Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the war. It was a three day battle. The South wanted this to be their last battle in hope to drive off the Union and go on to Washington. The Union knew that they could not loose this battle and to this point, the Confederates were doing a good job of winning battles. The battle wound up being the turning point in the war with the Union in control of the field at the end of the three days.
The 1st Minn. Regt. was engaged on the 2nd & 3rd days of the battle.
On Thursday, July 2nd , the 2nd day of the battle, Co.L the (Sharpshooters) went off to support Kiry's Battery near the cemetery. Co. C was on Provost Guard of the Division.
General Sickles did not like the ground he was on and thought it better to pull forward to what he thought was better ground. This put his corp, a half mile or so foreword from the existing battle line. Although the ground might have been better, his corp was now out by itself with his flanks some what in the air. This plus the size of his Corp.would go against him as being harder to defend.
The 9 companies left, of the 1st Minn Regt., were sent to support the Fourth United States Artillery, Battery C, in the left center but, at the original line that was now vacant because of Sickles advance. In the morning of the 2nd, Col. Colvill was released from arrest and placed back in command of the regiment. He had been placed under arrest on June 29th for letting his men cross a stream , over a log , when they were to wade through it. The stream was said to be about three feet deep. Col. Colvill felt he was looking after his men. When he entered the camp that morning, the men cheered him.
As the Confederates attacked Sickles Corp, his Corp can not hold back the Confederates and the Confederates start moving through Sickles Corp. As the 1st Minn. is standing on the ridge, there are shots coming their way from the left front, as the Confederates advance their Battle lines. As the shots seemed to be taken at them, Capt. Ball went off on a left oblique toward where the shots were coming from to skirmish with Co.F.
Now out in front of the 8 companies (262 men) of the first Minn. were 1,500 men of Confederate Gen. Wilcox's Brigade, advancing towards the 1st Minn. Regt. and placed them about near the center of that brigade. Looking out at Wilcox's brigade to the left would be a second brigade under command of Gen. Barksdale.
It was about this time that Co. F was skirmishing , to the front left of the regiment and it's position brought it close enough that they could fire at Wilcox's and Barkdale's Brigades and Sickles was now to their left and falling apart and men were running back.
It was about at this time also that General Hancock rode up and saw that the Confederates were about to break the Union line now in the left center. He saw that the line was about to be split in two and knew the importance of holding the line together. If the line were to split, the rest of the line would most likely fall apart and the battle lost. He sent for reinforcements to come on the run and then asked Col. Colvill, "What regiment is this". Colvill answered, "The 1st Minnesota, Sir". Hancock then said, " Charge those Lines"
Without hesitation the 1st Minn advance towards the Confederate advancing line. Charge!
was shouted out by Col. Colvill and now the men were at a full run. Colvill took a hit and kept right on. A second brought him down. Now without their Col. they plunged into the first line of the Confederates with fixed bayonets and drove them back and the first line ran back through the second line and the Confederate advance came to a stop. The 1st Minn. was now in a dry creek bed, The Plum Run. Fighting now on three side and men falling two and three at a time, the 1st held and it was said, not just for the five minutes Hancock thought he needed but, for fifteen before the retreat was sounded. The cost was high, 82% of the men engaged would not fight the next day. Forty-seven were left to claim the victory with what some say was The Charge That Saved The Union At Plum Run, Gettysburg.
About the time the charge started, Capt. Ball started to pull his skirmishers, Co. F back. Capt. Ball did not want to loss the company to the two brigades advancing. He also could hear what was going on and wanted to rejoin the regiment. About to be over taken, they rallied with the
remnants of Gen. Sikles corp. and there at a fence line made their stand and poured it into them and it was thought that it was their fire, that killed, the Confederate General Barksdale. Confederate reports latter did place Barksdale in the area of line of fire of Co. F. When the advance was halted, Co. F then went back to the place on the ridge, where they had left the regiment but, could not find the regiment and was not connected back to the regiment until the next morning.
On Friday, July 3rd the 3rd day of the battle, the regiment was again engaged. Confederates marched over a mile of open field to charge the center of the Union line. As fate would have it the Confederates broke the line in one area where the 1st Minn. including Co. F, several counter charges or rushes to help regain control of the line & take back the guns that had just fell into Confederate control. General Hancock had ordered some flanking movements just before Webs charge forward, and the 1st Minn. including Co. F was involved again. The engagement came upon the flank of the Confederates. Only today would be different. In repelling Pickets Charge, the 1st Minn would capture the 28th Virginia's Colors but, not without paying its price. Another 15% of the men engage would be dead or wounded.
This flag is on display at the Minnesota Historical Society in Honor of these men at Gettysburg that went the last full measure for their country.
General Hancock said, " I ordered these men in there because I saw I must gain five minutes time. Reinforcements were coming on the run, but I knew that before they could reach the threatened point the Confederates, unless checked, would seize the position. I would have ordered that regiment in if I had known that every man would be killed. It had to be done, and I was glad to find such a gallant body of men at hand willing to make the terrible sacrifice that the occasion demanded."
The charge has been said to have been, a charge that saved the union.
