1861

April 14

The first Regiment tendered to the government by any state

April 29, 1861

Organized under first call at Fort Snelling, Minn., and mustered in for three months

May 10, to date from April 29

Reorganized for three years service

May 28

Companies B and G moved to Fort Ridgly, Minn

May 29

Company A moved to Fort Ripley

June 6

Company E moved to Fort Ripley

June 10

Companies C and D moved to Fort Abercrombie

June 21

Regiment reunited at Fort Snelling under orders for Washington, D. C.

June 22-26

Moved to Washington, D.C.

July 3

To Alexandria. Attached to Franklin's Brigade, Heintzelman's Division, McDowell's Army of Northeast Virginia

July 16-21

Advance on Manassas, Va.

July 21

Battle of Bull Run

August

Attached to Stone's Brigade, Division of the Potomac

August 2-7

Moved to Seneca Mills, Md.

August 16

To near Edward's Ferry, duty guarding Upper Potomac

October, 1861

Attached to Gorman's Brigade, Stone's (Sedgwick's) Division, Army of the Potomac

October 11-23

Operations about Ball's Bluff

October 21

Battle of Ball's Bluff

October 21

Leesburg Road (2 Cos.)

October 22

Goose Creek and near Edward's Ferry

1862

February 25-March 15

Advance toward Winchester, Va.; At Bolivar Heights

March

Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac

March 22

Moved to Washington and Alexandria

March 22-April 1

thence to Hampton, Va.

April 5-May 4

Siege of Yorktown

May 7

West Point

May 9-23

Advance to the Chickahominy

May 27-28

Built Grape Vine Bridge

May 31-June 1

Battle of Fair Oaks

June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond

June 29

Peach Orchard, Allen's Farm and Savage Station

June 30

White Oak swamp and Glendale

July 1 and August 5

Malvern Hill;

August 16

At Harrison's Landing

August 16-28

Moved to Alexandria, then march to Centerville

August 30

Cover Pope's retreat to Washington

September 1-2

Near Chantilly and Flint River

September 2

Vienna

September 6-22

Maryland Campaign

September 14

Battles of South Mountain

September 16-17

Antietam

September 22

March to Harper's Ferry, W. Va., and duty there

October 16-17

Reconnaissance to Charlestown

October 30-
November 17

March up Loudon Valley and to Falmouth, Va.

December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg, Va.

At Falmouth

1863

April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

April 29-May 2

Operations about Franklin's Crossing

May 3

Battle of Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg

May 3-4

Salem Heights

May 4

Banks' Ford

June 12-July 24

Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign

June 25

Haymarket

Colonel Colville's horse is killed by Stuart's Horse Artillery in a skirmsh

July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment entered the field 420 strong, of whom 32 men (Company L) were serving as skirmishers and 56 men (Company C) were detached to the division during the famous charge. Fifty men were killed, 173 wounded and 1 missing.

Colonel William Colville led the men into action and was wounded during the charge on July 2nd. Captain Nathan Messick took over command only to be killed the next day during the repulse of Pickett's Charge. He was followed in command by Captain Wilson B. Farrell, also killed at this time, and finally by Captain Henry C. Coates.

From the main monument at Gettysburg:

"On the afternoon of July 2, 1863 Sickles Third Corps having advanced from this line to the Emmitsburg road eight companies of the First Minnesota regiment numbering 262 men were sent to this place to support a battery. Upon Sickles' repulse as his men were passing here in confused retreat two Confederate brigades in pursuit were crossing the swale.To gain time to bring up the reserves and save this position General Hancock in person ordered the eight companies to charge the rapidly advancing enemy. The order was instantly repeated by Col. Wm. Colville and the charge instantly made down the slope at full speed through the concentrate fire of the two brigades breaking with the bayonet the enemy's front line as it was crossing the small brook in the low ground. There the remnant of the eight companies nearly surrounded by the enemy held its entire force at bay for a considerable timeand till it retired on the approach of the reserve the charge successfully accomplished its object. It saved the position and probably the battlefield. The loss of the eight companies in the charge was 215 killed and wounded, more than 85 percent. 47 men were still in line and no missing. In self-sacrificing desperate valor this charge has no parallel in any war. The next day the regiment participated in repelling Pickett's charge losing 17 more men killed and wounded."

From the smaller monument: "On July 3d, 1863 the survivors of this regiment aided here in repelling Picketts Charge and ran hence to the aid of Webb's Brigade taking a conspicuous part in the counter-charge which successfully ended the conflict. Losing then17 additional killed and wounded and capturing a Confederate flag. There Captains Nathan S. Messick and Wilson B. Farrel successively commanding the regiment were killed. Total killed and wounded in the battle 232 out of 330 engaged."

July 5-24

Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va.

July 31-August 15

At Kelly's Ford, Va.

August 15-
September 16

Detached for duty in New York during draft disturbances

September 16

Rejoined Brigade near Culpeper

October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

October 14

Bristoe Station

November 7-8

Advance to line of the Rappahannock

At Kelly's Ford

November 26-
December 2

Mine Run Campaign

November 27

Robertson's Tavern

November 28-30

Mine Run

Camp at Stevensburg, Va.

1864

February 5

Ordered home for muster out

February

Dept. of the Northwest

April 29

Moved to Fort Snelling, Minn., and duty there until

April 29

Mustered out; expiration of term
Veterans and Recruits organized into two Companies as 1st Minnesota Battalion Infantry. At Fort Snelling, Minn.

May 16-22

Moved to Washington, D.C.,then to White House

June 12

Joined 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army Potomac at Cold Harbor, Va.

July 12-15

Moved to Petersburg, Va.

June 16-18

Assaults on Petersburg

June 16

Siege of Petersburg begins

June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road

July 27-29

Demonstration north of the James

July 27-28

Deep Bottom

August 13-20

Demonstration north of the James

August 14-18

Strawberry Plains

August 25

Weldon Railroad

October 27-29

Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run

December 7-11

Raid on Weldon Railroad

1865

February 5-7

Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run

March 25

Watkins' House

March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

March 29-31

Hatcher's Run, Boydton Road

March 31

Crow's House

April 2

Sutherland Station and fall of Petersburg

April 3-9

Pursuit of Lee

April 6

Sailor's Creek

April 7

High Bridge and Farmville

April 9

Appomattox Court House, surrender of Lee and his army

May 2-12

March to Washington, D.C.

May 23

Grand Review

June 6-9

Moved to Louisville and duty there

July 15

Mustered out

First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment