1st Michigan Infantry: 1865. The final year.

 

                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 advanced about 3 miles east of Dinwiddie Court House and stopped. BG David Gregg’s cavalry was tasked with destroying Confederate supply wagons near DCH. V and II Corps were tasked with covering his flanks and screening his movements. However, they withdrew back to Hatcher Run, where they were lightly engaged on the 6^th by BG Joseph Finegan’s Florida Brigade. The 1^st fell back and remained as skirmishers along Vaughn Road, helping to extend that Union line along the Vaughn Road and Hatcher’s Run. Three men were killed, three were wounded, and two were taken as POWs, primarily around Dabney’s Mill. One of the men killed was Cpl. Oscar Nash. The 24-year-old corporal was likely born in New York. He came from a large family from Massachusetts that settled in Gilead, which is a township in Branch County on the Michigan-Indiana border. His father and three of his four siblings died in the Fall of 1850. From that point on, he worked various jobs to support his mother and his now only sister. He enlisted at Coldwater, MI in Company E on July 9^th, 1861. He was mustered in on September 14^th, 1861 and served with the regiment through the war. He was listed as captured on the second day at Gettysburg. It is unknown when he was paroled and rejoined the regiment. When their terms of service had expired, Oscar was among the men who re-enlisted in the regiment. He was promoted sometime after his enlistment to Corporal. His pension papers say that he was struck in the head by a minie ball. His widowed mother applied for his pension as he had no children or spouse, and she was dependent on him.

Hatcher's Run Marker via MarkerHistory.com

            George Lockley was also wounded, taking a round to the right shoulder.

            Grant did not achieve his goal of pushing through to the Boydton Plank Road, however the battle at Hatcher’s Run allowed the Union to stretch their lines. Over the next month, Grant and Lee gave battle around Richmond on their retreat that eventually led to Appomattox. The 1^st was as usual placed in a skirmishing role or covering the movements of other troops. In March they were engaged at Fort Stedman, Hatcher’s Run, White Oak Road and Five Forks. In that time, they suffered 6 wounded and 1 missing. At Five Forks, the 1^st was without a suitable commander and therefore was joined with the 20^th Maine. Around 3 pm on April 1^st, Warren’s V Corps along with Phillip Sheridan’s Cavalry charged George Pickett’s Division of Virginians. The 20^th and 1^st Charged Steuart’s Brigade of Confederates, even capturing the flag of the 9^th Virginia Infantry. In April, they were engaged around Petersburg and finally at South Side Railroad on April 2^nd, when Grant achieved his breakthrough of Petersburg. The ranks were depleted, but victory would ultimately be achieved. The regiment proceeded by rail to Jeffersonville, Indiana, where they were mustered out on July 9^th. However, you will notice that there is a large gap between Lee’s surrender and their discharges. What happened between then?

Grant's Breakthrough at Petersburg, on April 2nd
(via Wikipedia)

            The men of the 1^st essentially had to hurry up and wait. As can be expected, the immediate aftereffect of war is chaos. Thousands of Lee’s troops were returning to their homes throughout the south, and though they were under direction to not cause any trouble, there was inevitably going to be some trouble. Troops needed to be stationed, and those that were not needed to be moved. This of course takes time. It took until the end of May for the 1^st to go from Appomattox to Washington, so they could participate in the Grand Review of the Armies on May 23^rd and 24^th. The 1^st marched through on the 23^rd instant. On May 25^th, George Lockley records the story that that night, soldiers of the army for miles and miles placed candles outside their tents, as well as built bonfires and lit torches. It was apparently a spectacle to behold, and I am sure that no man who saw it forgot the night that they “saw the stars on the ground.”

VI Corps at the Grand Review through Washington
(via warfarehistorynetwork.com)

            On June 26^th, 1865, the men of the 1^st at long last were headed out to Louisville, KY. They traveled by rail as far as Parkersburg, WV then by boat to Louisville. While stationed there, the government was considering sending the men of Michigan and Wisconsin to the deep south of Arkansas and Texas. However, most of the men refused to board the boats heading that way, as they were owed 16 months pay were tired and wanted to go home. They saw themselves as volunteers for a war that was now over, therefore why should they continue to serve? Rabble rousing was an issue, one man from Company A, Alexander Dobil, or Dobie as he was known, was allegedly a drunk. He got into a scruff with a few boys from the 38^th Indiana. He was not killed, just wounded badly. According to then brevet-Colonel Lockley, he was told to leave the matter alone, not to take it any further. The matter of whether to send them to Arkansas was taken further when the 1^st was not allowed to muster out along with the 5^th, 7^th, and 16^th Michigan. On July 5^th, the boys were notified they would be mustered out shortly. This was good news for them, and they reportedly cheered then like they had not before. In total, 178 men were mustered out on the 9^th. 1^st Lt. Harrison Bennett from Company B had enlisted as a private in April 1861 in the 3-month regiment. He reenlisted twice and rose through the ranks literally to the end, as he received his promotion to 1^st Lt. two days before mustering out. Thus, the story of the 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry was closed out.

Over the course of the war, they had accrued a total enrollment of 1884 men. 130 were killed in action, 39 died of wounds, 9 died in Confederate prisons, 76 died of disease, and 303 were discharged for wounds or disease. This totals up for a casualty rate of 34.8%. Both Colonels at the beginning of both the 3 months regiment and the 3 years regiment would go on to be Major Generals. Orlando B. Wilcox ended the war a Brevet Major General and John C. Robinson ended his career a Major General. George Lockley would travel back and forth between his native England and his home, which after the war was Saginaw, Michigan, where he was postmaster from 1871-1875. Sometime after, he moved to St. Ignace, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where he died on September 19^th, 1882, resulting from wounds and bad health via his time in the army. It is important to note here that from 1862 on, George often dealt with diarrhea, all the way to the end of the diary in 1865.

The 1^st was a bloody regiment to be sure. At 1^st Bull Run, 771 men of the 798 who enlisted in April took part in the battle. Four men deserted in late May while still in Detroit. Three of them were from the same company and deserted at the same time. I have yet to find a source stating whether they deserted together, though it does seem likely. Two men died of disease before the battle, 19 were discharged for disease or disability, and one man was discharged for promotion. In the battle they suffered a 14.5% casualty rate, losing 116 men. 24 men are not accounted for, as of civilwardata.com, and they had one deserter and a man die of disease after the battle, and two men were promoted after the battle. 651 men were mustered out of the three months regiment.

The three-year regiment started their war with 960 men. In 1862, the regiment suffered 483 confirmable casualties, with 95 killed in battle, 259 being wounded in battle, 29 POWs, and 49 men missing. This also includes 4 unspecified deaths, 31 died of disease, and 16 deserters. Its possible for all four years that more people were out of the service or wounded and it just is not listed, or I cannot find the sources for it. Of the primary battles/campaigns that the 1^st participated in, the battles of Gaines Mill and 2^nd Manassas in 1862 proved their bloodiest, with 167 and 139 casualties, respectively.

Sources for this series will be at the bottom. Thank You once more for reading this. I once more would like to say that I hope to make this a more consistent blog, but it will of course take time for me and support from you guys, so thanks for sticking with me through this. If you like this, you can let me know in the comments or on twitter @MICivilWarBlog. Sub here and thanks once again!

Sources used for the 1st Michigan Infantry

•  http://www.migenweb.org/michiganinthewar/index.htm
• ancestry.com
• findagrave.com
• newspapers.com
• The Civil War Diary of George S. Lockley edited by Russell F. Donker (Ted Brink Publishers, 1962) available at University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library and online at https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhlcivilwar/
• United States. War Records Office, et al.. The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Washington: Govt. Print. Off., 18801901.
• http://capitol.michigan.gov/Content/Files/First%20Michigan%20Three%20Years%20Volunteer%20Infantry%20Regiment.pdf