A secondary monument to the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment was also erected in 1893 showing its position during Pickett's Charge on July 3, 1863.
First monument
The 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment, commanded by Colonel William J. Colvill, played a crucial role on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863. Only 420 men strong, the regiment was part of the reinforcements of the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division of the II Corps under the command of Brigadier General William Harrow.[1] 32 men from Company L were detailed as skirmishers while 56 men of Company C were detached from the regiment on July 2.[1] When Confederate General James Longstreet assaulted the troops Union General Daniel Sickles' Corps at Cemetery Ridge a gap was formed in which the Union Army could be penetrated and expose the army.[2][3] Noticing this threat, Union General Winfield Scott Hancock ordered the nearest regiment to him, the 1st Minnesota, to charge forward and "Take those colors!".[2]
With just 242 men at his disposal Colonel Colvill did not hesitate and ordered the 1st Minnesota to charge against Wilcox's brigade.[2][3] Outnumbered one to four, the 1st Minnesota took a staggering 82% casualty rate in the process.[2] The sacrifice of the 1st Minnesota at Plum Run allowed General Hancock desperate time to reorganize his units and reinforce the section of the battlefield.[2] The following day, remnants of the 1st Minnesota contributed towards the repulse of Pickett's Charge.[3] During the battle several soldiers distinguished themselves, the most notable of which were Henry D. O'Brien of Company E who, despite being wounded, held onto the regimental colors, and Marshall Sherman of Company C who captured the 28th Virginia battle flag later on July 3.[1][3] During the July 2 charge much of the regiment's leadership, including its commander, William Colvill, along with Lieutenant Colonel Charles Powell Adams, Major Mark William Downie, and the regiment's Adjutant John Peller were all wounded.[4]
In April 1891 the Minnesota Legislature appropriated $20,000 to erect two monuments at Gettysburg on behalf of veterans of the 1st Minnesota.[5][6] The three commissioners appointed to design and oversee construction of the monuments were William Lochren, Christopher B. Heffelfinger (the father of Pudge Heffelfinger), and Matthew Marvin, all of which were veterans of the 1st Minnesota.[5]
The 1st Minnesota Infantry Monument was designed by Jacob Fjelde, a Norwegian American sculptor from Minneapolis and cast by the Henry Bonnard Bronze Company of New York.[5][7] The approximately-32ft (9.8m) monument depicts a soldier of the 1st Minnesota armed with a musket and bayonet charging toward the Emmitsburg Road against the enemy with his musket raised.[5] The base of the monument is constructed out of granite from Barre, Vermont and is decorated with several bronze relief plaques detailing the service of the 1st Minnesota and their charge at Gettysburg.[5][8] The front of the monument's base is adorned with the 1861–1983 Seal of Minnesota.[8] The 1st Minnesota monument was erected on July 2, 1893, in time for the 30th anniversary of the battle but was not fully dedicated until July 2, 1897.[5][9]
The model chosen for the monument was Samuel Smith (born Christian Zimmerman), a German American veteran of the 1st Minnesota.[5][10] Zimmerman had served as a substitute under the Enrollment Act for a man named Samuel Smith of Winona, Minnesota and had enrolled under Smith's name instead of his own.[5] Smith (Zimmerman) later served in the 2nd Minnesota Infantry Regiment and was mustered out of service in 1865.[5] Smith's personal grave memorial is identical to that of the 1st Minnesota monument with some distinctions.[5]
Second monument
Second monument to the 1st Minnesota at Cemetery Ridge near the Codroi farm
The secondary monument to the 1st Minnesota was also erected in 1893.[11] The second monument was built near the regiment's position during Pickett's Charge on July 3, 1863, situated roughly one quarter of a mile north of the main monument near the Codori farm.[5][6] The second monument, also by Fjelde, is a smaller obelisk monument and features a bronze bas relief of the state seal with regimental service history and a depiction of the battle.[1]
Gallery
Colonel William J. Colvill at the dedication of the 1st Minnesota Monument at Gettysburg on July 2, 1897
12Moe, Richard (2001). The Last Full Measure: The Life and Death of the First Minnesota Volunteers. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press. p.312.
.png)
