Marshall Sherman was born in Burlington, Vt, in 1823. He settled in St Paul in 1849. He was working as a painter, when the war began. He was mustered into the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, on April 29, 1861. He was 37 years old and stood 5' 6" tall. He had a fair complexion, black eyes and black hair. Marshall Sherman's name goes down in the annals of 1st Minnesota history as the man who captured the battle flag of the 28th Virginia Infantry at the battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1862, during what became known as Pickett's Charge. (See picture above.) For his gallantry during the battle he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. After his three year enlistment was up he was one of only a few veterans of the "Old First" to re-enlist and form the nucleus of the First Minn Battalion. On August 14, 1864, at the battle of Deep Bottom, VA, he was shot in the left foot. It was severe and he had to have his leg amputated. This was done at Campbell Hospital. He was sent to the Soldier's Rest General Hospital in Boston. He was fitted for and on July 8, 1865, furnished with an artificial leg, which was made by Jewitt of Salem, Mass. Marshall was determined to be unfit for service in the Veteran Reserve Corps and was discharged for disability on July 25, 1865. The following is a brief excerpt from a St Paul newspaper at the time: "Lost a Leg. - The State Agent for the relief of our soldiers in the hospitals at Washington, writes that Marshall Sherman, of the First Battalion, has had his leg amputated, and is doing well. Mr Sherman is well known in St Paul. He was formerly a painter here." Marshall Sherman returned to a different life in St Paul. The life of a civilian crippled from the war, not unlike thousands of other veterans. At first he worked as a painter. Later, he got into the life insurance business. He lived at #96 East 11th Street in the city. Marshall joined the William Acker GAR Post # 21 on July 19, 1870. He died in St Paul, on April 19, 1896, at the age of 73. He was buried in the Soldiers Rest area of Oakland Cemetery in St Paul, Block 47, Lot 77. His headstone denotes the fact that he was a recipient of the Medal of Honor. Sources: The Central Republican, Faribault, Mn, Wed, Sept 7, 1864, p 1. The St Paul Pioneer, Thursday, December 29, 1864. National Archives, pension records, Marshall Sherman. History of the Acker Post No. 21, G. A. R., Apr 9. 1891, p 36. Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society Collections, Vol XIV, June 1912, p 700. History of Dakota and Goodhue Counties, 1910, p 357 & 359. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
