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1st Michigan Cavalry
in the American Civil War
| Regimental History |
| First Michigan Cavalry, — Cols., Thornton F. Brodhead,
Charles H. Town, Peter Stagg; Leiut.-Cols., Joseph T. Copeland, George
R. Maxwell, Andrew W. Duggan; Majs., William S. Atwood, Angelo Paldi,
Charles H. Town, Thomas M. Howrigan, Myron Hickey, Thurlow W. Lusk,
Melvin Brewer, Robert Sproul, Lineus F. Warner. This regiment was
organized at Detroit and mustered into the U. S. service Sept. 13, 1861,
with an enrollment of 1,144 officers and men. It left the state Sept. 9
for Washington, D. C, and went into camp at Frederick, Md., where it
remained several months. It comprised a part of Gen. Banks' forces,
which in Feb., 1862, moved to Harper's Ferry and later entered the
Shenandoah Valley, advancing as far as Winchester, pushing the
Confederates before them. The regiment distinguished itself in many
skirmishes while advancing up the valley and companies and detachments
made a number of brilliant charges which attracted the attention of Gen.
Banks and received from him complimentary mention in orders. The
regiment remained at Williamsport until June 12, when it took part in
Gen. Pope's Virginia campaign. It was in Gen. Banks' command when he
fought the battle of Cedar mountain, was engaged at Manassas, suffering
severely in that battle, and during the early months of 1863 it had
several skirmishes with the enemy, losing a number in killed and
wounded. It was then assigned to the famous Michigan cavalry brigade,
consisting of the 1st, 5th, 6th and 7th regiments, and served with the
brigade until the close of the war. The brigade was formed at
Washington, Dec. 12, 1862, of the 5th, 6th and 7th regiments, the 1st
being added the following spring. The brigade moved in pursuit of Lee
from Fairfax Court House June 25, 1863, and on the 27th the 1st was
detached to Harper's Ferry, and the 7th for special duty towards
Sharpsburg. The brigade was united at Hanover under the command of Gen.
Custer and was engaged at Hanover, Huntertown, and at Gettysburg, where
the 1st cavalry saved Battery M and the day, meeting an entire cavalry
brigade in a saber charge and driving it from the field. This was one of
the most desperate as well as brilliant charges of the war and turned
what appeared to be a defeat of the Union forces into a complete
victory. The regiment lost at Gettysburg 11 officers and 80 men killed,
wounded or missing. On July 4 one squadron of the regiment charged the
enemy at Fairfield gap, driving the Confederates out and holding it
until the entire column passed. Two officers were killed and 17 men were
killed or wounded in this charge. The regiment took part in the severe
engagement at Falling Waters, where it captured 2 battle-flags, a major
and 70 men. It then returned to Virginia and was constantly on duty with
the brigade, meeting the enemy at many places. At James City in October,
the 1st and 5th regiments were formed in column of battalions, ordered
to draw sabers and, while the band played "Yankee Doodle," went forward
at a full gallop, scattering the foe in their front, and afterward
secured a place of safety for the whole command. On Oct. 19 the regiment
met the enemy at Buckland mills in a severe engagement and a week later
fought at Morton's ford. In December, 370 of the regiment reenlisted and
went to Michigan on a 30-day furlough. In Feb., 1864, Gen. Kilpatrick
started on a raid to Richmond, taking with him the members of the
regiment who did not reenlist, and they shared all the vicissitudes,
dangers and hard- ships of the raid, actually going over the first line
of works at Richmond, but were unable to go further and returned to the
army after severe fighting and many losses. After the veteran furlough
the regiment reassembled at Camp Stoneman, D. C., and was joined by a
battalion of newly organized troops that had been recruited the previous
December. The regiment was among the forces commanded by Gen. Sheridan
in his celebrated raid in the rear of Lee's army and took part in the
severe engagements that were fought both in the advance upon Richmond
and the return. One battalion charged the enemy conducting 400 Union
prisoners to Richmond and recaptured all of them. At Yellow tavern the
regiment moved forward, meeting a severe line of grape and canister from
a battery concealed on the right, but, nothing daunted, it advanced with
cheers and yells, though it had to cross five fences and a narrow
bridge, rode straight for the battery and captured it with a large
number of prisoners. It took part in the severe engagement at Haw's
shop, where the battle raged for hours with great fury, each side
obstinately contesting every inch of ground. The regiment was at Cold
Harbor and during a spirited engagement with infantry, artillery and
cavalry it made a saber charge upon the enemy and broke his line, when
the Confederates threw down their arms and fled, leaving their dead and
wounded on the field. The next morning that portion of the line held by
the regiment was attacked by a large force of the enemy, but the attack
was repulsed. In June it was engaged in the battle of Trevilian Station,
and in the latter part of July was ordered to Washington to take part in
the Shenandoah campaign under Gen. Sheridan. It shared all the
vicissitudes of the numerous battles that culminated in driving Gen.
Early and all Confederate forces out of the valley. In Feb., 1865, the
regiment was a part of the forces under Gen. Sheridan when he moved
against the enemy's communications at Gordonsville, and in March fought
the Confederate cavalry at Louisa Court House, defeating the enemy and
destroying a large amount of public property. The regiment helped to
destroy the locks, aqueducts and mills on the James river canal, the
destruction of which was a serious embarrassment to Gen. Lee. It fought
at Five Forks and clung close to the enemy during the memorable days of
the pursuit of Lee's army, everywhere striking hard blows that helped to
deprive the enemy of his wagon trains and artillery, fighting
desperately at Sailor's creek, where the Michigan brigade destroyed 400
wagons, captured 16 guns, and cut off Gen. Ewell's corps from Lee's
army, when Gen. Ewell and his corps of 6,000 surrendered. After the
surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, the regiment was sent to
North Carolina, but returned to Washington, where it took part in the
grand review. It was then ordered to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., thence to
Fort Laramie, Wyo. Ter., and the men endured great hardships in their
campaign against the Indians in the far West. The regiment was mustered
out at Salt Lake City, Utah, March 10, 1866, where the men were paid and
disbanded. Its total enrollment was 2,490; killed in action, 96; missing
in action, 40; died of wounds, 52; died as prisoners of war, 58; died of
disease, 172; drowned, 2; killed accidentally, 4; killed by Indians, 1;
discharged for disability, 209. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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