| If this website has been useful to you, please consider
making a Donation.
Your support will help keep this website free for everyone, and will allow us to do
more research. Thank you for your support! |
10th Michigan Cavalry
in the American Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Tenth Michigan Cavalry. — Cols., Thaddeus Foote, Luther
S. Trowbridge, Israel C. Smith; Lieut. -Cols., Luther S. Trowbridge,
John H. Standish; Majs., Israel C. Smith, Cicero Newell, Wesley
Armstrong, Peter N. Cooke, Harvey E. Light, Henry W. Sears. This
regiment was organized at Grand Rapids and was mustered in Nov. 18,
1863. It left the state Dec. 1, being ordered to Lexington, Ky., and was
engaged at House mountain in Jan., 1864, after which it moved to
Burnside Point. On Feb. 29 it moved for Knoxville, thence to Strawberry
plains, and in April met the enemy at Rheatown, Jonesboro, Johnsonville,
Watauga and Bean's gap. At Jonesboro the enemy in force held the bridge,
occupying a strong redoubt and rifle-pits. About one-third of the
regiment was dismounted and charged on the double-quick, carrying the
works and driving the enemy into a large mill near by, a gallant affair
with an inferior force. The regiment was also engaged at Powder Spring
gap, Dandridge, Greenville, White Horn, Morristown, Bean's station,
Rogersville, Kingsport, Caney branch, New Market, Williams' ford and
Dutch Bottom. At Bean's station two companies routed the enemy, charging
him for 2 miles. The regiment was later engaged at Sevierville, Newport,
Morristown, Greeneville, Mossy creek, Bull's gap, Blue Springs,
Strawberry plains, Flat Creek bridge and Rogersville. At Blue Springs
the enemy was dislodged from a strong position after a determined fight
and pursued for 7 miles. At Strawberry' plains a detachment of 125 under
Capt. Standish, and 150 from other commands made a successful defense of
the post against an attack by 6,000 cavalry under Wheeler. During this
time 7 men of the 10th held McMillan's ford on the Holston river for 3
hours against a brigade of cavalry, killing nearly 50, but were
surrounded and captured. Gen. Wheeler remarked: "If I had 300 such men
as you, I could march straight through hell." The same day, 72 men under
Maj. Smith routed 400 Texas cavalry, capturing their commanding officer
— a lieutenant-colonel — and nearly 40 prisoners. The regiment was again
engaged at Greeneville, Sevierville and Jonesboro in September. At
Greeneville it participated in an action with Morgan's forces, charging
his first camp and routing it and then repelling an advance with
carbines. In October and November it was engaged at Johnston's station,
Watauga bridge, Chucky bend, Newport, Irish Bottoms, Madisonville,
Morristown and Strawberry plains, where 700 men in trenches repulsed a
force of 5,000. It was engaged at Kingsport, Bristol and Saltville in
December, destroying the salt works at the last named place. It also
fought at Chucky bend in Jan., 1865, then encamped at Knoxville until
March 21, then moved to upper East Tennessee and joined the raid into
North Carolina, during which it destroyed 100 miles of track and several
bridges belonging to the Tennessee & Virginia railroad. It made a forced
march of 95 miles in 22 hours, reaching Henry and engaging the enemy on
April 8, defeating a superior force. The regiment was detached at Salem
and one battalion under Capt. Cummins destroyed $300,000 worth of the
enemy's stores at High Point. The other two battalions numbering 250
men, were sent to destroy the bridge over Abbott's creek. Two companies
under Capt. Roberts sent in advance succeeded in the work assigned them,
and in the meantime the balance of the regiment encountered Ferguson's
brigade of Wheeler's cavalry, 1,200 strong, just at daybreak. The enemy
attacked in force, but was held back by relieving squadrons in a retreat
of 6 miles, 2 men being taken prisoners while the enemy lost over 50
killed. The same day, Maj. Smith, with 20 men armed with Spencer
repeating rifles, crossed Grant's creek at Salisbury on a log and fired
a flank volley which threw the defending force into confusion. The whole
command, taking advantage of the situation, crossed by a small bridge,
drove the enemy from his works and captured over 1,300 prisoners, 14
pieces of artillery and a large quantity of supplies. The regiment was
also engaged at Statesville and Newton. It was then ordered to
Tennessee, where it served until it was mustered out at Memphis, Nov.
11. Its original strength was 912; gain 1,138; total, 2,050. Loss by
death, 271. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
|
Whats New
Bibliography
About Us
Share this page with your friends!
|