Ramsey County History – Spring 2015: “‘I’m Going to Stick by Uncle Sam:’ The Mysterious Tale of the First Volunteer”

“I’m Going to Stick by Uncle Sam:” The Mysterious Tale of the First Volunteer
Author: Patrick M. Hill

Since at least the 1880s, Josias R. King of St. Paul has widely been credited with being the first volunteer to enlist in the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment following President Abraham Lincoln’s call for troops on April 15, 1861. That recognition came into question in 1996 when an alternative claim was published, making the case for Aaron Greenwald of Anoka as the first volunteer. The author examines in detail all the available evidence for both King and Greenwald and concludes that the facts do not support the claim for Greenwald, and the honor belongs to King.
PDF of Hill article