I’ve been enjoying a fine online resource on the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry from Wayne Jorgenson and Chuck Barden. They’ve accumulated a considerable database which looks to cover all the members of the Regiment and shares the significant information they’ve found about each from service records and other documents. They display war-era photographs of more than 250 of the men. Phenomenal.

Color Sergeant Sam Bloomer, 1st Minnesota Infantry (c. 1862, Minnesota Historical Society)
Of particular note for students of the Battle of Antietam is a specialized search which returns links to pages for each of the more than 100 men from the First Minnesota wounded in action there. Sergeant Bloomer, above, was one of those – shot through the knee in action with Sedgwick’s Division in the West Woods.
This is fantastic material, and I’ll be mining it for AotW as I have the chance. I highly recommend a visit.

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