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1st Michigan Infantry: 1865. The final year.

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                   Morale could not have been any higher among the boys of the 1 st Michigan Infantry then it was as the final year of the war kicked off. The feeling was one of great responsibility, eagerness, and mindfulness that the war was nearing a close. In late December of 1864, the men learned of Sherman capturing Savannah, Georgia, and of General George Thomas defeating John Bell Hood at Nashville, whom they were well familiar. Then-Major Lockley also commented in his diary that the Confederate supply situation around Richmond was weak and reduced to one route, the Danville Road.             The first major engagement of the new year came in early February when Grant decided to extend his flank left. He sent Warren off towards Dinwiddie Court House, via Ream’s Station, which is about 7 miles southwest of Petersburg. On the 5 th of February they moved out. At about 2:30 pm, 3 rd Brigade, commanded by BG Alfred L. Pearson, crossed Rowanty Creek at Monk’s Neck Bridge. They a
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The 1st Michigan Infantry in 1864

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       1864 dawned cold and rainy for the 1 st Michigan Infantry, who were in winter quarters at Beverly Ford on the Rappahannock River, just northeast of Brandy Station, Virginia. The three-year veterans’ enlistments were up in 1864, and for any man that would re-enlist in a veteran unit, they would be granted a 30-day furlough. For that furlough to be granted, the regiment had to meet a certain number of re-enlistees. 212 men re-enlisted and were able to visit their homes for 30 days. They returned to camp at Beverly Ford in early April, where they were to prepare for the nearing campaign season. A shift in Army command moved General Ulysses S. Grant was placed in overall command of all Union Armies. General Meade commanded the Army of the Potomac, General Gouverneur K. Warren replaced Sykes as commander of V Corps, and divisions were combined, further restructuring the army. Charles Griffin commanded the 1 st Division, and Joseph Bartlett commanded the 3 rd Brigade, which the 1 s
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Location: Frankenmuth, MI
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1st Michigan, Part 2

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       At the Battle of Chancellorsville, the 1 st Michigan was placed on the River Road along with the rest of Griffin’s Division. According to Colonel Lockley, leading up to the battle the men were feeling quite excited. Many of the men had been on furlough and had returned home for a few days to Michigan, including Colonels Lockley, Abbott, and Whilttsey. During much of the battle the 1 st Michigan served as pickets and skirmishers for the V Corps, who was commanded by General George Meade. This means that they were detached and sent out in a loose formation in front of the main ranks of the army for the purpose of finding the enemy and judging their positions. In the case of Chancellorsville, the 1 st was sent in front of the defensive lines of breastworks built by the men during the night of May 2 nd . On the 3 rd , the men of the 1 st were deployed in the woods below Ely Ford Road and the Chancellor House. Throughout the morning they were engaged with BG Henry Heth’s Virginia
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1st Michigan Infantry (Part 1)

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      On May 1 st in 1861, 798 men were mustered into Federal Service as the 1 st Michigan Infantry. In response to Lincoln calling for 75,000 men on April 16 th , Governor Austin Blair issued a proclamation calling for one regiment. Within no time, the call was answered by men, many of whom were enrolled in local militias. The first to answer the call were the men of the Detroit Light Guard. This prestigious company would form company A in the new regiment. The nine other companies are as follows: the "Jackson Grays" Co B; the "Coldwater Cadets" Co. C ; the "Manchester Union Guards" Co. D; the "Stuben Guard", the "Michigan Hussars", the "Burr Oak Guard", the "Ypsilanti Light Guard", the "Marshall Light Guard", and the "Hardee Cadets".  They arrived in Detroit and marched to Fort Wayne there.  Fort Wayne in Detroit, MI             The first was placed under the command of Colonel Orlando Boli
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Thursday September 3rd Update!

       Hi everyone, just I just wanted to post an update. The first post in the Regimental series should be up by Sunday, September 6th.      I will be covering the 1st Michigan Infantry, both briefly the 3 months regiment and more in depth with the 3 year regiment. It will be followed by the 1st Virginia Infantry.     Classes have started for me and I am working to better my employment situation, which means that this has been just a small portion of a busy fall schedule. The research that is going into this project is extensive, perhaps more extensive than it should be, but I do believe it's important to get the facts straight and to understand the topic that I'm writing about as fully as possible. As such, I will plan on a schedule of posting every Sunday for the foreseeable future.     I appreciate immensely everyone who reads this and plans on reading this series in the future. I have no idea where this will go; it really is a passion project with no concrete goals aside f
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Regiments of the American Civil War introduction to the blog

              Whether your year has flown by or its slugged on and on, no one can deny that 2020 has been an unpredictable and uneasy year. Right off the bat, its an election year. November marks the calendars of voters across America as the first term of a tumultuous presidency under Donald Trump ends. In the spring, the world was slammed by COVID-19, and everyone, especially in the US, has been forced to adjust to a life of social distancing and quarantining.  The murders and abuse of black Americans by police officers has sparked protesting and rioting throughout both America and the world.               Every election year has its ups and downs, 2020 chief among them. One cannot, however, fail to see the similarities to the Presidential Election of 1860. The nation was torn over the issue of slavery and an eruption was expected soon. It is easy to understand if you felt as if an eruption will happen today. When Illinois Republican Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16 th Presiden
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Location: Frankenmuth, MI, USA
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