Sunday, November 16, 2014

The First Minnesota's Last 5 Minutes


Last week in class, we studied the contributions of "The First Minnesota" on Day 2 during the Battle of Gettysburg...


Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock saw a gap opening up in the Union line and Confederate troops pouring through...

"Reinforcements were coming on the run, but I knew that before they could reach the threatened point the Confederates, unless checked, would seize the position...in some way five minutes must be gained or we were lost.  I would have ordered that regiment in if I had known every man would be killed. It had to be done."


According to Civil War historian Shelby Foote...

"They had given Hancock his five minutes, plus five more for good measure."





 
Every man in this regiment "did his whole duty" and gave his last five minutes for his country...

How can we give our whole duty to our country...family...those in need?

What should we/ would we be willing to "charge into the gap" for today?

Will I give "my five minutes, plus five more for good measure" in everything I do?





"The last full measure of devotion..."






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