1st Michigan Sharpshooters Co. K
During the Morgan raid into Ohio and Indiana the regiment, in command of Colonel DeLand, was ordered to Indianapolis, Indiana, and thence proceeded to Seymour, in the same State. Following Morgan's forces, it fell in with and attacked their rear guard at North Vernon on July 13th, and on the 14th at Pierceville, capturing some prisoners.
Morgan had entered Indiana and was traveling leisurely across the State, robbing and plundering, until ho reached the vicinity of Seymour, where six companies of the sharp-shooters, about 400 strong, in command of DeLand, and two companies of the 32d Indiana, at home on furlough commanded by Captain Moore, had been sent to watch the raider. He struck Dupre Station nine miles south of Seymour which he sacked and burned. As soon as notified of this act DeLand placed his command in box cars and went to the relief of the town, but found on arrival there only the rebel rear guard remaining, the main force having moved on Vernon, 25 miles away. Leaving the two Indiana companies to take care of the burning village, DeLand with his other six companies returned to Seymour, where he took a train for Vernon, and from there marched four miles to North Vernon. On his arrival he found the citizens parleying with Morgan's flag of truce, about the surrender of the place, the whole rebel force being in camp about three or four miles out. DeLand paid no attention to the flag of truce, but marched directly through the town about 4 P. M. on July 12th. Of course the rebs with their flag took to their heels and made for their camp. DeLand at once pushed his entire force out by companies to picket all the roads, retaining only the drum corps as a reserve with about three hundred citizens who were armed and equipped with guns and ammunition from an extra supply on hand. Morgan put out counter pickets, and thus the forces stood at 9 P. M. DeLand knowing that the rebel force was far superior to his, both as to numbers and equipment, resolved to accomplish his purpose of saving the town by strategy, and at once went to work. With this in view be employed several teams driving up and down the road to the railroad depot about three miles distant as if carrying supplies, and at intervals during the night made use of the drum corps, playing us though additional troop had come to reënforce. At 4 A. M. of the 13th the sharp-shooters attacked the Morgan pickets on the two principal roads, when considerable firing for a few minutes took place, but at daylight it was discovered that the enemy had left his camp and moved in the direction of Pierceville. A few of Morgan's stragglers captured said they supposed the town was full of infantry. One officer remarked: "We could have whipped you'uns in ten minutes." Thus was one Indiana town saved from the notorious marauder. DeLand pushed on the next day, the 14th, to Pierceville and there had more skirmishing with the rear guard of Morgan, whom they followed on foot in the night about 28 miles to Summan Station, on the railroad to Cincinnati, where the pursuit ended, Morgan having made good his escape into Ohio.
The regiment, in command of Colonel DeLand, marched from Annapolis on the 23d of April, and proceeded via Alexandria to Warrenton Junction, where it arrived on the 28th. Joining the Army of the Potomac then entering upon its summer campaign, the regiment left Warrenton Junction May 4th and on the 6th crossed the Rapidan river. On the 6th and 7th it was engaged in the battle of the Wilderness, sustaining a loss of 7 killed or died of wounds, 17 wounded, and 1 missing. Marching with the army to Spottsylvania С. Н., it participated in the battles of the 9th, 10th, and 12th of May, suffering very severely, especially in the action of the 12th. The casualties at Spottsylvania were 34 killed, 117 wounded, and 4 missing, including among the killed Major Piper.
"On May 9th the 9th corps moved forward in the direction of Spottsylvania, the 3d division in advance, and before noon encountered the enemy, when the lines were formed, the sharp-shooters on the left. Immediately the division experienced severe lighting; for a time the line wavered, but advanced quickly, gaining ground all day, and on the 10th, with the corps, crossed the Po river, and went into position on the heights southwest of the river, where its artillery commanded the junction of the two great wagon roads which the rebels had to hold in order to cover Richmond. Heavy skirmishing continued on the 11th, and the height of the lighting was reached on the next day; said to have been acknowledged by the generals of both armies as one of the bloodiest of the campaign. The rain having continued for two clays, the roads had become totally impassable, and it was only by the most persistent and overtasking exertions that the 9th and 2d corps were joined and put in a defensive position. The rebel general, moving on plank and macadamized roads, took quick advantage of this state of affairs to make a tremendous onslaught upon the 9th corps while thus isolated and unsupported, with a swollen and almost impassable river in its rear. General Burnside, not waiting to be attacked, initiated the action, and the fighting commenced at 4 o'clock A. M. The 1st division (Crittenden's) in front, assisted by the 2d division (Potter's), maintained the action until noon, when the 3d division (Willcox's) was put in, when a most determined and vigorous attack was made by the 1st brigade, under General Hartranft, which drove the rebels into their works and gave the Union troops a most decided advantage, and the division was instantly formed and ordered to assault the main line of works, while, at the same time, as was afterwards ascertained, Anderson's corps of the rebel army had been preparing to charge to dislodge the Union troops.
"The Federal line swiftly advanced, with a cheer, to the desperate contest. Answering back came the shrill yell of the rebel hosts, as if in confident defiance. Midway the space between the two lines of battle the two charging columns met, amid the thick smoke of battle, in a dense thicket of pines; the bloody struggle commenced and almost in an instant after the first shock they became mixed in inextricable confusion, and the charge became a series of furious and unrelenting hand-to-hand encounters. At length the superior numbers of the rebels began to force the Union lines to retire; regiment after regiment fell slowly and sullenly back, and the whole left was in retreat. The terrible sacrifice of the troops attest their valor and the magnitude of the struggle.
"On a little knoll, among the thick spindling pine, where their rifles commanded the country for their full range, rallied two Michigan regiments—the 1st sharp-shooters, Colonel De Land, and the 27th, Major Moody, while a little back, in a ravine, was the 14th New York Battery, supported by the 2d Michigan Infantry. The combat slowly, sullenly, disastrously rolling down from the left, was bursting upon them, when Colonel Humphrey of the 2d Michigan, commanding brigade, cool as an iceberg and resolute as fate, said: 'Boys, this must be stopped!' The leaden hail pattered and whistled with terrific furor, but the little band stood firm. More than once the bold rebels laid their hands on the guns of the battery only to be driven back by well-directed volleys. A cheer arose, the rebels were checked, broken, but not defeated; in an incredibly short time they had reformed, and again the fearful struggle was renewed. On the right stood the 27th, fighting with unequalled coolness and bravery; everything on the left of the sharp-shooters had been swept away, and the attack on their front and flank, with both infantry and artillery pouring in shot and shell, was terrific; but they gallantly held their ground. On the left of the sharp-shooters were a company of civilized Indians, in command of the gallant and lamented young Graveraet, an educated half-breed—as brave a band of warriors as ever struck a war-path; they suffered dreadfully, but never faltered nor moved, sounding the war-whoop with every volley, and their unerring aim quickly taught the rebels they were standing on dangerous ground. The fighting continued on. Near night a rumor runs along the lines that ammunition is gone, and the cry of 'give them the steel' is received with a cheer. The attack has again been repulsed, and the storm lulls; the fight is losing its horrid fury, and with a fearful burst of artillery it sinks into a scattered skirmish, but not until the darkness came did the battle cease. During this fearful and bloody day Colonel De Land was twice struck and prostrated by the flying missiles, but, badly injured as he was, remained faithful to his command. The regiment lost 34 killed, 117 wounded, and 4 missing. Among the killed was Major John Piper, a brave and lamented officer, who, after several years' hard and faithful service, fell by a shot through the brain."
The regiment, in command of Major L. C. Rhines, Colonel De Land being wounded on the 12th, arrived on the banks of the North Anna on the 23d of May, where it was somewhat warmly engaged in several skirmishes with the enemy on that day, losing in these encounters 2 killed, 7 wounded, and 5 missing. On the 26th the regiment again moved by a circuitous route to the Pamunky river, crossing it on the 28th, accomplishing on that day a march of 32 miles. It arrived at Tolopotomy creek on the 29th, where it engaged in skirmishing, with a loss of only 1 wounded. June 2d it again resumed the march, meeting the enemy at Bethesda Church that afternoon, but being in the supporting line suffered but little, having but 2 wounded.
On the 4th the regiment marched to Cold Harbor, and lay in the front line during the operations there, its casualties being one killed, 6 wounded, and 10 missing. It evacuated the works at Cold Harbor on the 11th of June, crossing the James river on the night of the 15th.
Passing through Grant's great campaign on Richmond with much credit, and crossing the James river, it arrived with its division in front of Petersburg June 16th, and on the next day, while in command of Major Rhines, became so heavily engaged and so specially distinguished in charging and holding the enemy's works, and repelling his repeated assaults to retake them, that this bloody battle became one of the most prominent events in the history of the regiment.
The position of the regiment being on the extreme left of the corps, and the 5th corps failing to connect the line after the capture of the rebel works, a large gap was left through which the rebels poured their troops, and most severe fighting occurred; the regiment most gallantly repulsed the enemy in two successive and vigorous charges, taking 2 officers and 86 men prisoners, and the colors of the 35th North Carolina, which were captured by Corporal Benj. F. Young, of Company I, who was promoted for distinguished gallantry on the occasion. During the engagement the left of the regiment became completely enveloped, and was placed in a position compelling it either to surrender or cut its way through the rebel lines; the last-named resort was determined on, and having first destroyed the national color of the regiment to prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy, then commenced fighting its way out, and finally succeeded in getting through the rebel lines. The gallant Major Rhines fell in this desperate struggle, together with 31 killed and died of wounds, 46 wounded, and 84 missing, including among the killed Captain Geo. C. Knight, and among the mortally wounded Captain Thomas H. Gaffney and Lieutenant Garrett A. Graveraet. The former died at Washington, June 20th, and the latter on the 10th of July following. Lieutenant Martin Wager was killed in the trenches on June 23d.
From this date to the 30th of July, again in command of Colonel DeLand, it remained in the advanced lines of intrenchments, and was almost constantly under fire. On the 30th of July the regiment led its brigade in the charge on the rebel works contiguous to the fort which was blown up by the "mine," and aided in carried the works, taking about 50 prisoners. The rebels having finally succeeded in retaking the works, it was obliged to retire, with a loss of 3 men killed, Colonel DeLand and 12 men wounded and Captain Dicey, of Company B, and 32 men captured and missing. The regiment, then in the 1st division, remained in front of Petersburg until the 19th of August, when it was ordered to move to the Weldon railroad. Soon after it reached there it assisted in retaking a line of works from which our forces had been driven. Its loss in this affair was one killed and two wounded. It was also engaged at Ream's Station on the 25th, and was there employed in the erection of works until the 28th of September.
On the 30th of September it participated in the battle of Poplar Spring Church, with a loss of two enlisted men killed and Colonel DeLand, Captain Bellair and 16 men wounded, all of whom were left on the field and fell into the hands of the enemy. DeLand being wounded and a prisoner, Captain Geo. H. Murdoch, of Company I, succeeded to the command, retaining it until December 16th following.
The sharp-shooters being directed to lead the advance of their brigade against the rebel works on the Pegram Farm in this engagement, pushed the enemy out of his first line, but the troops of the 2d division on the right falling back, allowed the brigade (Hartranft's), on the extreme left of the army, and to which the sharp-shooters belonged, to be flanked. The brigade was assaulted by infantry on the right and by Hampton's cavalry on the left, but held the position for over two hours, when it was forced to fall back, passing through a ravine which was enfiladed by a terrible fire of musketry. In this retreat General Hartranft directed Captain Murdoch to rally his men and commence firing, and although the rebel infantry were on the right flank and Hampton's cavalry on the left, yelling, "Surrender, you yankee _ ," which could be heard in every direction, the regiment rallied and delivered several effective volleys, which checked the cavalry, enabling the brigade to rally on the sharp-shooters, when the cavalry withdrew from the field. The regiment was also engaged at Pegram's Farm October 2d, and on the 8th at Boydton Road.
On the 27th of October it took part in the movement toward the South Side railroad, and was engaged during the day in skirmishing with the enemy at Hatcher's Run, losing 5 men wounded. On the 28th it abandoned the temporary works which it had thrown up the preceding night, and returned to its old camp, where it remained on trench and picket duty until March 25th following. On that day two companies of the regiment (I and K), in command of Captain Jas. S. DeLand, of Company K, assisted in repelling the assault of the enemy on Fort Steedman, and were in the final charge which drove him behind his works on that occasion, capturing more prisoners than they had men engaged, and with but slight loss to themselves.
On April 2d, 1865, the regiment, then in command of Lieutenant Colonel W. A. Nichols and in the brigade of Colonel Ralph Ely, again most signally acquired a very enviable notoriety and great credit for a most daring and brilliant achievement while making a demonstration in front of Petersburg, on the left of the enemy's works for the purpose of drawing troops from his right while our forces were attacking him at other points. After making two efforts, under a very severe fire of musketry and artillery, the regiment succeeded in getting hold on his works to the extent of its regimental front, which it held for an hour under a terrific tire. The object of the attack having been attained, it was ordered back to its former position, having suffered a heavy loss. On the next day, about 4 A. M., then in command of Major E. J. Buckbee, Colonel Nichols having been wounded on the 2d, it was again ordered to advance, under the supposition that the enemy was withdrawing. On moving forward and finding that he had evacuated his works, it pushed on and was the first regiment to enter Petersburg, and while Colonel Ely was receiving the surrender of the city raised the first national flag on the courthouse of that rebel stronghold.
The capture of Petersburg was long and anxiously looked for, as leading to the immediate possession of Richmond by the Union forces. It was finally accomplished, the rebel army fled, and Richmond fell. Michigan troops were prominently instrumental in bringing about the result. Colonel Ely's brigade of Michigan regiments, belonging to Willcox's division (1st), 9th corps, were, as previously stated, the first to enter the city and place their colors on the public buildings, raising one flag on the court-house and another on the custom-house, Colonel Ely himself receiving the surrender of the city from the authorities.
"On the night of the 29th of March, at half-past 10 o'clock, the enemy opened on my lines, stretching from above Fort Morton to the Appomattox, with all their artillery of every description and some musketry from their main line. At about 11 o'clock the artillery lulled. I expected an advance of the enemy's troops and was ready to receive them, but no attack was made, and a desultory firing of artillery only continued through the night.
"It afterwards appeared from the official reports of the enemy that they thought that we had made an attack; in fact, Major-General Gordon reported such to be the case, and that they had handsomely repulsed us; but although we were under orders from corps headquarters to be ready to attack, and I had caused to be distributed axes for cutting the enemy's abatis, yet no sort of attack was actually ordered or made on our front.
"The sensitiveness of the enemy seemed to encourage our men. Preparations were made on the 31st as well as on April 1st for a night attack opposite Forts Steadman and Haskell, 3d brigade, and at a point in front of Ely's brigade, nearer the Appomattox. Through the night of the 2d various demonstrations were made along the line, and the enemy's picket-pits captured at various points, in pursuance of orders from corps headquarters, made in aid of operations being carried on, on the left of the army.
"At about 1 o'clock, on the morning of the 2d April, orders were received from corps headquarters to mass one brigade (except garrisons) by 4 o'clock on the same morning near Fort Sedgwick, on the 2d division front, where Gen. Hartranft was to make a real attack with his division and a brigade from each of the other divisions, while, by the same order, I was directed to make a vigorous demonstration along my whole division line with the rest of my troops at the same hour.
"Col. Harriman was accordingly detached, with staff officers who knew the road, tools, ammunition, and every possible aid, to report to Hartranft; and this brigade was in position and formed at the moment required.
"The demonstration along the line began precisely at 4 by the 2d brigade, Brevet Col. Ralph Ely; 3d brigade, Brevet Col. G. P. Robinson, and Col. Wm. J. Bolton, commanding 51st Pennsylvania, left on the 1st brigade line of entrenchments. Some of the enemy's picket-pits were captured near the "Old Crater" by Col. Bolton. The pickets of the 3d and 2d brigades, strongly reinforced, advanced handsomely, the artillery opened vigorously, and large portions of the enemy were down to oppose what they considered a real attack in force.
"On the extreme right, near the Appomattox, a portion of Ely's brigade actually carried some two hundred yards of the enemy's works; but our lines, two miles in length, were too much attenuated to hold the ground. Some seventy-five prisoners were secured and brought in. Three regiments were withdrawn from other points and double-quicked to the point, but before it could be reinforced the enemy had recovered it.
"The effect of the movement, however, on the grand result was most happy, inasmuch as it contributed to weaken the enemy's line in front of Fort Sedgwick, where the real attack was completely successful.
"For the handsome part performed by Harriman's brigade of this division at the latter point I respectfully refer you to his own report and that of Brevet Major-Gen. Hartranft, commanding at that part of the line.
“In the afternoon and evening the enemy strengthened their line opposite me; but about midnight of the 2d reports came up from Colonel Ely, commanding 2d brigade, and Col. James Bentliff, now commanding 3d brigade, by virtue of his rank, that there were signs of the enemy’s withdrawing from our front, leaving only their picket line. I gave orders to the 2d brigade commanders to press through as soon as possible.