Starting off with the 1st Volunteer Minnesota regiment.

On 14th of April 1861, governor of Minnesota, Alexander Ramsey, was visiting Washington and after hearing about the fort Sumter attack, decided to send 1000 men from his state to help with the war with the South. Minnesota regiments were the first regiment that was given by any state to fulfill the Lincoln's 75 thousand men mobilization order.

Since they were one of the first volunteers, there was a problem. The uniforms for half of the men in the regiment were made by their wives, and, ironically, the uniforms they made were grey. The other half received red jackets, bought by the state with the help of the St. Paul church