LibGuides: First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry-Civil War: Overview

Overview

The First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry was the first unit raised by the state to fight in the Civil War. It was also the first regiment from any state offered for national service. As part of the Union Army of the Potomac, the First Minnesota took part in many important battles and campaigns including Bull Run, the Peninsula Campaign, Antietam, and Gettysburg. The battle of Gettysburg was the First Minnesota's most famous action. The regiment played an important role in winning the battle, though it suffered terrible losses.

Research Options

Visit the MNHS Library
Original materials, records, and newspapers on microfilm are available on site and reference staff can help with research.
MNHS Research Services
Order copies of records, articles, or other specific materials from the MNHS collections.
Interlibrary Loan
MNHS loans out most microfilm materials. Contact your local library for more information and assistance with this service.
Online Research
Some items such as newspapers, articles, photos and objects are available online. Look for links within this guide.
Other Libraries
Many books listed in the Secondary Sources page can be borrowed from other libraries.

Related Research Guides & Webpages

First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment
MNopedia article
Military Service Records Research- Civil War Records
A guide on how to research Civil War Military Service Records at the MNHS library.
First Minnesota Light Artillery- Civil War
A guide listing the resources available at the MNHS Library.
Civil War Military Units from Minnesota
A guide listing the resources available at the MNHS Library about each unit.
Civil War Prisons- Andersonville
A guide listing the resources available at the MNHS Library.
Civil War Research Guide
Guide to Civil War research in the MNHS collections.
MNHS Civil War Collection
A link to MNHS collections and records related to the Civil War.
Christie Civil War Letters
Letters written by the Christie brothers while serving in the army during the Civil War.
Veterans Grave Registrations in Minnesota People Records Search
Search the index to the Minnesota Veterans Graves Registration reports from 1857 to 1975, the bulk of which are from 1927-1969.