Location: Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg When: The afternoon of July 2, 1863 Who: General Hancock's 2nd Corps... 1st Minnesota Regiment Hancock's dilemma: He saw a line of Confederates approaching. He knew he didn't have enough troops and had been waiting for reinforcements. Even bigger dilemma: Sending in troops as a sacrificial diversion would buy him some time until the reinforcements arrived. (Now digressing for a moment... who would EVER want to have to make that kind of decision?!) Hancock's decision: Ordered the 1st Minnesota to charge to buy some time. 1st Minnesota Troops: They knew they were being sacrificed. They had no complaints about it and went willingly. They knew their lives would be traded to hopefully save the Union line. Bottom Line: It worked... but what a high cost.
The feat was the 1st Minnesota though is suffered tremendous casualties, they STOOD. Yes, they turned the first wave of attack all by themselves. Alas, there would be a second charge, and the 1st Minn.'s was little noticed outside Minnesota.
Some of them remained "standing," yes... long enough to be sent in to help with the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble charge the next day. You're right, so many of the sacrifices were totally overshadowed by that one. I stood there yesterday morning. And last night... walked part of the charge route across the field. There's a certain feeling on that site that never goes away. You been there, Interrogator#6?
The main reason why any of the 1st Minn. were available on 3 July was their detachment on the 2nd for Provost duties. No, I have never traveled much, so have never been to ANY CW battlesites.
