, VA.
Fought on 2 Sep 1862 at Vienna, VA.
Fought on 17 Sep 1862 at Antietam, MD.
Fought on 13 Dec 1862 at Fredericksburg, VA.
Fought on 2 Jul 1863 at Gettysburg, PA.
Fought on 3 Jul 1863 at Gettysburg, PA.
Fought on 14 Oct 1863 at Bristoe Station, VA.
Fought on 22 Jun 1864 at Petersburg, VA.