Civil War Soldier & Unit History

Minnesota 6th Infantry 1862-1865

Randolph Seaman – Company H

Enlisted 10 July 1862 as a Private

Mustered out 17 October 1865

Data of Town Where Enlisted: Unknown

This Regiment was organized and mustered in at Fort Snelling in the summer of 1862. Four companies, accompanied by civilian volunteers, were ordered to Fort Ridgeley on receipt of the news of an Indian uprising. One Company was detached as a burial party accompanied by two volunteers from each of the other Companies and a detachment of citizen Cavalry. Approximately 500 Indians at Birch Coulee attacked the burial party about 4 o'clock the next morning, and the battle lasted until 10 o'clock, when the Indians ceased firing. The following morning Colonel Sibley and Colonel McPhaill came to the rescue, employing artillery fire to drive away the Indians.

The Regiment was in the Battle at Wood Lake, part being in reserve to defend the rear of the camp, while other Companies took position on a ridge overlooking a ravine in which many Indians were concealed. It then assisted significantly in driving the enemy from the field with heavy loss. Additional Regimental Companies were mustered in at Camp Release and Fort Snelling and were detailed to guard a force of Indians opposed to the surrender of Little Crow, and to accompany them to Yellow Medicine, Minnesota.

In July 1863 the Regiment was in the engagements at Big Hills and Stony Lake, Dakota Territory, and at the Missouri River battle where the enemy's camp equipment was captured and destroyed. The Regiment returned to Fort Snelling 12 Sept and was detached by Companies for the winter of 1862-63 at diverse locations. Three Companies were designated to accompany an expedition to Fort Thompson, where captured Indians were to be located and supplies furnished to them. They reached the Fort on 2 December and the return trip was made on half rations in bitter cold weather through deep snow. The detachment reached headquarters on approximately 1 January 1864, where its commander, Captain Whitney was charged with disobedience of orders by General Sully, because he had declined to go into camp at Fort Randall while en route from Fort Thompson. The Captain was acquitted, as he was under General Sibley's command at the time.

The Regiment departed the state on 14 June 1863, traveling to Helena, Arkansas after having been assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps to perform garrison duty. As a result of the Regiment being posted from the extreme north to such a disease­-producing climate was ruinous. The Regiment arrived on 23 June with 940 personnel, and by 31 July, 17 officers and 445 men were on the sick list; a month later 14 officers and 487 men were sick; by the last of September, 16 officers and 638 men reported sick; and during these three months 54 died of disease. At one point during a two-week period, only 26 men were well enough to report for duty. Six hundred were sent north to hospitals and as a result of the Regiment being so understaffed it was ordered to St. Louis in October, where it performed provost guard duty from 11 November 1864, to 29 January 1865.

The Regiment was subsequently ordered to New Orleans and then in the month of March to Chalmette, Louisiana where it was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 16th Army Corps.

In April it initially landed at Dauphin Island on the 8th, participated in severe skirmishing at Fort Blakely, Alabama which provided excellent support for the Corps capture of the Fort on the 9th, receiving high commendations for its conduct. It then proceeded to Montgomery, Alabama where it remained until July.

The Regiment was mustered out at Fort Snelling 19 August 1865.

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