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1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment
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=== Post war === Post war, both General Hancock and [[U.S. President]] [[Calvin Coolidge]] were unrestrained in their praise for the actions of the 1st Minnesota. Gen. Hancock, who witnessed the action firsthand, placed its heroism highest in the annals of war:<ref>{{cite book |last=Tucker |first=Glenn |url=https://archive.org/details/hancockthesuperb010775mbp |title=Hancock the Superb |publisher=The Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc. |year=1960 |location=New York |pages=[https://archive.org/details/hancockthesuperb010775mbp/page/n154 145] |quote=No soldiers on any field, in this or any other country, ever displayed grander heroism.}}</ref> "No soldiers on any field, in this or any other country ever displayed grander heroism." Gen. Hancock ascribed unsurpassed gallantry to the famed assault stating: "There is no more gallant deed recorded in history."<ref>{{cite book |last=Folwell |first=William Watts |title=A History of Minnesota, Vol II |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society |year=1961 |location=St. Paul, MN |pages=311 |quote=There is no more gallant a deed recorded in history.}}</ref> Emphasizing the critical nature of the circumstances on July 2 at Gettysburg, President Coolidge considered: "Colonel Colvill and those eight companies of the First Minnesota are entitled to rank as the saviors of their country."<ref>{{cite web |last=The American Presidency Project |title=Address Dedicating a Memorial to Col. William Colvill, Cannon Falls, Minn. July 4, 1928 |url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=461 |access-date=2012-09-10}}</ref> Minnesota has two monuments at the [[Gettysburg National Military Park]]. The more grand of the two bears the inscription: {{blockquote|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 & save this position, Gen Hancock in person ordered the eight companies to charge the rapidly advancing enemy. The order was instantly repeated by Col. Wm Colvill. And the charge was instantly made down the slope at full speed through the concentrated 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 time & till it retired on the approach of the reserve the charge successfully accomplished its object. It saved this position & probably the battlefield. The loss of the eight companies in the charge was 215 killed & wounded. More than 82% percent. 47 men were still in line & no man missing. In self sacrificing desperate valor this charge has no parallel in any war. Among the severely wounded were Col. Wm Colvill, Lt Col. Chas P Adams & Maj. Mark W. Downie. Among the killed Capt. Joseph Periam, Capt. Louis Muller & Lt Waldo Farrar. The next day the regiment participated in repelling Pickett's charge losing 17 more men killed & wounded.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0007018.htm |title=DCMemorials.com |access-date=2007-07-07 |archive-date=2016-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927100532/http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0007018.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}
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