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Cathy Wurzer
St. Paul, Minn.

Morning Edition: The Civil War through the eyes of Minnesotans

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Sgt. Edward Bassett
Sgt. Edward Bassett served in the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry and Heavy Artillery regiments during the Civil War. His collected letters are published in the new book "The First MN: Second to None." The book is edited by Bassett's great grandson Richard Krom, who lives in Rochester, Minn.
Undated photo courtesy of Richard Krom

To mark the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer and historian Annette Atkins have been following the progression of the war through the letters and diaries of Minnesotans.

On September 8th, 1861, a young man from Faribault, Minnesota wrote a letter to his family while in a field in Maryland. 19-year-old Edward Bassett was serving in the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. He had just fought in the battle of Bull Run.

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Sgt. Edward Bassett
Sgt. Edward Bassett served in the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry and Heavy Artillery regiments during the Civil War. His collected letters are published in the new book "The First MN: Second to None." The book is edited by Bassett's great grandson Richard Krom, who lives in Rochester, Minn.
Undated photo courtesy of Richard Krom
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Civil War battle flag
The Civil War battle flag of the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society