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Michigan and the Civil War (1861-1865)
Michigan (1861-1865), part 2
On July 26 Col. J. W. Hall was authorized to reorganize
the 4th infantry,
which had been mustered out, and Adrian,
in the 1st district, was made the rendezvous. On the 29th
Col. M. B. Houghton
was authorized to recruit the 3d infantry,
whose term had also expired, with headquarters at Grand
Rapids and the
4th district as his field. The same day, Hon.
John F. Griggs was authorized to organize the 31st infantry,
headquarters
at Saginaw, with the 6th district from which to
recruit. On Aug. 9 Hon. S. S. Lacey was made commandant
of a camp
at Marshall, in the 3d district, for the organization
of the 29th infantry. The 2nd district was assigned to Hon.
W.
B. Williams, for the organization of the 28th infantry,
with camp at Kalamazoo. Maj. John Atkinson was stationed
at
Pontiac and authorized to organize the 30th infantry. Al-
though recruiting progressed rapidly, it was found impossi-
ble to complete the organization of these regiments ahead of
the proposed draft. Seven companies raised" at Pontiac
for
the 30th, were distributed between the 3d and 4th. The 3d
received four companies, was mustered in with 879 officers
and men and left for Nashville, Tenn., Oct. 20. The 4th received
three
companies, was mustered in with 726 officers and men and
left the state Oct. 22. Those recruited for the 28th and 29th
were consolidated as the 28th and left for Nashville Oct. 26,
with 886 officers and men. The 6th district regiment,
raised
as the 31st, was designated the 29th and took its departure
for Nashville Oct. 6, with 856 officers and men.
In addition to the recruiting operations a draft was made
June 10, 1864,
for filling the deficiencies under all former calls,
including Oct. 17, 1863, Feb. 1 and Mar. 14, 1864. Another
draft
was made Sept. 20 to supply deficiencies under the call
of July 18. As a result of all these efforts, 20,041 had enlisted
during the first ten months of the year, 1,956 were drafted,
5,445 veterans were reenlisted, and 430 had enlisted
in the
navy. The total credits were 27,972 for the ten months end-
ing Oct. 31, less 356 who had paid commutation
— actual num-
ber, 27,616. This gave the state a total credit of 83,347 from
the beginning of the war. The term
of service of the 11th
infantry expired in September, and authority was given Col.
W. L. Stoughton to reorganize it
with camp at Sturgis. It
became apparent that the state was exposed to raids and depre-
dations by southern sympathizers
living in Canada, and Maj.-
Gen. Hooker recommended that a regiment of twelve months
volunteers be raised for duty
along the Detroit and St. Clair
rivers. The war department at once issued orders for the
organization of the 30th
regiment, Lieut. -Col. G. S. Wormer
of the 8th cavalry being appointed colonel, with rendezvous
at Jackson, and later
at Detroit.
Gov. Blair retired from office Jan. 4, 1865, with the respect
and esteem
of the people of the state. His terms of office
had been peculiarly trying ones, including the severest years
of the
war, with many perplexing problems to solve. But
in every crisis he had risen to the occasion and shown unusual
ability,
honor and integrity. No task was too great, no trial
too grave for him, and he passed into the ranks of private
citizenship,
followed by the good wishes of all. In his fare-
well address to the legislature, he said: "Again, and for the
last
time, I commend the Michigan troops to your continued
care and support. They have never failed in their duty to
the
country or to the state. Upon every great battlefield
of the war their shouts have been heard and their sturdy blows
have
been delivered for the Union and victory. Their hard-
earned fame is the treasure of every household in the state,
and
the red blood of their veins has been poured out in large
measure to redeem the rebellious South from its great sin and
curse. * * * In every situation their bravery has won the
approval of their commanders, and their heroic endurance of
hardships
has added luster to their names."
Gov. -elect Henry H. Crapo succeeded Mr. Blair, and brought
to the position
great patriotism, marked ability, and unusual
physical and mental energy. In his inaugural message to the
legislature,
he paid high tribute to the soldiers and commended
them to the sympathy of the legislature, saying: "They have
done
heroic deeds on every battle-field; they have won a name
for undaunted courage in every conflict with a deadly and
persistent
foe; they have endured hardships and privations
without a murmur, and their loyalty and patriotism have
never yet
been tarnished."
A call was made by the president Dec. 19, 1864, for 300,000
men, and
an enrollment was made of the counties of the state,
Dec. 31, showing 77,999 men from whom Michigan's quota
of 10,010
was to be drafted Feb. 15, unless the deficiency was
met by enlistment, this call being made because of a deficiency
under
the call of July 18, 1863. It was apparent that the
state had not been properly credited, and considerable corres-
pondence
followed in an effort to adjust matters. Michigan's
entire quota under the call of July 18 was but 15,760, after
the
enrollment had been amended, and she had enlisted 16,187.
Instead of a deficiency, the state had a surplus of 427. The
evident need of the nation was such that the claim was waived
and the state proceeded to fill her quota. The 11th
regiment
took the field by detachments in March, with 898 officers and
men. The legislature had authorized a bounty
of $150 to be
paid by the state and this was paid until May 14 following.
The success of the Union army during the
fall of 1864 and the
winter and spring of 1865 brought the war to a close and orders
were at once issued to cease
recruiting and drafting. The
adjutant-general's department showed that Michigan had
enlisted and drafted 90,747 men,
though the provost marshal-
general gave credit for only 90,048. Of these, 1,661 were
colored, 145 were Indians, and
14,393 were foreign-born, repre-
senting nearly all countries of Northern Europe, France and
French dominions, Spain
and Spanish- America. The amount
paid by drafted citizens of Michigan as commutation money
was $594,600.
Michigan's part in the care of suffering soldiers was a cred-
itable
one. Her surgeons were ready at all times to meet
the exigencies of the times and many of her own soldiers, as
well
as those of other states, owed their lives to the prompt-
ness and solicitude shown by her medical men and the agents
appointed by the governor. The legislature of 1863 appro-
priated $20,000 for the work, and in 1865 an additional
sum
of $25,000. Gen. Joseph K. Barnes was appointed surgeon-
general, and
his selection proved to be a happy one. After
the battle of Gettysburg, the surgeons, with their assistants,
left
for the scene, with a quantity of sanitary stores, prepared
in large part by the women of the state. No distinction was
made in treating the wounded, the wounded Confederate also
receiving careful attention. After the engagement at Perry-
ville in 1862, several thousand sick and wounded Confederates
were in the hospitals at Harrodsburg, Ky. Surgeon William
H. DeCamp of the Mich, engineers and mechanics was detailed
as medical director, in charge of all the hospitals at
that point,
and his attitude was such as to elicit the voluntary written
thanks of the surgeons of the Confederacy
in attendance.
The Michigan Soldiers' Relief Association of Washington,
D. C, is said
to have been the first to commence its work in
the field at the east and the last to cease, beginning as it did
in
the autumn of 1861 and continuing until Sept., 1866. This
association was formed by Michigan people at the capital,
with
Hon. James M. Edmunds president, Dr. H. J. Alvord,
secretary, and Z. Moses, treasurer. Membership assessments
were
necessary at first, but as soon as its organization and aims
became known to the people of the state, contributions began
to pour in until they had aggregated $24,902.24. In the try-
ing period of Grant's great battles, when sickness and
wounds
were the greatest, the association established the famous Michigan
soup house at City Point, which relieved
the suffering of thou-
sands, regardless of state. It followed closely in the wake
of the Army of the Potomac in its
Peninsular campaign, found
plenty to command its attention after the second Bull Run
and the various engagements which
filled the hospitals at
Washington, Baltimore and Fortress Monroe, and later at
Alexandria, Frederick City, Annapolis,
New York and Phila-
delphia. In 1863, after the campaign in Maryland and Pennsyl-
vania, including bloody Gettysburg,
and in 1864, following
the battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania, and the opera-
tions about Richmond and Petersburg,
the hospitals were
filled. The necessities were great, but the association met
them with the aid of the Christian
and U. S. sanitary commis-
sions. In the later days of the war a home was established
in Washington, where the wounded
and sick, passing through
the city, were given shelter. For many days the bread con- sumed
averaged over 300 loaves
daily, and imperfect records
showed over 8,000 names of those furnished one or more meals.
At the conclusion of the
active campaign of Sherman's army,
Michigan regiments, quartered at and near Washington, were
supplied with vegetables,
pickles, bread and tobacco.
At Detroit Nov. 6, 1861, the Michigan Soldiers' Aid Society
was organized
as a branch of the U. S. sanitary commission.
Between Nov. 6, 1861, and June 1, 1866, it had received and
expended
$19,633.18, and between June 1, 1866, and April 7,
1868, $8,496.23, a total of $28,129.41. Of this amount $11,422.36
was
on account of the soldiers' home at Detroit. Up to Nov.
1861, between thirty and forty large packages were received
from
various parts of the state and forwarded to the field by
Mrs. Morse Stewart and Mrs. George Duffield, who was after-
wards
president of the society. Between Nov. 1, 1861, and
June 1, 1863, 3,593 packages were forwarded to the front and
2,724
packages distributed in the home field.
In April, 1862, the Michigan Soldiers' Relief Association
was organized
at Detroit. It made special effort to collect
supplies of such articles as were practical and needed by the
soldiers,
including socks, shirts, handkerchiefs, underwear,
newspapers, books, needles, pins and thread, and for the sick,
sheets,
quilts, pillow cases, bed sacks, lint, dried and canned
fruits, pickles, spices, jellies and wines. It forwarded 331 boxes
and 203 barrels; received in 1864, by contributions $3,600
for the relief of destitute soldiers; defrayed the expenses
of
agents in looking after their needs; provided meals for veterans
on their return; paid the rent for the soldiers'
home, buried
the dead, etc.
One of the greatest aids in the sanitary operations of the
state was
the Christian commission, an organization of Christian
men who combined the spiritual and physical welfare of the
soldiers
in their efforts. This body was organized June 15,
1863, and from that time forward sent its ministers, the bible
and
religious papers of all denominations to the soldier; sought,
the wounded and sick on the battle-field, in camp or hospital;
held services for the living, and offered prayers for the dead. The
report for 1864 noted the receipt of a total fund of $21,725.20,
and stores contributed and forwarded to the value of about $10,000.
In 1863 strong pressure was brought to bear upon the govern-
ment by
Col. Charles S. Tripler, surgeon in the U. S. army,,
and others, for the erection of a hospital for the care of invalid
soldiers of the state and early in 1864 it was built at a cost
of $60,000, being known as Harper hospital. It consisted
of
eleven one-story buildings, with a capacity for 800 patients,
and was well equipped. Its usefulness was demonstrated,,
for in its day its walls sheltered thousands of sick and wounded.
It was closed as a government institution in Dec,
1865, the
buildings being given to the trustees of the Harper hospital
association, one of the conditions made by
the government
being that it should be open at all times for invalid and destitute
Michigan
soldiers and sailors.
In all this magnificent work, the women of Michigan took
a leading,
though in many ways a retiring part. Innumer-
able local aid societies furnished large quantities of clothing,
lint,
bandages and delicacies, devised ways for raising funds,
and in many cases, nursed the sick one back to health again.
One of these societies was the Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society
of Kalamazoo, which projected and carried out a state
sanitary
fair in 1864, from which was netted $9,618.72, one-third of
which was retained for its own work and the balance
divided
between the Michigan soldiers' relief committee and the Christian
commission. At this fair the torn battle
flags borne by Michigan
regiments during the war were placed on exhibition. Among
leading workers at home, on the
field and in the hospitals,
were Mrs. Brainard, Mrs. Mahan, Mrs. Gridley, Mrs. Plum,
Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Hall, Miss
Wheelock, Miss Bateman, the
Misses Bull, Mrs. George Duffield, Mrs. Theodore Romeyn,
Mrs. D. P. Bushnell, Dr. Zina
Pitcher, Mrs. Morse Stewart
and Mrs. S. A. Sibley. The list comprehends hundreds, thou-
sands, of willing, modest
workers.
It would be justice to her memory, and not unfair to others,
to refer
briefly to Mrs. Laura S. Haviland, whose active sympathy
with suffering humanity was more than state wide. Gov.
Blair
appointed her as a state agent early in 1863, and for
three months she labored among the soldiers and freedmen
in
Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee. Ill health compelled
her to return home. She set to work collecting supplies, and
in
1864 went to Vicksburg to assist in hospital and prison work.
She distributed books, tracts and sanitary stores among
3,000
Union military prisoners. She then made a tour of the south-
west, distributing some $7,000 worth of supplies
and nearly
$1,700 in money. She returned about June 1, 1865, in ill
health, but two months later went to Washington
City, where
she secured an order allowing her to purchase military cloth-
ing at auction prices for distribution among
destitute freedmen
on the southern frontier of Virginia. On her application, an
order was procured from Sec. Stanton
for the release of 300
military prisoners in confinement at Ship island and the Dry
Tortugas.
Gov. Crapo issued a proclamation June 14, 1865, welcoming
and thanking
the returning Michigan troops. In conclusion
he said: "We are proud in believing that when the history of
this rebellion
shall have been written, where all have done
so well, none will stand higher on the roll of fame than the
officers
and soldiers sent to the field from the loyal and patriotic
state of Michigan."
An annoying incident in the closing days of the war was
the retention
in service of a portion of the Michigan cavalry
brigade, which was sent across the plains into Utah after it
had been
ordered discharged and detained there until March,
1866, when the men were given the option of an immediate
discharge,
or of remaining in service two months longer and
marching across the plains, without horses or tents. They
accepted
the first only to find that they would not be given
transportation home and were compelled to use over $200
each of
their own hard-earned money to get back to Michigan.
After much correspondence. Congress passed an act returning
the
amount to them.
Early in June, 1865, arrangements were made for the recep-
tion of the
returning troops and as they entered the state they
were taken in hand and substantially entertained. The use
of the
upper story of a large freight house at Detroit was donated
by the Michigan Central railroad and fitted up as a dining
room
with a seating capacity of 2,000. From that time until June
10, 1866, 19,510 Michigan and 3,506 Wisconsin troops
were
cared for at that place. Similar arrangements had been made
at Jackson and in the same period of time 10,659
soldiers
received the cordial, substantial reception accorded those who
rendezvoused at Detroit.
One of the interesting incidents connected with and follow-
ing the
close of the war, was the presentation of the regimental
colors, which was a notable occasion. Appropriately July
4,
1866, was chosen for the formal presentation of the colors
to the state, by the governor, to be deposited in the archives
of the commonwealth for all future time. A great procession
was formed, made up of the different organizations that
had
gone from the state, and thousands of the veterans rallied to
follow once again and for the last time the colors
they had
carried to many a victory, but never to disgrace.
The new capitol at Lansing was so designed as to give a
special military
museum, and in a large, commodious room
may be found Michigan's battleflags, in regimental order, in
vertical cases
of novel construction in the center of the apart-
ment, reaching almost to the ceiling and of heavy plate glass.
Other
cases ranged about the walls contain many interesting
relics, including Confederate flags captured by the regiments.
A Roll of Honor was prepared under a resolution of the
state legislature
in 1869. It was completed in 1872 and con-
tains the names of all citizens of Michigan who had fallen in
battle, or
died in consequence of wounds received during the
war, or who had died in southern prisons or hospitals. The
roll
shows 14,855 names, engrossed on English parchment
and required two years time on the part of John Radiger. It
is in two
volumes, bound in Russia leather, with ornamental
brass trimmings and fastenings.
One of the items at which one marvels, is the amount of
money raised
and applied by Michigan for war purposes. The
state paid for bounties between March 6, 1863, and April 14,
1865, $1,927,858;
disbursed for premiums for procuring recruits,
$60,000, and for war purposes, $815,000, making a total of
$2,802,858.
Statements made in 1866 by officers of the various
townships, cities and wards of the state of the aggregate expend-
itures
for war purposes gave a total of $8,157,748.70. The
amount expended by the counties of the state under the Soldiers'
Relief
Act, totalled $3,591,248.12, a grand total of $14,551,854.82.
In addition, government quartermasters disbursed within the state
$7,144,812, for horses, supplies, transportation, forage, equipment,
barracks, hospitals, etc.
Michigan bore an honorable part in naval affairs, but lack
of data makes
it impossible to give any extended history of
those who went from that state. Regular officers, claiming
Michigan
as their early home, were thirteen in number, most
of them being actively engaged in all the naval operations of
the
war. Among them were John M. B. Clitz, a commander
during the war and promoted to a rear-admiralty March 13,
1880;
Charles V. Gridley, an ensign during the war and in
command of the Olympia at the great naval battle in Manila
harbor
May 1, 1898. Of volunteer officers there were thirty-
two. A number of men were with the Kearsarge, when she
won the
historic fight with the Alabama in sight of the people
of a foreign nation. William Gouin of Detroit was killed in
that
memorable engagement, and 2 more of Michigan's sons
were wounded. The state gave to the service of her country
several
who in later years gained a national, if not a world-
wide reputation. Among them were Gen. Russell A. Alger,
who
became one of the great figures in affairs, a leading candi-
date for the nomination for the presidency, secretary of
the
war under President McKinley during the Spanish-American
war of 1898, and later. United States senator from Michigan.
Philip H. Sheridan, one of the greatest cavalry leaders in all
history, came from Ohio, but he won his first recognition
while leading a Michigan regiment. Gallant George A. Custer,
dashing and brave to recklessness, went into the field
from
the Peninsular State and mounted to fame with a Michigan
regiment. William R. Shafter enlisted from Michigan,
entered
the regular service at the close of the war, worked his way up
by merit, and was chosen to direct the Cuban
campaign during
the war with Spain in 1898.
In fitting recognition of the offering of the best blood of
the state,
early action was taken to erect a monument to the
memory of Michigan's dead, the first meeting for the purpose
being
held June 20, 1861, in Detroit. Other meetings were
held from time to time, but it was finally agreed that it would
be
best to wait until the end of the war. The outcome of this
movement was the erection of a splended monument, 46 feet
in
height, surmounted by the figure of an Indian queen, typify-
ing Michigan, with a sword in her right hand and a shield
in
her left. Beneath the plinth on which she stands are stars
and wreaths. On the front of the next section is the
inscrip-
tion, 'Erected by the People of Michigan in Honor of the Martyrs
Who Fell and the Heroes Who Fought in Defense
of Liberty
and Union." On the left are the arms of the state; on the
right, the arms of the United States. On the
projectin' but-
tresses are four allegorical figures seated, representing Victory,
Union, Emancipation and History.
Upon projections of the
section below are four statues representing soldiers of infantry,
artillery and cavalry, and
a sailor of the navy. Between these
statues are bronze tablets, bearing medallion figures of Lincoln,
Grant, Sherman
and Farragut. On the outer pedestal are
four eagles. The structure complete, with the iron fencing
surrounding it,
cost $70,185.91. It is of gray granite, its orna-
mental decoration being of gold bronze.
Joining the other loyal states, Michigan took an active part
in the
work of providing national cemeteries. The legislature
of 1864 appropriated $3,500 as her proportion for the cost
of
the cemetery at Gettysburg and the following year appro-
priated $2,500 for the completion of the work and keeping the
cemetery in repair. The state stood third, numerically, in
the number slain in that battle. In 1867 the sum of $3,344.88
was appropriated as Michigan's proportion for the cost and
care of the Antietam national cemetery, and she did her
part
in preparing a beautiful cemetery at Andersonville, Ga., where
623 of her loyal sons suffered death by slow torture
rather
than renounce allegiance and fight for the south.
The state was sorely tried during the war by Southern sym-
pathizers
who had fled to Canada, that place being a convenient
rendezvous. The Confederate government sent paid emissar-
ies
there for the purpose of fomenting trouble. Being on the
border, Michigan was continually threatened and found it
necessary
to be constantly on guard against probable invasions.
Several companies were kept on duty in and about Detroit
to
guard the city from pillage and the torch, armed steam
tugs were continually occupied in patrolling the river, and
a
small force guarded the arsenal at Dearborn, where were
stored 35,000 stands of arms. A party of 4 men, led by Bennett
G. Burley,
boarded the passenger steamer Philo Parsons at
Detroit, for Sandusky Sept. 19, 1864, and were joined at Sand-
wich
and Amherstburg, Canada by 30 more. This party seized
the boat shortly before reaching Sandusky and the steamer
Island
Queen at Middle Bass island, and announced their inten-
tion of capturing the U. S. war vessel Michigan, which was
guarding
Johnson's island, on which were 3,000 Confederate
prisoners. The Island Queen was finally cast adrift. In the
party
was a Capt. Beall, who appeared to be in command and
who afterwards stated he was a Confederate officer. The
Parsons
was afterwards steered towards Detroit, some of the
passengers being put ashore on American soil. The steamer
was
afterwards found at Sandwich. It also transpired that
Burley was commissioned an acting master in the Confederate
navy,
and that an effort to get possession of the Michigan and
liberate the prisoners had been authorized by President Davis.
Burley was extradited and tried in Ohio, the jury failing to
agree as to the nature of the crime. Being recommitted,
he
broke jail and fled the country, returning to Scotland, his
native land.
It was a Michigan man, Gen. L. C. Baker, who was at the
head of the
detective force in Washington at the time of Lincoln's
assassination, and who directed the movements leading to the
capture
of Booth. And a cousin of Gen. Baker, Lieut. L. B.
Baker, also a Michigan man, was placed in command of the
force
that found Booth and Harold at the Garrett place. Maj.
Richard A. Watts and Capt. Christian Rath of the 17th Mich.,
were
selected for important service during the trial of the con-
spirators.
After the war, several asylums were opened for the children
of Michigan's
dead soldiers. Three of these were located in
Detroit and one at Adrian, being kept open during the time
made necessary
by the age of the orphans. Generous aid was
extended and when the Soldiers' Relief Association at Wash-
ington, D.
C, closed its affairs, it forwarded a balance of
$1,508.90, to be divided among these asylums as needed.
During the war, 4,007 officers were commissioned; 2,067
left the state
with regiments; 1,940 were promoted from the
ranks, except 10, who were appointed from the regular army,
and a small
number were commissioned to recruit in the state.
The evident need of a harbor of refuge for disabled, home-
less soldiers,
led to an appropriation of $20,000 by the legis-
lature of 1867 for the maintenance of a soldiers' home at the
Harper
hospital in Detroit, and two years later an additional
sum was appropriated for its support for two years more. Its
management was placed in the hands of a state military board
composed
of soldiers. It was used for years as a home, while
preparations were being made for the admission of occupants
to
the national homes.
Supplementary to the notable patriotism of Michigan in
the Civil war
her remaining desire to administer justice to
the surviving volunteers was demonstrated in the legislature
of 1883,
while Gen. R. A. Alger was governor. A bill was
introduced and passed creating a home for disabled and indigent
veterans,
to be located at Grand Rapids. Immediately follow-
ing the enactment of this measure, assistance was given to
applicants,
although the new institution was not completed
and inaugurated until Jan. 1, 1887. The site of 130 acres
just north
of the city limits was contributed by the city. The
building and grounds represent an expenditure of $500,000
by the
state. In 1907 a new hospital was added, capable of
caring for 200 or more patients, the former one having been
converted
into wards for the constantly increasing number
of inmates. An annex for dependent wives and widows has
been an additional
feature of the good work. The present
enrollment is 1,081 — women 115, hospital 155. There in
peace and comfort,
those heroes liver over again the stirring
days of their youth, fighting again those memorable battles,
awaiting the
final roll call.
Advance to:
Source: The Union Army, vol. 3
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