Twelfth Michigan Infantry
Page 507-511

The Twelfth Infantry was organized at Niles during the fall and winter of 1861-62. On the 18th of March, 1862, it left the state with an enrollment of 1,000 officers and men. In this regiment were two companies, D and E, recruited in large part from Calhoun county. Company D was commanded by Captain Phineas Graves of Albion. First Lieutenant Isaak McCloy was from Jackson and Second Lieutenant George H. Graves was from Albion. Company E had for first lieutenant Charles E. Harvey of Marshall. The chaplain of the regiment was the Reverend Andrew J. Eldred, later widely known to the people of Calhoun county as pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church of Albion during the latter part of the war. The regiment went by rail to St. Louis, Missouri, and from there by steamer via the Mississippi, the Ohio and the Tennessee rivers to Pittsburg Landing, where in less than three weeks from the time they left the state they were in desperate battle at Shiloh. It fell to the honor of Albion to have one of the two companies commanded by Captain Phineas Graves, detailed to picket duty on the left of the line the night before the battle and to help arouse the sleeping army in the early morning of April 6 and warn them that the enemy was not only close at hand but was advancing in force. This service was greatly appreciated at the time and indeed it well might be for its value, under the circumstances, could hardly be over-estimated.

On the 24th of December, 1862, a detachment of the regiment, consisting of portions of Companies D, E, P and K, in all about 120 muskets were located in a stockade at Middleburg, Tennessee, when a staff officer of the Confederate general, Van Dorn, advanced under a flag of truce and demanded the surrender. This demand was declined by the commanding officer, Col. W. H. Graves, wherefore a force estimated at 3,000 moved to the attack. Their repeated assaults were repulsed and they finally withdrew with a loss in killed, wounded and captured equal to all the officers and men in the stockade. This affair was deemed by General Grant of sufficient importance to make it the subject of a general order, in which among other things he said, "The following general order from the headquarters of the department of the Tennessee is promulgated, to be read on dress parade at the head of each regiment and detachment in this command.

"The general commanding availing himself of the appropriate occasion, made immediate report of the circumstances attending the gallant and successful defense of Middleburg, and gratefully commended Col. W. H. Graves and his heroic little band of the Twelfth Michigan to the notice of the general commanding the district and the department." Again General Grant said, "The heroic defense of the gallant Twelfth Michigan at Middleburg is deserving of the thanks of the army." Captain Phineas Graves having been promoted successively to major and lieutenant colonel, commanded the Twelfth for some time to the entire satisfaction of his superior officers.

The regiment remained on duty in the southwest until the early part of 1866. It arrived at Jackson, Michigan, on the 27th of February, and on the 6th of March following was paid off and discharged.

The total enrollment was 2,857. The total killed in action was 29. The total died of wounds was 26. The total died in Confederate prisons was 17. The total died of disease was 316. The total discharged for disability was 221.

Andrews, William. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 17, 1861. Mustered, Dec. 19, 1861. No further record.

Arsnell, Nelson. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Dec. 17, 1861. Mustered out at Camden, Ark., Feb. 15, 1866.

Avery, Charles S. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Nov. 13, 1861. Corporal. Mustered out Feb. 15, 1866.

Bailey, Edward N. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 31, 1861. Mustered out Jan. 8, 1862.

Bailey, George W. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 31, 1861. Discharged June 30, 1862.

Batchelder, William D. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Nov. 16, 1861. Discharged Jan. 7, 1865.

Brower, George W. Company E. Enlisted at Marshall, March 21, 1865. Mustered out June 1, 1865.

Burns, Peter. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 17, 1861. Taken prisoner at Shiloh, Tenn., April 6, 1862. Returned to regiment, April 7, 1863. Mustered out March 1, 1866.

Chapel, Emory. Company A. Enlisted at Albion, Nov. 20, 1862. Died of disease at Little Rock, Ark., Aug. 20, 1864.

Cocher, Peter. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Sept. 26, 1861. Discharged Aug. 1, 1862.

Cole, James H. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Dec. 7, 1861. Mustered out, Feb. 15, 1866.

Curney, Francis J. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Oct. 29, 1861. Discharged Sept. 2, 1862.

Davis, Joseph H. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Nov. 18, 1861. Corporal. Died at Washington, Ark., June 29, 1865.

Draper, Dondi C. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 9, 1861. Died May 22, 1862.

Dutton, Harvey. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Aug. 13, 1862. Died at Little Rock, Ark., Oct. 14, 1863.

Dyer, Horatio B. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Oct. 25, 1862. Deserted, Nov. 25, 1862.

Earle, Edgar. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 14, 1861.

Edkin, George W. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 4, 1861. Wounded in action at Shiloh. Discharged, Nov. 10, 1862.

Eldred, Croyton D. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 31, 1861.

Emins, Alexander W. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, March 2, 1865. Mustered out, Feb. 15, 1866.

Failing, James. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Nov. 5, 1861. Taken prisoner at Shiloh. Commissioned Second Lieutenant, Acting Aide-de-Camp, First Lieutenant, April 14, 1865. Mustered out at Camden, Ark., Feb. 15, 1866.

Failing, Sidney. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Oct. 9, 1861. Mustered out Feb. 15, 1866.

Ferguson, William. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 7, 1861.

Fink, Charles E. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Dec. 1, 1861. Corporal. Mustered out at Camden, Ark., Feb. 15, 1861.

Fink, William H. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Dec. 1, 1861. Corporal. Mustered out Feb. 15, 1861.

Fitzgerald, Thomas. Company D. Enlisted Dec. 6, 1861. Taken prisoner at Shiloh. Discharged Jan. 7, 1865.

Fleming, James B. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Oct. 21, 1861. Wounded at Shiloh, April 6, 1862. Died in hospital, April 22, 1862.

Folsom, George W. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Nov. 16, 1861. Died at Little Rock, Ark., Sept. 28, 1864.

Ford, William H. Company D. Enlisted Nov. 16, 1861. Mustered out at Camden, Ark., Feb. 15, 1866.

Gage, Henry F. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 14, lSG61. Mustered out, Feb. 15, 1866.

Gallt, James E. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 31, 1861. Died May 13, 1862.

Graham, Gorton. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Oct. 17, 1861. Wounded in action at Shiloh, April 6, 1861. Died of disease, Nov. 18, 1862.

Graves, George H. First Sergeant, Company I. Sixth Infantry. Enlisted June 19, 1861. Second Lieutenant, Company D. 12 Infantry, Nov. 1, 1861. Resigned and honorably discharged as First Lieutenant, March 22, 1863.

Graves, Phineas. Albion. Entered service as captain, Company D, Oct., 1861. Major, Aug. 3, 1862. Acting assistant inspector general, Feb. to June, 1865. Lieut. Colonel, June 10, 1865. Mustered out at Camden, Ark., Feb. 15, 1866.

Graves, William W. Company D. Sergeant, Oct. 21, 1861. Second Lieut. 1862. First Lieut., March 19, 1864 and Captain, Nov. 15, 1864. Mustered out, Feb.15, 1866.

Grotzsinger, John. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Dec. 9, 1861. Mustered out, Feb. 15, 1866.

Harvey, Charles E. Company H. Enlisted Sept. 26, 1861 at Marshall and made First Lieutenant.

Hartsell, Sidney. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Oct. 23, 1861. Deserted, Sept. 25, 1862.

Holt, Orrin J. Company H. Enlisted at Burlington, Oct. 1, 1861. Sergeant. Mustered out, Feb. 15, 1866.

Hulett, Orlo P. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Nov. 20, 1861. Corporal. Mustered out Feb. 15, 1866.

Huntley, Henry. Company D. Enlisted from Sheridan, Oct. 24, 1861. Died July 15, 1862.

Lacy, Martin. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Dec. 9, 1861. Mustered out Feb. 15, 1866.

Lansing, Isaac W. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Sept. 27, 1861. Taken prisoner at Shiloh. Died while in prison at Macon, Georgia, July 17, 1862.

McCollum, George H. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Dec. 7, 1861.

McCormick, Patrick. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Oct. 21, 1861. Killed in action at Shiloh, Tenn., April 6, 1862.

Manning, Isaac. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Oct. 24, 1861. Discharged for disability, Nov. 20, 1865.

Markham, Albert V. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Aug. 15, 1862. Discharged Aug. 14, 1865.

Marsh, William H. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Nov. 16, 1861. Mustered out, Feb. 15, 1866.

Miller, Merrill. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 19, 1861. Deserted, Aug. 1, 1862.

Moon, Philip. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Sept. 28, 1861. Deserted Jan. 13, 1862.

Nichols, Jonas H. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Oct. 21, 1861. Served as First Sergeant, Second and First Lieutenant, Assistant Adjutant General of Brigade, Feb. 15, 1865, made captain. Mustered out Feb. 15, 1866.

Owen, Charles A. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 31, 1861. Missing in action at Shiloh. No further record.

Palmer, Geo. W. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 6, 1861.

Parmeter, Jefferson. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 31, 1861. Mustered out, Sept. 20, 1864.

Pealing, Robert M. Company H. Enlisted at Marshall, Dec. 22, 1862. Corporal. Discharged at Little Rock, Ark., Dec. 18, 1865.

Pincomb, William. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Nov. 16, 1861. Died in Tennessee, Oct. 13, 1862.

Preston, Charles T. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 4, 1861.

Randall, Augustus. Company B. Enlisted at Burlington, March 25, 1865. Mustered out, Feb. 15, 1866.

Robinson, Hiram N. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Aug. 30, 1862. Discharged Oct. 18, 1865.

Shultz, John. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 4, 1861. Mustered out, Feb. 15, 1866.

Skutt, Wallace. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 16, 1861. First Sergeant, Aug. 13, 1865. Mustered out, Feb. 15, 1866.

Skutt, Wesley. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 31, 1861. Taken prisoner at Shiloh. Corporal. Mustered out, Feb. 15, 1866.

Skutt, Wilfred. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 31, 1861.

Stevens, Isaac. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Oct. 21, 1861. Died of disease at Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 28, 1864.

Sylvester, Lyman. Company H. Enlisted at Burlington, Sept. 27, 1861. Sergeant. Mustered out Feb. 15, 1866.

Taylor, James W. Company F. Enlisted at Athens, March 28, 1865. Mustered out, 1866.

Teeter, George. Company D. Enlisted Oct. 21, 1861. Died of disease, 1864.

Tibbitts, Jeremiah. Company E. Enlisted at Albion, Feb. 16, 1865. Discharged May 22,.1865.

Tompkins, George B. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Oct. 21, 1861.

Town, Richard. Company D. Enlisted at Marshall, March 21, 1865.

Trumbull, Charles. Company B. Enlisted from Burlington, March 25, 1865.

Watson, John. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Nov. 16, 1861. Sergeant. Mustered out Feb. 15, 1866.

Weldon, George R. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Jan. 13, 1865. Mustered out with regiment.

Whitmore, David. Company D. Enlisted from Eckford, Dec. 6, 1861. Taken prisoner at Shiloh.

Wiselogel, Fred G. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 24, 1861. Captain, April 12, 1865. Mustered out Feb. 15, 1866.

Wiselogel, Louis. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 18, 1862. Corporal. Discharged, Jan. 6, 1866.

Wiselogel, William H. Company D. Enlisted at Albion, Dec. 18, 1862. Corporal. Mustered out, Feb. 15, 1866.

Wright, Edwin T. Company D. Enlisted at Marshall, Dec. 20, 1861. Died of disease, May 6, 1862.