3400 Skyline Dr., Montour Falls, NY 14865, US
Charge Those Colors
14"x 20" Framed Print $49.95
On the 2nd day of July 1863 General Winfield Scott Hancock found himself in a challenging situation. On the day prior, General Meade had temporarily placed him in charge of the I, III and XI Corps and he was sent ahead of his own II Corps to assess the situation in Gettysburg following the death of General Reynolds. On the 2nd, back in charge of his II Corps, a new crisis began when General Daniel Sickles impulsively moved his III Corps forward to the Peach Orchard. When Confederate General James Longstreet started his attack at 4 PM, the Union lines were in disarray. Hancock moved Caldwell’s Division to the Wheatfield to plug one gap.
The Confederate unfolded with a deliberate intensity overrunning Houck’s Ridge the Wheatfield and the Peach Orchard. Sickles was wounded and Hancock was ordered to take over the remains of the III Corps and try to plug the 1500 yards of the Union line that ran from Trostle Lane to the Copse of Trees. Fifteen Confederate regiments were targeting this line and Hancock only had nine union regiments at his disposal. First he ordered the four New York regiments of Willard’s Brigade to the southernmost sector to oppose Barksdale’s Brigade that had overrun the Peach Orchard and continued on to the Plum Run swale. After directing the 19thMaine and several batteries to stand firm in the center of the line Hancock rode south and directed the 111th NY toward Plum Run and Wilcox’s Alabama Brigade. Heading north Hancock barely escaped the Alabamans and his aide Captain William Miller was wounded.
A few hundred yards north he found the 262 men of the 1st Minnesota. Apparently harried by his escape, it is unclear that he even knew which regiment he was addressing. “My God, is this all the men we have?” Pointing to the west to the advancing lines of Wilcox’s Brigade he said “Charge those colors.”
Outnumbered, at least by a 4/1 margin, the 1st Minnesota charged into the shallow valley. When the day ended only 42 men of regiment were alive or not wounded, but their bravery helped hold the Union line giving Union reinforcements precious moments to arrive on the scene.
The scene above depicts the moment of Hancock’s order to Colonel Colvill. The wounded Captain Miller is to the right. In the field to their front are retreating Union III corps soldiers. Behind them are the 11th , 14thand 9th Alabama regiments. The Klingle and Rogers farmsteads along the Emmitsburg Road can be seen in the background.
14” x 20” signed limited edition print(100) w/certificate of authenticity-Framed w/brass plate $49.95 plus shipping
Located in the Plum Run Category
No One Had Time to Weep
12"x 20" Framed Print $49.95
The 1st Minnesota was born at Fort Snelling, Minnesota on April 29th 1861. It was the first regiment to respond to Abraham Lincoln’s call for 75,000 volunteers. The regiment quickly signed on for a three year enlistment reaffirming the commitment from a State only in its 3rdyear of existence.
The Regiment traveled east and became part of the Washington DC defense force. On July 21st the regiment fought hard at the Battle of Bull Run. In this the first pitched battle of the war, they performed with honor in a losing cause and suffered heavy losses. The regiment went on to fight at Balls Bluff, the Seven Days battles, and Antietam.
Coming to Gettysburg, they were in the command of Colonel William Covill with 360 men present. On July 2nd with two companies on detached duty the 1stMinnesota had only 262 men present when they joined the II corps line on Cemetery Ridge.
The regiment spent the morning and early afternoon of the 2nd near the Hummelbaugh farm lane at the crest of Cemetery ridge as part of Hancock’s II Corps line running south from Cemetery hill. When the Confederate attack began at 4 PM the sounds and smoke of the battle drifted to the north presaging the coming fight. As the late afternoon continued artillery fire and clumps of retreating Union troops forced the regiment to the ground in defense.
The scene above depicts the charge near the halfway point. Private Alfred Carpenter wrote home the next day. ”Bullets whistled past us… comrade after comrade dropped from the ranks; but on the line went. No one took a look at the fallen companion. No one had time to weep.” Looking to the Northeast this vantage point, only shows a third of the Alabama line. Behind and to the right is the Florida Brigade and portions of Wright’s brigade moving in the Codori farmyard.
12” x 20” signed limited edition print(100) w/certificate of authenticity-Framed w/brass plate $49.95 plus shipping
Located in the Plum Run Category
1st Minnesota-First Volley
14" x 20" Framed Canvas Print
The 1st Minnesota was born at Fort Snelling, Minnesota on April 29th 1861. It was the first regiment to respond to Abraham Lincoln’s call for 75,000 volunteers. The regiment quickly signed on for a three year enlistment reaffirming the commitment from a State only in its 3rd year of existence.
The Regiment traveled east and became part of the Washington DC defense force. On July 21stthe regiment fought hard at the Battle of Bull Run. In this the first pitched battle of the war, they performed with honor in a losing cause and suffered heavy losses. The regiment went on to fight at Balls Bluff, the Seven Days battles, and Antietam.
Coming to Gettysburg, they were in the command of Colonel William Covill with 360 men present. On July 2nd with two companies on detached duty the 1stMinnesota had only 262 men present when they joined the II corps line on Cemetery Ridge.
As the sun began to set and 3 hours of witnessing the sounds and smoke of the battle moving in their direction, General Hancock appeared and those men near Colonel Colvill heard the command “Charge Those Colors.” Looking to the west the men could see the shadowy figures and banners of nearly one thousand Confederates of Wilcox’s Alabama Brigade in the smoky Plum Run valley.
Colvill immediately ordered “Forward, Double-quick.” The Minnesotans started toward the enemy at right shoulder shift. At that tempo they would be exposed for about three minutes before they reached the swale. Colvill noted their precision even in the face of the enemy. “It was grand.” But in a few moments men began to fall and the pace quickened as each man knew the less time in the open file gave them a better chance. The Confederate line in the Plum Run swale had been initially stunned by the impetuous advance of the 1st. As the Alabamans began to recover another Alabama regiment slightly to the north and rear fired a volley that Covill reported, “Killing more of their men then ours…” Only thirty yards from the enemy the 1st Minnesota finally leveled their weapons and ”delivered a crippling fire into their faces that broke the first line.”
This scene depicts that volley as well as the overwhelming numbers that the Minnesotans faced. In the background from left to right are the Trostle Wentz, Sherfy and Klingle farms. The deadly fight would continue on and while the regiment would bravely stop the Confederate advance, only 42 men of the 1stwould be alive or uninjured as the day ended.
14” x 20” signed limited edition print(100) w/certificate of authenticity-Framed w/brass plate $49.95 plus shipping