U.S. Regular Infantry Private. | American Civil War & Later History
When Civil War broke out in 1861, federal troops stationed in Texas were ordered to withdraw from the state, which was sympathetic to the Confederate cause. For the Third, the line of march took them through San Antonio. To minimize the risk of trouble between the soldiers and the local populace, the regiment was ordered to take a longer route around, rather than through, the city. However, remaining true to its proud reputation, a vote was taken and it was decided that the regiment would boldly march through San Antonio in full dress uniform with colors flying, which they did—fortunately, without incident.
The regiment joined the Army of the Potomac. It participated with the First Minnesota in the battles of First Bull Run, Second Bull Run, Manassas, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, ultimately ending their service in the conflict by being present at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Like many such regiments, the Third suffered terrible attrition during the war, and the Army had a poor system for manpower replacement. By war’s end, it (which at full strength would normally have ten companies and 1000 men) had only six small companies, eight officers, and 158 men.
Following the Civil War, the Third Infantry was reorganized and sent off to a series of outposts in Kansas, Colorado, and Indian territories. The year 1877 was especially busy. First, the troops were transferred to Holly Springs, Mississippi, to enforce the federal civil rights law. Then it was sent to Pennsylvania to help quell railroad strike riots. In the latter part of 1877 it headed west again to Montana Territory where the Crow and the Dakota Indians were waging war against the settlers and the government.
The regiment was posted in 1888 to Fort Snelling, an Army installation of growing importance. Fort Snelling was also headquarters for the Army of Dakota, which included more than a dozen smaller forts spanning Minnesota, Dakota Territory and most of Montana Territory. Construction of new post facilities was well underway when the Third arrived, and by the mid-1890s, nearly all activity had migrated to the upper bluff, west of the “old fort” lower bluff area. The Army’s oldest active regiment moved into brand new spacious barracks in 1889. The regiment was quickly embraced by the locals and soon acquired the nickname “Minnesota’s Own.” It recruited most of its new members from the upper Midwest.
In 1898, the Third was sent to Cuba to fight in the war with Spain. They participated in all the key battles of the conflict, including San Juan Hill and Santiago, before being sent back to Fort Snelling in September 1898. They had just returned when Minnesota’s U.S. marshal, concerned about escalating trouble with the Ojibwa on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, requested military assistance from the Ft. Snelling regulars. Co. E was dispatched. Almost all were raw recruits. While taking some Indians into custody, a private's rifle accidentally discharged, touching off a barrage of gunfire from other Indians who had secretly surrounded the soldiers. In the ensuing three-hour battle, six Indians and six soldiers were killed, including the commander. It turned out to be the last battle between the Army and Native Americans on U.S. soil. Minnesota National Guard troops were rushed in as reinforcements and the situation was soon defused.
In 1899 the Third Infantry again headed for battle—this time to Luzon in the Philippines where they engaged in jungle warfare against the Insurrectos until 1902 when they returned to the U.S. To the disappointment of many, however, they did not return to Minnesota. For the next ten years the regiment was assigned to a series of posts: Kentucky, Ohio, Alaska, and in 1909, to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines where is did police duty and assisted with road construction.
The Third returned to the states in 1912, serving at Fort Ontario, New York, until 1915 when it was sent to police the Mexican border. The regiment per se stayed on the border for the next six years, although almost every man was rotated overseas for reassignment in France or Germany during and following World War One. Then in 1921, after a short span in Ohio, it was ordered back to Fort Snelling, their old home, which they had not seen in 20 years. There were no funds for transport, however, so the regiment embarked on a legendary 940-mile foot march to Fort Snelling that began on a hot July day and ended nearly four months later amidst an early November snowstorm. It was the longest foot march ever undertaken by an American military unit. “Minnesota’s Own” had returned, and in Minnesota it would stay for the next 20 years.
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