Services of the First Cavalry with the Army of the Potomac-The Regiment at Gettysburg and in the Wilderness-The Richmond Raid-Battle at Trevillian Station-Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley-Winter Quarters at Winchester-Campaign of 1865-Five Forks and Appomattox-Service on the Plains-Members of the Regiment from Van Buren and Berrien Counties-Second Cavalry -Long and Arduous Service in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia-Veteran Re-enlistment-Berrien and Van Buren Representation in the Second Cavalry.


THIS regiment, which was raised in the summer of 1861, under Col. T. F. Brodhead, with its rendezvous at Detroit, at first contained thirty or forty men from Berrien County and about an equal number from Van Buren. Subsequently a considerable addition was made from the latter county, as will be mentioned farther on.

The regiment left Detroit for Washington on the 29th of September, 1861. It passed most of the succeeding winter at Frederick, Md., and in the spring of 1862 entered on a season of active service on the Upper Potomac, in the Shenandoah Valley and near the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge. It was in action at Winchester, March 23, 1862; at Middletown, March 25th; at Strasburg, March 27th; at Harrisonburg, April 22d; at Winchester again, May 24th; at Orange Court-House, July 16th; at Cedar Mountain, August 9th; and at Bull Run, August 30th. In the latter action Col. Brodhead was mortally wounded and the regiment had twenty men killed and wounded. During the season it had thirty men killed in action, fiftyeight wounded, and sixty who died of disease.

After another winter passed near Frederick, Md., the 1st Cavalry again entered the field, and performed grand-guard duty along the front line of the defenses of Washington in Virginia, extending from Edwards' Ferry to the mouth of the Occoquan. On the 27th of June it moved northward, and for fifteen days it was almost constantly engage in conflicts with the enemy. It formed a part of the celebrated "Michigan Cavalry Brigade," of which Custer was the commander, and which contributed very largely to the renown of that distinguished cavalry general.

At Gettysburg, on the 3d of July, 1863, it met and charged Hampton's legion, consisting of three regiments of rebel cavalry, and defeated it in six minutes, having eleven officers and eighty men killed and wounded out of three hundred who went into the action.

In September, 1863, the War Department authorized the consolidation of the twelve companies into eight, and the raising of a new battalion of four new companies. These were speedily raised, and the new battalion was mustered into service at Mount Clemens, in December, 1863..One of its companies (K) was largely from Van Buren County. This battalion went to Camp Stoneman, near Washington, in December, 1863, and remained there until the spring of 1864. Meanwhile the two old battalions re-enlisted, came home on veteran furlough, and joined the new levies at Camp Stoneman.

The battalions went to the front together, and in the latter part of March, 1864, joined Gen. Sheridan's cavalry corps at Culpeper, Va., being still a part of the " Michigan Cavalry Brigade," under the fiery Custer, which was made the 1st Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division. In the first days of May the brigade advanced with the army, and soon became engaged in the great battle of the Wilderness, fighting, mounted, during the first three days with the renowned cavalry of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, having ten men killed and twenty wounded.

On the 9th of May the cavalry corps set out under Gen. Sheridan, on his great raid towards Richmond. Three divisions, numbering full twelve thousand, turned their horses' heads to the southward; the blue-coated column, as it marched by fours, stretching eleven miles along the road. Towards evening of the same day, the 1st Michigan Cavalry, followed closely by the rest of the column, dashed into the rebel depot at Beaver Dam, driving away almost in an instant the force stationed for its defense. All night long the men were busy destroying the immense amount of rebel supplies accumulated at Beaver Dam, the flames of which rose in lurid columns through the darkness, amid the cheers of the excited soldiers.

At daybreak the next morning the command moved forward, and on the 11th of May reached " Yellow Tavern," ten miles from Richmond. There Gen. Stuart had assembled a large force of cavalry, and a hard battle took place. Again and again the Union horsemen charged, sabre in hand, and scattered the chivalry like chaff before the whirlwind. A single squadron of two companies of the 1st Michigan, one of which was Company K, dashed like lightning upon a rebel battery of two gun; sabred or drove away the cannoniers, and captured both pieces in an instant. A detachment of the 5th Michigan scattered the immediate followers of Gen. Stuart, and ere he could escape a soldier of that regiment mortally wounded the rebel commander. 'Ere long all the Confederate forces were driven away, and the Union column pursued its unmolested course. The regiment of which we are writing had eleven killed and twelve wounded.

The next day the command arrived within a mile and a half of Richmond, but there were found strongly-manned fortifications, on which cavalry could make no impression, and Gen. Sheridan turned his course towards the Chickahominy. Near that stream a large rebel force occupied a narrow passage through a swamp, along which not more than four men could ride abreast, and where a well-posted battery cut down the head of the Union column, completely checking its advance. The leading brigade vainly endeavored to force a passage. The next one likewise failed, and then Gen. Sheridan sent to the rear for Custer and his Michigan brigade, which at once hastened to the front. There the youthful general dismounted the 5th and 6th Michigan, and sent one regiment on either side into the



swamp, while the 1st and 7th, with drawn sabres, awaited an opportunity to charge. Wading sometimes waist-deep, the dismounted men advanced towards the flanks of the battery, and plied their Spencer carbines on the cannoniers. The latter were obliged to turn their guns on these assailants, to prevent being entirely enfiladed. The moment they did so Custer gave the order, and the two mounted regiments, with brandished sabres and ringing cheers, dashed forward at the top of their horses' speed. The gunners had barely time to limber their pieces and retreat, and the road was at once laid open for the advance of the whole corps. The command then proceeded to Malvern Hill, and thence to White House Landing, whence it marched to rejoin the main army of Gen. Grant.

The regiment was engaged at Hanover Town on the 27th of May, at Hawes' Shop on the 28th, where fifteen of its members were killed and wounded, and at Old Church on the 30th, where fifteen were killed and wounded. On the 31st of May and 1st of June it was engaged, together with other cavalry regiments, at Cold Harbor, where it fought, dismounted, in advance of the infantry, having eighteen men killed and wounded.

Soon after, the Michigan brigade set out, under Gen. Sheridan, to join Gen. Hunter, who was moving from the Shenandoah Valley towards Lynchburg. On the 11th of June the command met at Trevillian Station a large force of the enemy, both cavalry and infantry. During that day and the next, there ensued one of the severest cavalry fights of the war, the men mostly fighting dismounted with the enemy's infantry, and the 1st Regiment losing fifty-one men in killed and wounded. During the first day the Michigan brigade did almost all the fighting, and no less than six commissioned officers of the 1st Regiment were killed. The brigade battery was three times captured by the rebels, but was each time recaptured by the determined efforts of the Michigan soldiers. Gen. Hunter failed to make the passage of the mountains, and Gen. Sheridan consequently made his way to White House Landing, and then joined Gen. Grant at City Point.

After serving on picket and scout duty through July, 1864, the Michigan brigade was taken on transports to Washington, and thence marched to the Shenandoah Valley. Here it followed Custer in many a desperate charge, fully sustaining its old renown. It was engaged at Front Royal, August 16th, where the 1st Cavalry had eleven killed and wounded; at Shepherdstown, August 20th, where, it had six killed and wounded; at Smithfield, September 4th, where there were but four of its number in that list; at Winchester, where the killed and wounded numbered thirtytwo; and at Cedar Creek, October 19th, when twenty-seven of its officers and men were slain or injured. Capt. Charles Shier, of Company K, was killed in this action.

During the six months closing on the 1st of November, 1864, the regiment had eighty-two men killed or mortally wounded in action, and one hundred and two less seriously wounded, while only thirty-three died of disease.

In December the Michigan brigade went into winter quarters, near Winchester, and remained until the latter part of February, 1865. On the 27th it started, with the rest of the cavalry, under Gen. Sheridan, on a long and I:in C4 rapid journey up the Shenandoah Valley, past Staunton, over the mountains, and down the James River. The command met with little opposition, and soon joined Gen. Grant before Petersburg.

On the 30th and 31st days of March and 1st day of April, 1865, the Michigan brigade was warmly engaged at Five Forks. During the first two days the men generally fought mounted. On the 1st of April they charged the enemy mounted, and drove him into his breastworks, and then attacked the fortifications, dismounted, with the rest of Sheridan's corps, capturing the fort with several thousand prisoners. The brigade was constantly engaged in fighting with the enemy from this time until the surrender of Lee, on the 9th of April, at which time it was in the extreme advance, the flag of truce to negotiate the surrender being sent through its lines.

After this, the regiment moved into the edge of North Carolina, then returned to Washington, and immediately after the review of the Army of the Potomac, on the 23d of May, 1865, was sent by rail and steamer to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., whence it was ordered across the Plains. There was much dissatisfaction, but most of the regiment set out on the march, reaching Camp Collins, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, on the 26th of July. Its headquarters remained there until about the 1st of November, when it was moved to Fort Bridger. There it was consolidated with the 6th and 7th Michigan Cavalry, forming an organization known as the 1st Michigan Veteran Cavalry. Company K was distributed among several other companies. After the consolidation eight companies were sent to Camp Douglas, near Salt Lake City, while four remained at Fort Bridger. The regiment garrisoned those two stations until the 10th of March, 1866, when it was mustered out, paid off, and disbanded. The men were given their choice: to be disbanded in Utah then, or remain till June and then be marched to Fort Leavenworth, without horses or tents. All but about seventy made the former choice. The commutation paid them in lieu of transportation, however, was not enough to carry them home, and on representation of the injustice to Congress, that body voted three hundred and twenty-five dollars to each member of the regiment, minus the amount already paid as commutation money. This gave each member about two hundred and ten dollars extra, which was duly paid them by the government.



Isaac R. Johnson, must. out Dec. 5, 1865.

John Carrier, must. out Dec. 5, 1865.
Albert H. Waters, must. out March 10,1866.

Anthony Trombly, must. out March 10, 1866.

Samuel Nolan, must. out Dec. 5, 1865.
Theodore Parmelee, must. out Aug. 8,1865.
P. K. Sampson. must. out March 10, 1866.

Mark A. Aiken, must. out March 25, 1866.
John Abbott, must. out July 15, 1865.
Chas. Hagerman, must. out May 11, 1865.
Clias. Pennell, must. out March 25,1866.

Shadrach Cole, must. out Dec. 5, 1865.

Robert Diamond, died of disease.
John W. Hatfield, must. out Nov. 30,1865.
James H. Leland, disch. by order, June 5, 1865.
Charles Wilson, disch. by order, June 7, 1865.

2d Lieut. Richard H. Van Atta, Watervliet; com. Nov. 12, 1862; sergt.; corp., Aug. 20, 1861; res. March 24, 1865.
Alonzo Bullock, died of disease at Strasburg, Va., April 2, 1862.
Harrison Branch, disch. for disability, Feb. 2, 1862.
Francis Barclay, disch. at end of service, Aug. 22, 1864.
Theodore A. Barnum, disch. at end of service, Aug. 22, 1864.
Solomon Brummer, disch. by order, May 17,1865.
Peter Baldwin, veteran, enl. Dec. 21, 1863; must. out Aug. 7, 1865.
Henry Beachman, must. out Dec. 5,1865.
Harrison H. Cole, disch. at end of service, Aug. 22, 1864.
Alfred Cook, disch. at end of service, Sept. 24, 1864.
John C. Cleland, missing in action at Buck's Mills, Oct. 19,1863.
Oscar W. Elliott, veteran, enl. Dec. 21, 1863; must. out Nov. 24, 1865.
Joseph H. Fisher, must. out Nov. 24, 1865.
Micah W. Grimes, died of wounds, Sept. 2,1864.
W. R. Hopkins, must. out July 10, 1865.
Wilbur Moore, must. out Dec. 5,1865.
George W. Miles, disch. by order, May 15,1865.
Edward O'Donnell, must. out Dec. 5,1865.
Simon Shrickengast, must. out Dec. 5, 1865.
George W. Walcott, didch. at end of service, Sept. 6, 1864.