Unit History

The 1st Minnesota was formed in April 1861 under the auspices of Governor Alexander Ramsay who, while in Washington D.C. in the immediate days following the firing on Fort Sumter, immediately offered to raise 1,000 volunteers to Secretary of War Simon Cameron. Initially raised for 90 days service under the command of Colonel Willis Gorman, 10 companies were raised between April 19th and April 26th with their rendezvous point being Fort Snelling, Minnesota on the Minnesota River. By May, the initial muster roll of the regiment was subject to change as the notice was made for the 1st regiment of infantry to be re-enlisted for 3 years or the end of the war. In total, 619 re-enlisted to serve with the 3 year regiment. As a result, when the regiment departed Fort Snelling on May 21st 1861, it did so with 8 companies as opposed to the 10 with which it was initially mustered.

Initial Companies:
• Company A: The Pioneer Guard
• Company B: the Stillwater Guard
• Company C: St. Paul Volunteers
• Company D: Lincoln Guards
• Company E: St. Anthony Zouaves
• Company F: Goodhue County Volunteers
• Company G: Faribault Guards
• Company  H: Dakota County Volunteers
• Company I: Wabasha Volunteers
• Company K: Winona Volunteers


By the time of their first engagement at Bull Run in July 1861 recruiting had allowed the regiment to Field all 10 companies. Within these 10 companies were included many Minnesota natives with a considerable number having been previously employed in the Lumber industry. New England transplants to Minnesota in the 1850’s saw a considerable number of men born in the state of Maine Enlisted in companies D and E of the regiment. Of the 1,242 men that served in the regiment by the conclusion of its enlistment, over 10% had been born in Germany or Prussia, while other members hailed from Norway, Switzerland, Sweden and Canada.

Following the disaster at Bull Run in which the regiment lost more men than any other federal regiment on the field, the 1st Minnesota was assigned to the Corps of Observation along the Upper Potomac along with many of the regiments that would come to comprise the Second Division of the Army of the Potomac’s Second Army Corps. During the Peninsula Campaign the regiment was well known for its proficiency in felling lumber and constructing roads. An officer in the 15th Massachusetts claimed that the Minnesotans could do, “more chopping in one day than [his] regiment could do in two.” Captain Mark Downie of Company B was even credited as having been responsible for the construction of the Grapevine bridge that saw the passage of Sumner’s Second Corps south of the Chickahominy during the Battle of Fair Oaks.

By the battle of Antietam the 1st Minnesota found itself number just 435 strong when it entered the west woods with Sedgwick’s Second Division. Situated on the left of Gorman’s Brigade, the Minnesotans suffered 122 men killed, wounded and missing. In October the regiment was reduced by nearly 100 men who re-enlisted in the United States Regulars. At Fredericksburg the regiment found itself in one of the many doomed assaults on Marye’s Heights and by Chancellorsville the regiment, along with the rest of John Gibbon’s Second Division guarded the Army’s lines of supply on the north bank of the Rappahannock.

After a series of grueling marches north in pursuit of the Army of Northern Virginia in June 1863, the 1st Minnesota found itself on the battlefield at Gettysburg in the early Morning of July 2nd on Granite or Cemetery Ridge. By this time it had been reduced by Company C which was assigned to Provost duty at Division Headquarters, Company L (also known as the 2nd Company of Minnesota Sharpshooters) was attached to the 1st USSS, Company F was held in reserve, and 20 men were assigned to the division hospital in anticipation for the casualties to be taken on that field. This left the regiment with only 262 men and officers when they were ordered forward by General Winfield S. Hancock on the afternoon of July 2nd. Of this number, a total of 215 men and officers (82%) were killed, wounded, or missing on the afternoon of July 2nd 1863.

Organization of the 1st Minnesota on July 2, 1863

Army of the Potomac - Major General George Gordon Meade
2nd Army Corps - Major General Winfield S. Hancock
2nd Division - Brigadier General John Gibbon
1st Brigade - Brigadier General William Harrow
19th Maine, 15th Massachusetts, 82nd New York, 1st Minnesota

Field Officers of the 1st Minnesota

From left to right in line of battle:

Company H: Lt. Marin Maginnis, 18 Men
Company D: Lt. Christopher Hefflefinger, 35 Men
Company K: Captain Joseph Periam, 33 Men
Company G: Captain Nathan Messick, 36 Men

Color Guard:
Color Sgt. Elliot Perkins (Co. D)
Cpl. Thomas B. Nason (Co. A)
Cpl. John B. Stevens (Co. B)
Cpl. John Dehan (Co. A)

Company A: Capt. Henry Coates, 38 Men
Company I: Lt. George Boyd, 33 Men
Company E: Capt. Louis Muller, 36 Men
Company B: Capt. Thomas Sinclair, 34 Men

Impression Guidelines

The following guidelines are intended to help participants to clothe and equip themselves exactly as the 1st Minnesota appeared on the afternoon of July 2nd, 1863. As one of the most famous regiments of the entire war, dozens of publications have been written on the regiment. Images, letters, arms, accouterments, clothing returns, and ordnance returns attributed to the 1st Minnesota exist in such great quantity that very few questions exist as to how the men of this regiment appeared on the field of Gettysburg.

The appearance of the regiment should be quite seasoned. Having last drawn clothing previous to the Chancellorsville Campaign, the 1st Minnesota was subject to the regular wear and tear of campaign, as well the dust, sweat and exposure to the sun brought on by the forced marches North. That being said, we are still portraying soldiers enlisted in the United States Army and more specifically, soldiers in the Division of John Gibbon, best known for his molding of the Iron Brigade. Excessive dirt, tears, and other extremities would not have been permitted so long as they could be fixed.

Uniform Guidelines

Blouse

• Fatigue blouse, lined or unlined. Schuylkill Arsenal or Contract make. All enlisted men  MUST WEAR A FATIGUE BLOUSE.  No altered blouses, no extra buttonholes, no shortened blouses, no tucked in blouses, no reenactor grade homemade blouses with giant stitches in white thread, NO TEAL BLOUSES, NO PURPLE BLOUSES. NO EXCEPTIONS. 

• Commercial blouses are acceptable in limited numbers.

Corps Badges

Corps badges of the first issue pattern for the 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps (a White Trefoil) are absolutely required.  All registered participants will be mailed a dye cut White Trefoil prior to the event.  For those placing them on their cap the badge will be centered upon the disc. For those placing them on the hat, the front, or side are preferred. For those placing them on the blouse, the left breast is preferred. No private purchase or jeweler made corps badges are permitted for this time frame. A large number of original 1st Minnesota badges exist, but all appear to have been purchased while many of the wounded members were recuperating in larger cities such as Philadelphia in the months following the battle.

NCO chevrons

• All NCOs are encouraged to wear appropriate chevrons.  If you are not wearing chevrons you must wear pants stripes.  

Pants

• Footman pants made of sky blue kersey, Schuylkill Arsenal or contract made.  Dark blue pants are appropriate only for several specific individuals contacted separately.  This is the ONLY option for enlisted men. No Dark blues, No Citizens Pants. 

**Gaiters will not be permitted.**

NCO pants stripes

• NCOs are encouraged to wear appropriate pants stripes.  All corporals should have a ½” stripe on their pants and all sergeants should have a 1 ½” stripe on their pants.  If you are not wearing pants stripes you must wear chevrons.  

Shirts

• U.S. Army issue domet flannel or wool flannel shirts are REQUIRED.  “Homespun” cotton shirts are still among the most over represented items in the hobby, and if you would like to participate in this program you need to be willing to make the investment in a proper wool issue shirt to help break this trend.

• Red Wool shirt. This was the defining feature of the regiment when in participated in the battle of First Bull Run. As such, it remained a regimental symbol and is acceptable as an extra shirt in limited numbers.

**There is no excuse to not have a government issue shirt. You may carry a spare plain or printed cotton shirt, but “homespun” check shirts as a first option will be unacceptable.**

Drawers:

• U.S. Army canton flannel drawers

• Citizens drawers

• None

**Being seen with modern underwear is unacceptable.**

Headgear 

• Forage cap: Government Caps with both Flat and Convex visor are acceptable. No teal caps, no purple caps.

• Commercial Grade Kepi, McDowell or Forage Cap

• Citizen’s hat in Black Felt. These appear to have been quite popular with men of the 1st Minnesota. Beehive, Plug and modest styles are preferred. Don’t show up with a “Burnside” or anything that demands too much attention.

• Untrimmed Hardee Hats are permitted ONLY if you have no other option.

• Cap Brass: should be limited to a “1”, “MINN” or a Company letter. Plain caps and hats are equally acceptable. Felt hats should exhibit little if any brass.

**If you are planning to wearing a Citizens or Hardee Hat, PLEASE bring a forage cap or kepi as a back up. If the number of felt hats represented in the ranks begins to exceed 1/3, we will have to ask individuals to switch out to keep things to scale.**

Footwear

• U.S. Army bootees.  

• Citizens shoes or boots.

Stockings

• Cotton or wool military, or citizens stockings

BAGGAGE Guidelines

LIGHT MARCHING ORDER!  The Regiment had placed much of its spare clothing, overcoats, and baggage in storage and the weather on march northward through Virginia proved difficult for many members of the 2nd Corps. Straggling persisted throughout the division necessitating strict orders to be given prohibiting men from falling out on the march prompting men to limit their loads as much as possible.

Knapsack

• Double bag knapsacks are encouraged. If you have a high quality reproduction, bring it. If you do not have a high quality reproduction, do not bring a knapsack and pay special attention below.

• Bedroll.

• None. Leave your knapsack and blanket at home and carry a rolled shelter half and gum blanket over your shoulder.

Blanket

• Grey or brown U.S. Army sleeping blanket may be carried in a knapsack.  

• Government blankets cut in half are also acceptable

• None.

Ground cloth

• Rubberized or painted ground cloth.

• None.  If you do not have a high quality reproduction, do not bring one.

Shelter Half

• “Type 2” shelter half is REQUIRED.  Heavy canvas sutler row shelter halves and later “Type 3” patterns are unacceptable.  Shelter Tents will be pitched using inverted muskets.  

Haversack

• Painted haversack copied from any surviving original.

Canteen

U.S. Army canteens of the “mid war” Philadelphia or New York styles.  Corrugated Philadelphia canteens should have a stopper capped with a full tin cap and a string attachment, a cotton twill tape sling, and be covered in any of a variety of jeans or uniform cloth.  “Smoothside” New York canteens should have a stopper capped with a domed tin washer and a chain attachment, a sewn cotton drill sling, and be covered in grey, brown, or blue jeans, or uniform cloth.  If all you have is a “smoothside” canteen with a string attachment for the cork, you should endeavor to modify it to more closely approximate an 1862 Philadelphia canteen by replacing the cap on the cork with a small tin washer and making sure it has an appropriate sling. 

Equipment Guidelines

All equipment shall be high quality reproductions in terms of construction and materials used.  

Waist belt

• Private’s belt with sewn keeper made of either waxed or bridle leather. 

• Private’s belt with keeper cut off. 

• Private’s belt with brass keeper made of bridle leather if that is your only option.

No NCO belts

• The Ordnance Returns show that the 1st Minnesota arrived at Gettysburg with no NCO belts.  Sergeants are to wear a regular Private’s Belt.

Cartridge box

• .58  Cal. 1861 pattern cartridge box with plate.  

• .69 Cal 1861 Pattern Round Ball box with plate.

• .69 Cal 1861 Pattern elongated Ball Box with plate. 

• Cartridge box belts are encouraged though not 100% required. Breast plates may be considered the same. 

**March and July 1864 pattern boxes are unacceptable.**

Cap box

• 1850/1861  Pattern Cap pouch with a dovetail front is preferred

• Shield front pouches are acceptable as well 

**Avoid anything with an inspection stamp on the flap.**

Scabbard

• 2-rivet scabbards are strongly encouraged.  

• 7-rivet scabbards are acceptable.  

**8-rivet scabbards are unacceptable.**

ARMS

Musket

• Model 1855 or 1861 .58 Springfield Rifled Musket with bayonet.

• Model 1842 Springfield .69 Caliber Smoothbore or Rifled Musket with Bayonet

**Please make every effort to beg, borrow or buy a Springfield rifle or musket for this impression. Though we will begrudgingly have to accept Enfield rifle muskets, they do not appear on the returns for the 1st Minnesota.**

Gun sling

• Gun sling made of oiled leather is REQUIRED.  The Ordnance Returns show that the 1st Minnesota was fully equipped with them at Gettysburg.

**British, canvas, and black leather gun slings are unacceptable.**