First Minnesota Films | No More Gallant A Deed

Greetings from First Minnesota Films

We want your help.

As part of the 150^th Anniversary of the Civil War First Minnesota Films is producing a two-hour documentary film, called No More Gallant a Deed, on the remarkable story and achievements of the 1^st Minnesota Volunteer Regiment. We are contacting hundreds of individuals and Civil War organizations and asking them for donations as well as photographs and other artifacts related to the project.

Donations:

No donation is too small.

Our film is being funded through public support from Legacy Funds allocated by the State of Minnesota, from corporate sponsors and from private individuals. To date individual contributors have donated $100,000 in support of the research and story development. We hope to raise an additional $100,000 from small donors by July 1, 2012.

To make a donation, go to our donate page. Donations are being handled through IFP MN, a non-profit that supports the media arts and acts as a fiscal agent on behalf of filmmakers. Donations are fully tax deductible. Donations of $100 or more will receive a tax acknowledgement.

Individuals donating $100 or more will receive a DVD copy of the film upon its completion and premiere in July of 2013.
Photographs and Artifacts:

One of the most exciting aspects of the research we are doing is the discovery of
unknown photographs and artifacts related to the 1^st Minnesota and the people they contacted during their storied history.

Recently, for example, two unknown photographs of Cpl. Samuel Stebbins of Company K of the 1^st Minnesota turned up in Florida. As a result, he is no longer a faceless veteran of the 1^st. For more about Sam and other members of the 1^st, go the terrific website assembled by Wayne Jorgenson at www.1stminnesota.net.

We know that many members of organizations like yours have private collections of Civil War memorabilia. We are asking them look over their collections to see if they have any information, photos, or artifacts related to the 1st Minnesota. Of particular interest just now is information about Cadmus Wilcox and the 9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 14^th Alabama Infantry Regiments as well as the Virginia Regiments who were part of Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg.

We don’t know what archival discovery might yet be made that will have a dramatic effect on the film and our ability to tell the deep and rich history of one of the Civil War’s greatest regiments.

We hope you feel, as we do, that this is a great story worth the telling, and will forward this email on to your members for their consideration.

If you want more information or have questions, please contact:

Jeff Hohman
Producer
jeffhohman@firstminnesotafilms.org

First Minnesota Films LLC
Suite LL4
Casket Arts Building
681 17th Ave. N.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55413

Timeline

1861

Apr 12

Confederates open fire on Fort Sumter.

In Washington, Governor Alexander Ramsey pledges 1000 Minnesota troops to President Lincoln, the first troops pledged.

Apr 15

President Lincoln calls for 75,000 troops.

Apr 27

The ten companies of the 1^st Minnesota report to Fort Snelling.

Jun 22

The 1^st leaves for Washington D.C., arriving on June 26.

Jul 21

The 1^st sees combat at the Battle of Bull Run. One of the last regiments to leave the battlefield, the 1^st suffered the highest casualties of any Union regiment with 48 killed, 83 wounded, 23 wounded and missing, and 30 missing.

Oct 21

The 1^st is lightly engaged at the Battle of Ball's Bluff.

1862

Apr 5-May 4

Engaged at the Siege of Yorktown

May 31-Jun 1

Companies H, K, and D were sent in as reinforcements at the Battle of Fair Oaks while the remainder of the regiment delivered enfilading fire.

Jun 29

The 1^st defended the Union left flank at the Battle of Savage Station.

Jul 9

President Lincoln visits the 1^st while they were camped at Harrison’s Landing.

Aug 28-Sep 2

The 1^st covers the Union retreat at the Second Battle of Bull Run, covering 65 miles in four days.

Sep 17

The 1^st, down to 435 men, on the right of the Union line, charged through the West Woods at the Battle of Antietam, coming under heavy fire which resulted in 15 killed, 79 wounded, and 21 missing. The 1^st retired under good order unlike other regiments.

Dec 11-15

The 1^st enters Fredricksburg. They took the town through the night and took fire during the next few days as the Battle of Fredricksburg raged on.

1863

May 3-5

The 1^st was involved in a secondary role at the Battle of Chancellorsville where they guarded pontoon bridges and dug entrenchments.

Jul 2-3

The 1^st's signature act took place during the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg when, at the order of General Hancock and under the leadership of Colonel William Colvill, they charged 1600 Confederate troops who threatened to split the Union line.

Taking heavy casualties (of 262 men available, 215 were killed, wounded or missing as a result of the charge), the 1^st delayed the Confederate advance enough for Union reinforcements to fill the gap and save the day for the Union. On July 3rd the 1^st, positioned on the point of the Angle, faced the brunt of Pickett’s charge, suffering an additional 64 killed and 224 wounded.

Aug 15-Sep 6

The 1^st is sent to New York City to help keep order after the draft riots. The heroes of Gettysburg were celebrities in Williamsport in Brooklyn where they were stationed.

Oct 14

The 1^st’s last engagement is the Battle of Bristow Station. They were to lead an attack on Confederate entrenchments. The attack was called off, much to the relief of all, at the end of the day.

1864

Feb 6

The 1^st is honored at a banquet, attended by both the Vice-President and the Secretary of War, at the National Hotel in Washington D.C. The next day the regiment headed home to Minnesota.

Apr 28

The final parade at Fort Snelling before they are mustered out. Some went on to form the First Battalion Infantry Minnesota Volunteers.