1st Michigan Sharpshooters Regiment explained

Unit Name:1st Michigan Sharpshooters Regiment
Dates:April 14, 1863, to July 28, 1865
Country:United States
Allegiance:Union
Branch:Infantry
Battles:Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
Battle of Cold Harbor
Siege of Petersburg
Appomattox Campaign
Identification Symbol Label:1st Division
Identification Symbol 3 Label:3rd Division

The 1st Michigan Sharpshooters Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army's Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.

Service

The 1st Michigan Sharpshooters was organized at Kalamazoo and Dearborn, Michigan, between April 14 and October 7, 1863, and six companies were mustered into Federal service on July 7, 1863, to serve three years.

Officers

Charles Victor DeLand, a Jackson, Michigan, journalist and politician on 10/15/1861 was commissioned as a captain into "C" Co. MI 9th Infantry. He Resigned on 11/15/1862. On 7/7/1863 he was commissioned into Field & Staff MI 1st SharpShooters as Colonel and charged with mustering the First Michigan Sharpshooters. He fought in many of the great battles in the Western Campaigns, wounded in action three times and taken prisoner twice! A monument erected at the Michigan State Capital in Lansing, MI honoring the First Michigan Sharpshooters bears his name with other faithful soldiers under his command.

He was discharged for wounds on 2/4/1865He was listed as:

Promotions:

Other Information:born 7/25/1828 in North Brookfield, MAdied 9/21/1903 in Jackson, MISources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:- Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers 1861-65- Dyer: A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion- Brevet Brigadier Generals in Blue- Heitman: Register of United States Army 1789-1903

Major John Piper, of Battle Creek, originally served as Captain of the famed Company D (The "Michigan Boys") of the Western Sharpshooters (W.S.S.) Regiment. Captain Piper resigned from the W.S.S. to take up the position of Major of the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters. He was killed in action at the Battle of Spottsylvania Courthouse, May 13, 1864.

The initial six companies were sent to Seymour, IN to repel the Morgan Raid where they were in contact with his raiders at North Vernon, July 13, and at Pierceville, July 14. After the successful rebuff of the raid, the regiment returned to Dearborn and trained there until August 16 when they moved to Chicago, to guarding prisoners-of-war (POWs) until March 17, 1864.The regiment was ordered to Annapolis, Md., March 17.

Company K

Of note, Company K was composed primarily of Native Americans of the United States, especially members of the Ojibwa, Odawa, and Potawatomi nations. In their first action at Although some members were armed with repeaters and breech-loaders, and despite Colonel Deland's attempts to requisition 700 Henrys for the regiment, the majority remained armed with Springfield Model 1861 rifled muskets. The unit distinguished itself in its skirmishing ability, infiltration ability, and marksmanship.

The regiment was highly trained in its combat skills, and the First Nations men in Company K were recognized as the most accomplished. In their first combat at The Wilderness,

Through its service, the regiment was esteemed for its solid, dependable, and effective conduct. It provided valuable sniping, counter-sniping, and harassment fire during the Siege of Petersburg. It was noted for its "splendid work" in the debacle of the Battle of the Crater on 30 July 1864. Many other Union soldiers noticed mortally wounded Native American members of Company K, "... drawing their blouses over their faces, they chanted a death song and died - four of them a group."

Order of battle

The 1st was one of the first units to enter Petersburg after it finally fell on April 1, 1865.

The regiment was attached to the following:

The 1st Michigan Sharpshooters' detailed service is as follows (NOTE - Battles are Bolded, Italicized; campaigns are Italicized):

1863

1864

1865

Total strength and casualties

The regiment suffered 6 officers and 131 enlisted men who were killed in action or mortally wounded and 165 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 362 fatalities.

Commanders

Notable Members

See also

References

External links

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