"On the twenty-first of June the First regiment, under Col. Gorman, left Fort Snelling, and in one month, on Sunday, the twenty-first of July, distinguished itself as the advance of Heintzleman's division in the battle of Bull Run, Virginia. The Second regiment, in command of Col. H. P. Van Cleve, a graduate of West Point, left Fort Snelling in October, and on the nineteenth of January was in close conflict with the enemy near Mill Springs, Kentucky, Gen. Zollicoffer and other insurgent officers having fallen under their fire. A third regiment, under Col. H. C. Lester, left the State in November, 1861, and a fourth regiment, under Col. John B. Sanborn, was soon organized, and not long after a fifth, under Col. Borgersrode, was formed. In the spring of 1862, within a few weeks of each other, the last two left for the seat of war, and were assigned to the Army of the Mississippi, and before the close of May were, with their comrades of the Second, in the action at Corinth.
"But while Minnesota was thus rapidly sending forth her able bodied men, she was called upon to endure a trial greater than any of her sister states. On the nineteenth of August there rushed into the governor's office at the capitol a dusty and exhausted messenger who had been fifteen hours in the saddle with dispatches from Galbraith, the Sioux agent, containing the startling intelligence that the Sioux had risen and were murdering the settlers and plundering and burning their houses. An hour or two later another messenger arrived from Forest City with information that the Sioux had also killed many whites at Acton. It was evident that there was a general uprising, and that no time was to be lost.
"I immediately proceeded to Fort Snelling and consulted as to the best measures to protect our people. Here were only raw recruits, without arms or clothing, but at length four companies of the Sixth regiment were organized, and that night sent up the Minnesota river to Shakopee, and ex-Gov. H. H. Sibley, who had had a long acquaintance with the Sioux, was placed in command.
"From that point they were directed to proceed by land. Telegrams were sent to President Lincoln and the governors of Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan relative to the horrible outbreak and asking for aid.
"When the troops reached St. Peter they were delayed in moulding balls to fit their arms and in preparing canister shot. By September portions of the Third regiment, which had returned to the State, and the Sixth and Seventh regiments, which had been organized, were in the field, and on the twenty-third of the month had a battle with the Indians at Wood lake, Lieut. Col. Marshall, of the Seventh regiment, your late commander of this legion, leading five companies of his own and two of the Sixth in a successful charge, clearing a ravine of hostile savages.
"Never before in the history of the republic had so many settlers fallen from Indian barbarity. In ten days in August about eight hundred white men, women and children were killed, and at least 15,000 persons fled from the scalping knife to St. Paul and other places of security.
"During the summer of 1862 the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Minnesota regiments of Volunteers were organized. In January, 1863, having been elected to represent the State in the United States senate, Lieut. Gov. Swift on and after the tenth of July acted as governor for the unexpired term, who was succeeded by Gov. Stephen H. Miller, both of whom, in every way possible, sustained the general government.
"Minnesota during the war had surely not more than 40,000 citizens able to bear arms. She furnished eleven regiments of infantry, one of heavy artillery, three batteries of light artillery, four cavalry organizations and two companies of sharpshooters, and official returns show that she contributed 25,000 soldiers in all."
Mention of George H. Hazzard, of St. Paul, unintentionally omitted from the body of the work, is appended below.
