Charles W Merritt was born on Dec 30, 1837, at Washtenan County, Michigan. His family moved to Berlin, Wisconsin in 1848. There he learned the trade of being an engineer.

Charles moved to Minnesota in 1860. He enlisted at Red Wing in April of 1861, and was placed, along with the rest of the men from that area, into Company F of the First Minnesota Infantry. He was 23 years old. He stood 5' 9" tall, had a light complexion, dark hazel eyes and light colored hair. He must have had some musical talent, for he is listed on the muster roll as a musician and served as a drummer for the company. Though we normally think of younger boys filling that role, there were several drummers in the First over the age of 20.

He was slightly wounded in their first fight, the battle at Bull Run. Toward the end of the battle Charles and three comrades carried Joseph Garrison to the shelter of the Sudley church. Their kind action, however, placed them in a position to be captured by the Confederates. They spent the first night sleeping on the ground and in the rain. The Rebs threw some ham into the crowd, but Charles was not fortunate to get any and thus went hungry.

They were put on board box cars and shipped to Richmond where they arrived on a Tuesday night. They were marched through the streets of Richmond, which was filled with jeering men, women and children. The journey ended at Libby prison. A few days later he and some others were transferred to Castle Thunder. From there he was, on November 25th, sent to a prison at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He was returned to Richmond on Dec 31st and paroled at Washington, North Carolina on May 28, 1862. His group were taken to New York and given passes to return to their homes. After a time they were ordered to report to Benton Barracks, Missouri, which he did in Oct, 1862. From there he was formally exchanged and returned to the regiment at Falmouth, Virginia. He was back on the muster roll of the First Minnesota as of Dec 31, 1862.

Charles was in the thick of things at the Battle of Chancellorsville. He later told the following story:

On May 2nd, the regiment received marching orders and on arriving in front of Fredericksburg, twenty-five men were chosen from the regiment, one of whom was the writer, to help lay the pontoon bridge across the Rappahannock in front of the city. The opposite shores were lined with rifle pits filled with men and artillery in the rear. We were placed under the command of Lieut. Bruce of Company F, First regiment, a cool, level headed officer. His men knew they could depend on his cool judgment and courage which means much in a tight place. We worked our way down the river but for some reason were not fired upon. We lay there for some little time waiting orders. Meantime, Gen. Sedgwick with the sixth corps had crossed the river below the city and the enemy, except a thin line in the pit, were withdrawn from our front. Then the pontoons were quickly laid and Bruce and his men charged across, capturing a number of prisoners that remained in the rifle pits. We were closely followed by Gibbon's division of the second corps. The balance of the day we were in the front ranks with Sedgwick's men when Mary's Heights were carried and the enemy driven out at the point of the bayonet, leaving large quantities of knapsacks and baggage that had been thrown off in the rear of their works. We were again deployed as skirmishers moving to the right towards the Rappahannock above the city. In the rifle pits on the side of the hill were squads of "Johnnies" who failed to get out in time. They surrendered and were sent to the rear.

I should have said that about twenty men were added to the skirmish line after the capture of the heights. During the day we captured something over two hundred men in small squads numbering from a half dozen to fifteen or twenty each. We had a sharp scrap with about twenty men lodged in an old log barn. When we had them nearly surrounded they attempted to get out, but our persuasive Springfield rifles dropped several of them and the rest surrendered. The wounded were obliged to leave. They were cared for later. One of the funny incidents was the capture of a redoubt or earth work, with two embrasures from which pointed two guns of large caliber. Bruce maneuvered for its capture without getting directly in front of the guns, and then charged the works. The guns proved to be stove pipes mounted on old wagon wheels. There were several "Johnnies" inside, but they made no show of fight and were disarmed and sent back. A little further on we captured a sergeant and a number of men that had been left on the picket line in the bend of the river above town. From this we moved on up the river with now and then a lively scrimmage with the enemy who supposed the battle line was close behind. But in fact, the commander had lost us. We went back towards Chancellorsville some two miles picking up small squads of prisoners, so that when we were recalled we had about seventy five victims.

In going back over the field the knapsacks of the "Johnnies" that were left were overhauled, the prisoners being allowed to take such articles as would be of use to them. Some good homemade stockings, I remember, were among the things the knapsacks contained. It was dark when we crossed the river. A drizzling rain had set in and wet, foot sore and weary we found the regiment about midnight and we were very glad to bunk down on a wet blanket.

End of story.

Two month later, on July 2, 1863, Merritt was at the Battle of Gettysburg, though was not in the charge. Company F had been detached to suppress some harassing fire they were receiving from their left front. He was either with Company F or he was stationed as a musician and being held in reserve to be used as a stretcher bearer after the battle was over.

On May 5, 1864, Merritt was discharged as a corporal with the regiment, after fulfilling his three year term. The picture shown here was taken in St Paul in 1864, probably in March, April or May, while the unit was back home and awaiting their discharge though he is not seen wearing corporal chevrons.

Following the war, Charles settled in Winona County on a farm in an area known as Homer Ridge. He lived there for the rest of his life. On Dec 21, 1864, he married Miss Francener A Harrison at the court house in Winona. Their son, Oscar, who was born on Dec 9, 1867.

Charles became a fruit grower and was well known and respected in his community. He served for several years as chairman of the board of supervisors of the town of Homer. He and his wife were members of the Methodist church. Charles was active in the First Minnesota Regimental Association and attended their meetings as long as his health allowed. He was a member of the Winona County Old Settlers Assn. He was also a member of the John Ball GAR Post in Winona; the post being named in honor of the comrade who commanded Company F at Gettysburg.

Charles was one of the last survivors of the regiment. He died at his home on Jan 11, 1926. He was 89 years old. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Winona, where several of his comrades were laid to rest before him. They included Charlie Goddard, Mathew Marvin and many others.

Sources:

The Daily Republican, Red Wing, MN, Aug 4, 1905.

Roster of the First Minnesota Infantry, 1910.

Roster of the Survivors, First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, 1917.

The Republican Herald, Winona, MN, Jan 12, 1926.

National Archives pension records, Washington DC, Charles W Merritt.