Show I Ir r Hurri Hurricane cane of Lead Kills Kils Eighty Eighty- Two Eighty Two Per Cent f 1 Regiment EZRA D. D HASKINS HS One of ot the tho seven forty-seven soldiers who survived the famous charge chare of the tho firt first Minnesota regiment nt at the tho battle bUo of Gettysburg Gettysburg Get Get- is 15 a resident of or tl this tate city He is Ezra D. D Haskins 70 years Yer old and he has tho the distinction of or having been the te chief bugler of or the first Minnesota regi regi- mont ment ment He lives Uve at t 1645 Ninth East street Mr Haskins is by nature quiet Quie and re- re but occasionally relates In an In Intensely intensely In- In tensely vivid and nd Interesting manner the story of at tho the renowned charge which was Indirectly responsible for the union victory victory vic vic- tory tor at Gettysburg Mr r. r Haskins Hakins says that even evon at this time whenever he calls cals t to mind the wonderful b battle tte there rings in his ears the notes which he ho sent Bent from his bugle over overt the tho battlefield The To charge was made made- about 30 mao o'clock on the afternoon of of July 2 2 Mr Haskins said sid The union line lne had been broken by the tremendous fury fur of General Genrl Gen Gen- oral eral rl Longstreet's assault and ad General Genera Generl H Hancocks Hancock's attempt to bring order out of confusion had suddenly been che ked bythe by bythe bytho the tho appearance of two confederate tr- tr bri bri- gades gad They saw their opportunity and charged directly at the gap ap In the union line lne Con Consternation seized everyone everone But when Generl General Hancock suddenly galloped galloped gal gal- ga- ga loped out to the te first Minnesota the lonely lonelY unbroken regiment and and- roe rode up to Clonel Colonel Colville shouting Charge those thoe lines lne we all al knew what It I meant Odd Odds Were Terrific I Everone Everyone was wa Imm Immediately at attention aten- aten atten atten- tion ton and the charge carge was wal made down the gentle Jente slope lope Into the tho mouth of or the en en enemy's emy's terrific fire We were 26 men mena a against with wih thousands more on cither flank Suddenly tho the enemy seemed In tn some disorder while crossing crosinG a strem stream and Colonel Colville shouted Charge Charel and with a great geat cheer W wa we went forward Amazed and alarmed alAmed the first rebel line lne turned ture about and ran rn back through the second before the cold steel steen could reach them The second stopped then the whole force halted baited The Tho To first frt Minnesota Minneota stopped and delivered a crushing volley aD voley at point blank range rne The Tho confederate line Une was wu blazing with fire But the Minnesotans dropped Into tho the bed be of ot a dry creek and using It as asa asa a a rifle pit kept up the fire as a rapidly and steadily as they could shooting every ever time to kill kl Every Ever man was fighting like a a demon demo to hold at bay that big bulky force until Gene General al Hancock could hurry bur forward r and throw In tho the re reserves ro re- re serves sorves' 0 J F But But In a few tew minutes minute we realized that all al the confederate legions were concentrating con con- cn- cn their fire on our line In the brook From front and and flank came showers of bullets It I seemed only a n matter of minutes now until we would bo he exterminated All Al along our line lne lay the dead As the fire of the enemy Increased that of the te first Minnesota be became became be- be came camf fainter and fainter but always br brave ve and defiant But in fifteen min mm- utes heavy reinforcements from Colonels Sykes' Sykes and Doubleday's corps rushed up upa a and d we in the brook were ordered orere to tho the places rear while wh whole le brigades took our Loss Los osS Was Vas Terrible The first firt Minnesota Minnesota had ha held their place and undoubtedly saved the day but it I had cost a heavy tol toll When men the fight was ended of the 26 who made the charge 13 lay dead In the brook brok Clont Colonel lo lot lost t a leg Jeg end and had h re received to- to f- f another serious wound The fight fight- ine Ins was described b by or officers r who Wo witnessed witnessed wit wit- it I as being deadly In the ex extreme ex- ex and the percentage of loss losa In the f first t Minnesota In is said to be without without equal In the annals of modern modem warfare The fort seven forty and th the tho two companies were ere reorganized and what hat wa was left let of or the first Minnesota wont Into the battle line immediately n And when Pickett and Pettigrew made their wild wid assault on Cemetery ridge the II Minnesotans were a again aln sent to see Beo what they could do In Jn stopping this charge It I looked ed worse wore than the first first It I was vaa wasa a a splendid hilt fight to hilt hit with ba bayo bayo- o enta and muskets In ph play Finally Finaly it I came to a cobblestone fight In iii It this engagement wo wc were ere never whipped for fora tOI a minute and our dear old lag flag that fag h had d pone gone Jonc through so 10 many man v stormy batties bat bat- ties WR was still above us When hen the fight was wan done and the confederate line lino again curled up like a scroll the Minnesota Jno were wele cover covered wih with glory but many of their bravest and best hest had fallen falUn What wa was waa left leet of the first Minnesota falen was ha In a dozen other battles battlos after and always with wih credit |