Winter 2013 - Norwegian-American Historical Association - St. Olaf ...

Page 9Volunteer Infantry Regiment - by Mark DaleyFair Oaks, Savage Station, WhiteOaks Swamp, Malvern Hill, and theevacuation at Harrison’s Landing.On May 30, 1862, Lockrem and“Company L” received an orderto report to The First Regiment ofMinnesota Volunteers. This newswas well received by the men of“Company L” who were proud toserve with their fellow Minnesotans.They joined the First Minnesotaon June 3, 1862, during the Battleof Fair Oaks. From this date untilNovember 23, 1863, the men of“Company L” fought alongside theFirst Minnesota.The Union forces were battledout of Virginia in August of 1862.“Company L” moved north withthe Army of the Potomac to defendWashington DC. This defeat wasvery hard on Union morale. InSeptember of 1862, General RobertE. Lee’s Confederate Army invadedMaryland in the hopes of drawingthe Union Army out of WashingtonDC, destroying it, and forcing theNorthern States to sue for peace.The Union forces caught up withthe invading Confederates atSharpsburg, Maryland near a creekcalled Antietam.On September 17, 1862, around4:00 a.m. Lockrem, “Company L”,and the First Minnesota “coffeedup” and from a farm they watchedthe Union and Confederate forcesslam into each other at a place called“The Cornfield”. Around 7:00 a.m.the Second Corps under GeneralSumner was called to attack. Themen crossed Antietam Creek andthe 5000 men of General Sedgwick’sdivision formed into three lineswith a brigade in each line. The FirstMinnesota was placed in GeneralGorman’s front line holding theright of the line. “Company L” wason the left of the First Minnesota.As they passed a grove of treescalled “The East Woods” they weregreeted with a most horrific sight.Thousands of Confederate andUnion dead and wounded troopswere lying on the field so thick itwas hard to march without steppingon the victims of that morning’sslaughter. “The Cornfield” was soshot up that the corn stalks lookedas though they had been cut with aknife. The ground was soaked withblood and formed a foul mud on theshoes of Andrew and the 5000 menwho marched shoulder to shoulderacross this field. The pleas of thewounded begging for water or askingto not be stepped on filled their ears.Groups of exhausted Union troopsfrom the morning’s battle cheeredon the Union advance.As they crossed the field the Unionline started to experience thefirst artillery barrage of solid andcanister shot. The Confederateforces under General Thomas“Stonewall” Jackson opened fire onthe advancing Union troops froma grove of trees called “The WestWoods”. The Union line enteredthe woods and exchanged fire withJackson’s men for about an hour.General Sumner was confident thathis Second Corps could merelysweep around the Confederate leftand encircle these troops. He wassurprised when the ConfederateArmy flanked his left and pouredfire into his line. This started amassive panic and retreat of theUnion forces.When the regiment to the leftof “Company L” gave way Capt.Russell thought there was ageneral order to retreat and heordered “Company L” to begin towithdraw from the line. When hewas told to return to the line, heordered his men to do so and theycoolly returned to their untenableposition and resumed fire. It wasat this point in the battle that“Company L” received almost 50%casualties. Lockrem’s friends andneighbors went down around him.Halvor Quie was shot through theleft heel and was forced to limpfrom the field. Fingal Fingalsonwas shot and seriously woundedin the left arm forcing his rifle todrop and his arm to hang uselessly.Leaving the battle line for therear, he met Captain Russell whoordered him back into the line.The wounded Fingal raised historn and bleeding arm with hisother hand and said, ”You take myplace now Captain.”“Humph!” snorted the Captain;“You better go and report to thesick squad.”“Exactly where I was headed for.”Fingalson answered.Lockrem was shot twice in theleft thigh. One bullet went cleanContinued on Page 10