The Last Full Measure: The Life and Death of the First Minnesota Volunteers

Devotion to history isn't as strong in the Upper Midwest as in the Old South. Perhaps oblivion is nobler and less risky than living out a myth, but there are few if any "re-enactors" among my Swedish kinfolk in the Land of Lakes. Of course, the earliest settlers in my clan came to Minnesota in 1872. The Minnesota First Volunteer Regiment, nevertheless, has a good claim on being the most heroic single regiment on either side in the whole war, and Mr Moe documents the history of their heroism most eloquently. Another review complains that Moe use too many quotes, to much primary source material. I totally disagree. The use of letters, journals, and bits from local newspapers is the strength of this book, the part that carries both conviction and immediacy. Comparison to the Ken Burns TV documentary is apt, and I feel that this book, The Last Full Measure, is stronger both in impact and in scholarship. We're modest, diffident people, we Minnesotans. You won't find many statues of soldiers in our town squares. Truth is, we don't have so many town squares to show them off in. Kids plow through elementary school in Minnesota thinking of the Civil War as a faraway conflict hardly more intimate to us than the Boer War. I remember being surprised, in college, to learn that there'd been a Souix War in my birth-county, in the 1860s. History was what happened in other places. I wonder... Is our blissful ignorance a handicap or the source of our comparatively lawful and peaceful community? Our grudges stay at home. Anyhow, as we say in Freeborn County, this here tale of young men fighting for what they care about makes pretty good reading.

The Last Full Measure proves to be one of the best books ever written on regimental history. The subject here was the First Minnesota who founded lasting fame on the fields of Gettysburg. The author, Richard Moe, did a superb job bring this regiment alive, using primary sources of diaries, letters and reports. The book traces the regiment's history from its Minnesota origins as it mustered into the Union army and fought its campaigns from First Manasass to Gettysburg. After Gettysburg, the regiment wind down before it was discharged in February of 1864. But it was at Gettysburg where the regiment met their final fame and glory. Just as 20th Maine showed their right stuff at Little Round Top and General Greene's brigade held by their fingertips over at Culp's Hill, First Minnesota saved the Union center by making a "banzai" charge against overwhelming odds with successful result. Their losses were heavy. The book skillfully reflects on their heroic actions against unsurmountable odds. It proves to be a very exciting and informative reading. They came on the field with roughly 330 men and lost 229 men (killed and wounded), about 67% loss. It was not the most in the Union Army for this battle. 24th Michigan of the Iron Brigade for example lost 73% loss while 2nd Wisconsin lost up to 77% of their strength. First Minnesota ranked 15th among Union regimental losses based on percentage. A well written book, superbly researched and easy to read, many Civil War regiments could wish that their stories could be as well told as the First Minnesota's thanks to the author. I believed this book belong to the "must read if you are interested in the American Civil War" list.

This is an outstanding book that gives the detail of the First Minnesota's glorious charge at Gettysburg and helped saved the Union line against a largely superior Confederate force. I have been to Gettysburg and saw the field on which they charged against the Confederate line and closed the gap for the critical time needed for Union reinforcements to fill in the gap. The author also gives great narrative in the book as it does not become overwhelmed with unnecessary details that would be distracting to the reader. The timeframe in the book is mostly the summer of 1863 before the Battle of Chancelorsville and ends with the valliant and brutal charge in which the 1st Minnesota lost so many men in less than five minutes. The details of the charge are gripping and individual accounts by the soldiers who were there make the book impossible to put down. The First Minnesota's bravery ranks it right along with Col Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain's 20th Maine as doing the suprizing and remarkable thing at precisely the right time, in which saved the Union Army and possibly saved the Union from defeat. This book needs to be reprinted quickly so other Civil War/U.S. History readers could know about this fine, brave regiment.

Richard Moe draws heavily from the letters and diaries (many of them unpublished) of the men of the First and weaves them into a complelling story. This is one of the few books on any topic that I have read twice and I am sure I will read it again. You will never forget Lyman and Issac Taylor and many of the other soldiers of the First after you have read this book. Their very personal writings cover a three year period and give the reader an insight into a soldier's life not often found in any book. I found myself not wanting to finish the book. These men had become friends and I knew full well their fate. They also knew their duty and did not hesitate. 262 of them charged 1,200. Gen. Hancock asked them to give him 5 min. to bring up reinforcements, they gave him 15. Of the 262 only 47 walked away. Many of the voices I had come to know fell silent. History does not allow you to change the ending as much as you might wish you could. By the way, I bought this book in Freeport ME at the 20th Maine Bookstore (it was their last copy). It can be argued that these two units, a mile apart, saved the Union line on July 2nd 1863.

This book tells the story of the First Minnesota in such a way that makes you fell like you are with the soldiers. It was nice to read a book actually made up a lot of the soldiers own writing through letters and diaries. The First was a large part of the Union winning the battle of Gettysburg and it was nice to read the soldiers account of what happened. The author also put in other accounts of the First from the Generals that were involved as they praised the First. Great Book.