the First, Second and Third
Batteries of Light Artillery.

There were embraced in these twenty-one military organizations, 22,970
officers and men, who were withdrawn from the forces of civil industry,
and remained away for several years. Yet notwithstanding this abnormal
drain on the industrial resources of so young a state, to which must be
added the exhaustive effects of the Indian war which broke out within
her borders in 1862, and lasted several years, Minnesota continued to
grow in population and wealth throughout it all, and came out of these
war afflictions strengthened and invigorated.

THE THIRD REGIMENT.

Recruiting for the Third Regiment commenced early in the fall of 1861,
and was completed by the 15th of November, on which day it consisted of
901 men all told, including officers. On the 17th of November, 1861, it
embarked at Fort Snelling for its destination in the South, on the
steamboats Northern Belle, City Belle, and Frank Steele. It landed at
St. Paul and marched through the city, exciting the admiration of the
people, it being an unusually fine aggregation of men. It embarked on
the same day, and departed for the South, carrying with it the good
wishes and hopes of every citizen of the state. It was then commanded by
Lieutenant Colonel Smith, and afterwards by Col. Henry C. Lester, who
was promoted to its command from a captaincy in the First, and joined
his regiment at Shepardsville. Colonel Lester was a man of prepossessing
appearance, handsome, well informed, modest and attractive. He soon
brought his regiment up to a high standard of drill and discipline, and
especially devoted himself to its appearance for cleanliness and
deportment, so that his regiment became remarkable in these particulars.
By the twelfth day of July, the Third became brigaded with the Ninth
Michigan, the Eighth and Twenty-third Kentucky, forming the Twenty-third
Brigade, under Col. W. W. Duffield of the Ninth Michigan, and was
stationed at Murfeesboro, in Tennessee. For two months Colonel Duffield
had been absent, and the brigade and other forces at Murfreesboro had
been commanded by Colonel Lester. A day or two before the 13th Colonel
Duffield had returned and resumed command of the brigade, and Lester was
again in direct command of his regiment. In describing the situation at
Murfreesboro on the thirteenth day of July, 1861, Gen. C. C. Andrews,
the author of the "History of the Third Regiment," in the state war