Second Day, July 2
The First Minnesota had arrived that morning and were placed in reserve atop Cemetery Ridge. After routing General Daniel Sickles' troops near the Emmitsburg Road, the rebels advanced and began to concentrate on the Union lines on Cemetery Ridge. Repeated Confederate advances created a weak spot in the Union line. At this time General Hancock rode up and saw this dangerous situation. Seeing the First Minnesota nearby he said: "My God, are these all the men we have here?...Advance colonel and take those colors". Colvill gave the order "forward, double quick" and the regiment of less than 300 men fixed bayonets and charged down the hill. They crashed into over 1,500 Alabamians led by Generals Cadmus Wilcox and William Barksdale, breaking the rebel lines. Then the Minnesota boys fired the round they had been saving.
The First Minnesota had arrived that morning and were placed in reserve atop Cemetery Ridge. After routing General Daniel Sickles' troops near the Emmitsburg Road, the rebels advanced and began to concentrate on the Union lines on Cemetery Ridge. Repeated Confederate advances created a weak spot in the Union line. At this time General Hancock rode up and saw this dangerous situation. Seeing the First Minnesota nearby he said: "My God, are these all the men we have here?...Advance colonel and take those colors". Colvill gave the order "forward, double quick" and the regiment of less than 300 men fixed bayonets and charged down the hill. They crashed into over 1,500 Alabamians led by Generals Cadmus Wilcox and William Barksdale, breaking the rebel lines. Then the Minnesota boys fired the round they had been saving.
"But little ammunition was wasted at that volley. A perfect swath of men sank to the ground, and the living recoil back on their second and third lines. Their supporting lines, confused and excited, wildly commenced firing through the massing front, slaughtering their own men by the hundreds and throwing the whole column into confusion, while their artillery from the rear fired on friend and foe alike." - Lieutenant Maginnis, Company H, 1st Minnesota |
"The smoke lifted. A glance showed the First Minnesota a grand line, every man straining every nerve, loading and firing from amidst the rocks upon the rebel's no longer line, but broken into clumps. Their men being thinnest to our left there we commenced pressing them backward up the slope." |
The Confederates regrouped and nearly surrounded what was still standing of Colvill's regiment. The Minnesota boys held their ground at least 15 minutes even though they were under severe fire from three sides. Though wounded, Colvill gave the order to retreat as the twentieth Maine came to reinforce the Union line. The Minnesotan's charge held back the rebels long enough for reinforcements to arrive, thus saving the day for the Union.