Hatch’s Battalion, a Minnesota Volunteer Cavalry that served in the Union Army during the Civil War was organized at Ft. Snelling and St. Paul Minnesota. Companies A-B-C and D mustered in between July 25th and September 1863. Originally assigned to Fort Pembina, Hatch’s Battalion began marching to Fort Abercrombie on this date, May 5th, 1864, arriving there 11 days later. Hatch’s Battalion mustered out 2 years later in 1866. It’s interesting to note that, although not a single soldier in the battalion was killed in action or died from wounds received in battle, 21 soldiers were officially listed as “dying from disease.” The “Friends of Fort Abercrombie,” a local non-profit affiliate of the State Historical Society invite everyone to the Fort this summer, June 22 through 24 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the founding of the Fort.

By Merrill Piepkorn

Sources:
www.ftabercrombie.org
www.wikipedia.org

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