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Angry Staff Officer @pptsapper
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"Stand firm ye boys from Maine, for not once in a century are men permitted to bear such responsibility for freedom and justice, for God and humanity as are now placed upon you."
- Theodore Gerrish
Happening on the Gettysburg battlefield 155 years ago right about now are three amazing acts of leadership, courage, and sacrifice. One is the aforementioned 20th Maine on Little Round Top, where one small regiment managed to win the battle of wills despite the odds.
The other happens in the US center, where as Sickle's III Corps stream back, a bloody wreck, legless, armless, there is a gaping hole between the II and V Corps. One lieutenant colonel stands in the gap & realizes something must be done: LTC Freeman McGilvery, Artillery Reserve
McGilvery begs the 9th MA Battery to buy him time. The Bay State guns unlimber in the Peach Orchard & begin barking canister, cutting scarlet swathes into the oncoming Mississipans of Barksdale's brigade. But yet they come on. The 9th falls back; but they have bought 20 minutes.
In that time, McGilvery has grabbed every battery, section, and gun that he can find & is cobbling together a line of 28 guns, all in the center. These few redlegs are the only thing between the Rebels & the US center. McGilvery can see the red banners surge forward.
Napoleons, ordnance rifles, Parrots; all begin to sound their deadly cacophony. Canister, case, and grape are thrown out in sickening swells. Now the Mississipans open up with rifle fire & gun after gun is silenced. McGilvery is left with four. Just four.
Within minutes, the line will be pierced, the guns overrun. The gunners are firing their last rounds as suddenly the sound of rushing men from the rear tells McGilvery that his last stand will not be that day, as bluecoats form lines and pour out sheets of flame.
Further to the right, though, there is another break in the line on Cemetery Ridge. General Winfield Scott Hancock gallops to the nearest regiment, reigning in his horse in front of the 262-man 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. He points to the oncoming Rebel flag: "Take it."
Colonel William Colvill leads the charging Minnesotans down the sloping ridge, through the lead of two Confederate brigades that is being hurled at them, & smashes with bayonet into the lead brigade of Cadmus Wilcox. Five times their colors fall. Five times they are raised again.
Colvill falls, as do all but three of his captains. Outnumbered and outgunned - but not outwilled - the little 1st Minnesota is roaring defiance at they who would threaten their lines.

47 of them will return to rally on Hancock & the serried ranks of blue. The center holds.
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