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11th Michigan Cavalry
in the American Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Eleventh Michigan Cavalry. — Col., Simeon B. Brown;
Lieut. -Cols., James B. Mason, Charles E. Smith; Majs., Charles E.
Smith, Henry L. Wise, George J. West, Darwin D. Buck. This regiment was
organized at Kalamazoo and was mustered in Dec. 10, 1863. It left the
state the same day for Covington, Ky., and was engaged in scouting in
February and March. It was in a skirmish at West Liberty in April, and
then moved to Louisa, Ky., forming part of the 1st brigade, 1st
division, Army of the Ohio. It was in engagements at Pound gap, Hazle
Green, Mount Sterling, Lexington, Georgetown and Cynthiana. The fight at
Mt. Sterling was severe, the enemy being routed, and at Cynthiana the
11th was in the charge which destroyed the enemy's line and scattered
his forces. Engagements followed at Point Burnside, McCormick's farm,
Laurel mountain, Bowen's farm, Saltville, Sandy mountain and in western
Virginia. At Saltville about 4,000 of Burbridge's command attacked works
defended by 22,000. The brigade to which the 11th was attached carried
the main work, the 11th losing 86 in killed, wounded and missing.
Compelled to withdraw, the regiment acted as rear-guard and the
following day it was cut off and surrounded by 4,000 cavalry, but hewed
its way through the opposing lines in a hand-to-hand fight of an hour,
Col. Mason being mortally wounded. The regiment encamped at Mt. Sterling
and was engaged during November in clearing the country of guerrillas
and engaging in skirmishes with them at Hazle Green, McCormick's farm,
Morristown, State creek, Mt. Sterling, Church river, Russellville,
Cobb's ford, Bristol, Paperville, Abingdon, Wytheville, Mt. Airy,
Marion, Seven-mile ford, Saltville and Jonesboro. At Bristol the
regiment took a number of prisoners and a large quantity of stores; at
Abingdon it fought a brigade, captured the enemy's artillery and 250
prisoners; at Marion a detachment charged Breckenridge's cavalry, and
after 36 hours fighting drove it into North Carolina; another detachment
of 120 held a bridge against the fire of a heavy force. Capt. George,
with 100 picked men from the regiment drove a body of the enemy from a
mountain gap and held it. It was in a running fight from Marion to
Wytheville, 24 miles, when the enemy's wagon train and artillery were
taken. At Wytheville the command drove the home guards to the mountains
and captured 75,000 rounds of fixed artillery ammunition, 5,000,000
musket cartridges, 75 wagons, 6,000 blankets, 8 cannon, 33 caissons,
large quantities of stores, and destroyed a large amount of property. At
Saltville it aided in the destruction of the saltworks, machinery,
utensils (including 2,000 kettles), buildings and wells, 3 forts, 2
arsenals filled with ammunition, 13 cannon and caissons, 5 locomotives,
80 cars, depots, and other buildings. In Jan., 1865, the regiment was
engaged at Mt. Sterling and Hazle Green. It next fought at Flemingsburg,
Boone, Yadkin river, Mount Airy, Hillsville, Salem, Christiansburg,
Jonesboro, Danbury, Statesville, Salisbury, and in a number of minor
engagements. At Anderson Court House the last remnant of the Confederate
treasury was destroyed. The regiment captured Jefferson Davis' cavalry
escort and then moved to Hartwell and Asheville, N. C, Greeneville,
Tenn., Strawberry plains, Knoxville and Pulaski, where it was
consolidated with the 8th Mich, cavalry, July 20, 1865. It was in
service at that point until Sept. 22 when it was mustered out. The
original strength was 921; gain, 658 total, 1,579. Loss by death, 142. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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