Battle of Gettysburg Print

One of four Civil War paintings in the Governor's Reception Room of the Minnesota State Capitol, the Battle of Gettysburg oil painting by Rufus Zogbaum depicts the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

The First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment holds a special place in the history of Minnesota. It was the first body of troops raised by the state for Civil War service, and it was among the first regiments of any state offered for national service. As part of the Union Army of the Potomac, the First Minnesota saw action in most of the major battles in the war's Eastern Theater, which included the states of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, among others. The First Minnesota won a reputation as a hard-fighting regiment, particularly after its dramatic, sacrificial action at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. After the war, the First Minnesota became legendary and a symbol of the Civil War service of all Minnesotans.