Michigan Seventh Cavalry

 
The Adjutant General in his report of 1863, complains that he has had no proper data; but simply says that two battalions left Grand Rapids for Washington, February 20th, 1862; the remaining companies joining them in May; and gives the following as the list of officers:
George Gray Colonel Henry E Thompson Lieut. Colonel
--------- ---------- Major James H. Kidd Major
George A. Drew Major Daniel G. Weare Surgeon
--------- -------- Asst. Surgeon James Sleeth 2d Asst Surgeon
Hiram F. Hale Adjutant Charles H. Patten Qr. Master
Joel S. Sheldon Commissary Stephen SN.Greely Chaplain
William Hyser Captain Charles W. Dean Captain
Henry L. Wise Captain Harrison N. Shroop Captain
Harvey H. Vinton Captain Edward L. Craw Captain
Manning D. Birge Captain Daniel H. Powers Captain
Jacob L. Greene Captain Charles E Storrs Captain
Don G. Lovell Captain James Mathers Captain
Seymour Strip[man 1st Lieutenant Robert A. Moon 1st Lieutenant
Edward Potter 1st Lieutenant
 
At the close of 1863, the Seventh Cavalry was in the 2 Brigade, 3 Division, Cavalry Corps, of the Army of the Potomac. On the first of November its officers were.
William D. Mann Colonel Allyne C. Lithfield Lieut. Colonel
John S. Iluston Major George K. Newcomb Major
Henry W Granger Major William Upjohn Surgeon
 

This regiment, on the 7th of November, 1863, joined in the advance of the Army of the Potomac, toward the Rappahannock. On the morning of the 26th, it crossed the enemy’s rifle pits, near Morton’s Ford, and moving forward captured prisoners from the rear of the rebel column. It was employed on picket duty until the 28th of February, when it started on the "Kilpatrick raid." On the afternoon of the 29th, it arrived at Beaver Dam Station, on the Virginia Central Railroad, after a twenty hour’s march, and assisted in burning the station and destroying the track. Resuming the march, it arrived before Richmond on the afternoon of the next day, and while picket during the night was attacked by a superior force. After a desperate fight, being unsupported, it was oblige to retire, with a loss in missing of 44, among whom were its commanding officer, Lieut. Co. A. C. Lichfield, who was taken prisoner. Having reached Yorktown, the command moved from thence to Alexandria by transports, and marched to its former camp near Stevensburg. On the 17th, the regiment, with its brigade, was transferred to the 1st Cavalry Division, and moved its camp to near Culpepper. Entering the campaign of 1864, with the army of the Potomac, it cross the Rapidan on the 5th of May , and on the 6th and 7th was engaged with the enemy’s cavalry, at Tood’s tavern, its loss in the action being three wounded. Marching on the 9th, it took part with the cavalry under General Sheridan, in the movement on the enemy’s communications. It cross the South Anna River on the 10th, and on the 11th participated in the battle of Yellow Tavern, charging the rebel cavalry, and aiding in driving them from the field. The loss of the regiment in the engagement was 3 killed, 15 wounded, and 13 missing. Included in the former was Major Henry W. Granger, commanding the regiment. On the 12th, the Seventh assisted in driving the enemy from Meadow Bridge, and later in the day, from their entrenchments near Mechanicsville, losing one man wounded. It arrived at Malvern Hill on the 14th. Again joined the army at Milford. On the 27th it engaged the rebel cavalry, charging and driving one their brigades several miles, captured 41 prisoners and many horses. It took part in the cavalry fight at Hawes’ Shop, on the 28th, where its loss was 4 killed, 10 wounded and 3 missing. On the next day it was engaged in skirmishing at Baltimore Cross Roads, losing 2 wounded. On the 30th it took part in an attack on thee enemy’s works at Cold Harbor. The rebel infantry attacking the command on the 1st of June, it assisted in repelling their assaults and holding them in check until relieved by our infantry. Its casualties were 2 killed and 2 wounded. Taking part in the raid towards Gordonsville, the regiment was warmly engaged on the 11th and 12th of June, at Trevillian Station. On the former day, a few men of the regiment, recaptured from a larger force of rebels, a piece of artillery, that had been taken from the Union forces. The casualties during the two day’s engagement were 2 killed, 27 wounded and 48 missing. Returning to the White House, it thence moved to the James River and went into camp. On the 31st of July, the regiment was ordered to proceed to Washington, and thence to the Shenandoah Valley. On the 11th of August with the Sixth Michigan Cavalry, it repelled an assault of the enemy near Winchester. On the 16th, it participated in the battle of Crooked Run, where , as they report, "One battalion charged a brigade of rebel cavalry, entirely routing them and capturing nearly 100 prisoners, many horses, equipments, etc." The casualties in this action were I killed, 11 wounded, and 7 missing. On the 25th, it was in the advance in a reconnaissance to near Leetown. Becoming warmly engaged later in the day, near Shepardstown, it lost 4 wounded and 2 missing. The brigade having been cut off from the main command, it crossed the Potomac near Sharpsburg, and from thence returned, via Harper’s Ferry, to the south side of the river. Its division being attacked by infantry in force, on the 29th, the regiment covered the retreat to Smithfield, losing two killed and 14 wounded. On the 3d of September, the regiment accompanied a reconnaissance to White Post, and on its return was shelled by the rebels, and lost one killed and three wounded. On the same day it made a reconnaissance to develop the force and position of the enemy, losing one man wounded. On the 19th, it participated in the battle of Opequan Creek. Charging across Opequan Creek, and driving the enemy from its banks, it advanced to near Winchester, where it joined in the charge on the enemy’s forces, driving them through the town. The loss in the action was four killed, nineteen wounded, (among whom, and mortally, was Lieut. Col. Melvin Brewer, in command of the regiment,) and two missing. On the 24th, the regiment was engaged near Luray, driving the enemy in confusion, and capturing 60 prisoners and a number of horses, its casualties being three wounded. On the 26th, 27th and 28th, it was engaged in skirmishing with the enemy near Port Republic. It engaged the enemy on the 8th of October, near Woodstock, and on the 9th joined with the corps in routing the rebel cavalry under General Rosser. Its casualties were three wounded. On the 19th of October, at Cedar Creek, the regiment was attacked while picket. The enemy, breaking through the infantry line on the left, struck the regiment in the rear. It succeeded, however, in making its escape, and during the remainder of the day was hotly engaged on the skirmish line until the final charge on the enemy was made, in which it participated. In this charge it captured 100 prisoners. Its loss was 4 wounded and 29 missing. It was encamped near Middleetown on the 31sst October, and was engaged in picket duty at Buck’s Ford, on the Shenandoah River.

The regiment was in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Middle Military Division. Its officers were as follows:

Name Rank Date

Allyne C. Litchfield Colonel Oct. 12, 1864
Lieut. Colonel Nov. 14, 1862
Captain (5th Cavalry) August 14, 1862
George G. Briggs Lieut. Colonel Oct. 12, 1864
Major May 19, 1864
Captain March 22, 1864
Adjutant July 1, 1863
1st Lieutenant October 15, 1862
Alexander Walker Major February 24, 1864
Captain October 15, 1862
Daniel H. Darling Major March 22, 1864
Captain October 15, 1862
Linus F. Warner Major October 12, 1864
Captain October 15, 1862
 

This regiment, on the 1st of November, 1864, was with General Sheridan’s Army in the Shenandoah Valley, and lay at Camp Russell, near Winchester, Va./, making preparations to go into winter quarters, and engaged on picket duty, and in making reconnaissance until Feb. 27th, 1865, when it broke camp and moved with the cavalry corps, towards Staunton, Va., being the commencement of Gerneral Sheridan’s celebrated raid to the James River. On the 8th of March the regiment became engaged with a portion of Rosser’s Cavalry near Louisa Court House, assisted in routing the rebel force, and capturing the town, in which was destroyed a large amount of property along the line of the Lynchburg and Gordonsville Railroad, and in destroying and rendering useless thee locks, aqueduct and mills, on the line of the James River Canal. The command reached White House Landing on the 19th of March, and soon after, with the cavalry corps, joined the Army of the Potomac and proceeded to the left of the line. On the 30th of March, the regiment became engaged with the rebel cavalry, and assisted in driving them within their works at Five Forks. The 31st of March and 1st April it was engaged with the enemy at Five Forks and on the 2d at the South Side Railroad; on the 4th, at Duck Pond Mills; on the 6th, at the battle of the Ridge, or Sailor’s Creek, and on the 8th and 9th at Appomattox Court House. After the surrender of Lee, the regiment moved, with the cavalry corps, to Petersburg, Va., where it remained for a short time, and then went with the army into North Carolina. From thence it marched to Washington, D.C., and participated in the review of the Army of the Potomac on the 23d of May, and immediately thereafter with the Michigan Cavalry Brigade was ordered West, and proceeded by rail, via the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and Ohio and Mississippi Rivers by steamer, to St. Louis, and thence by steamer via the Missouri River, to Fort Leavenworth, where it was ascertained that the destination of the regiment was across the Plains, to the Rocky Mountains, to operate against the hostile Indians in that section of the country, and orders were received to that effect.

These orders produced much justifiable dissatisfaction, indicating as they did that another arduous campaign was laid out for the regiment, which in consideration of its past long and faithful services, should have been spared it, especially as this campaign was for an object foreign to that for which it had entered the service--the suppression of the Southern Rebellion. But the regiment, remembering its noble record, and adhering to its former high degree of discipline and subordination, and having in view the honor of a State whose troops had never disgraced it, obeyed the orders and commenced its march across the Plains, reaching Camp Collins, seventy miles west of Denver City, and at the base of the Rocky Mountains, on the 26th day of July, a distance of 700 miles from Fort Leavenworth. The regiment was immediately assigned to duty along the overland stage route, which was at that time so thoroughly invested by hostile Indians as to stop all coaches, mails and trains. The service rendered by it was valuable, although laborious, succeeding in re-establishing the transit of mails and passengers, and in giving protection to emigrants. About the first of November it was ordered to transfer all the men of the command whose term of service extended beyond the 1st of March, 1866, to the 1st Michigan Cavalry, and then report at Denver City for muster out. By this order, about 250 men were transferred, being mostly men who were recruited in the winter of 1864. On arriving at Denver City, the regiment was ordered to Fort Leavenworth for muster out. It started on the 7th of November, reaching there in 26 days. Great injustice was done the regiment by this order, as it directed that all Government horses should be turned over to the Quartermaster Department at Denver. The command was consequently expected to march across the plains on foot, at a time when snow was upon the ground, and with only one wagon for each hundred men-insufficient to carry their rations for three days, and through a country with no settlements and almost entirely destitute of wood. A statement of the matter was made to Major General Upton, commanding at Denver, who declined to make any further provision for transportation. Permission was obtained to allow the men to hire their transportation in mule trains, of which there were several returning to Fort Leavenworth, and which the Government might have hired.

The men paid for this transportation $25 each, from their own private funds. At Fort Leavenworth the regiment was mustered out, the final papers made, and then was ordered to Michigan. It arrived at Jackson on the 20th, and was paid off and disbanded on the 25th of December.

BATTLES AND SKIRMISHES.

Thoroughfare Gap, Va. May 21, 1863 Culpepper Court House, Va. Sept. 14, 1863
Geenwich, Va. May 30, 1863 Raccoon Ford, Va. Sept. 16, 1863
Hanover, Va. June 30, 18634 White’s Ford, Va. Sept. 21, 1863
Huntertown, Pa. July 2, 1863 Jack’s Shop, Va Sept. 26, 1863
Gettysburg, Pa. July 3, 1863 James City, Va Oct. 12. 1863
Monterey, Md July 4, 1863 Brandy Station, Va Oct. 13, 1863
Cavetown, Md. July 5, 1863 Buckland’sMill,Va Oct. 19, 1863
Smithtown, Md, July 6, 1863 Stevensburg, Va. Nov. 19, 1863
Boonsboro, Md July 8, 1863 Morton’s Ford,Va Nov. 26, 1863
Hagerstown, Md July 10, 1863 Richmond, Va. March 1, 1864
Williamsport, Md. July 10, 1863 Wilderness, Va. May 6,7, 1864
Boonsboro, Md July 8, 1863 Beaver Dam Station, Va. May 9, 1864
Hagerstown, Md July 10, 1863 Yellow Tavern, Va May 10,11, 1864
Williamsport, Md July 10, 1863 Meadow Bridge, Va May 12, 1864
Falling Water, Md July 14, 1863 Milford, Va May 27, 1984
Snicker’s Gap, Va. July 19, 11863 Hawes’ Shop, Va. May 28, 1864
Kelly’s Ford, Va. Sept. 13, 1863 Port Republic,Va Sept. 26,27,28, 63’
Baltimore X Roads, Va. May 29, 1864 Mount Crawford,Va Oct. 2, 1864
Cold Harbor, Va June 1, 1864 Woodstock, Va. Oct. 9, 1864
Trevillian Station,Va. June 11, 1864 Cedar Creek, Va. Oct. 19, 1864
Cold Harbor, Va. July 21, 1864 Madison Court House, Va. Dec. 24, 1864
Winchester, Va. Aug. 11, 1864 Louisa Court House, Va. March 8, 1865
Front Royal, Va. Aug. 16, 1864 Five Forks, Va. Mar 30,31-Apr 1, 1965
Leetown, Va Aug. 25, 1864 South Side RR Va April 2, 1865
Shepardstown,Va Aug. 25, 1864 Duck Pond Mills, Va April 4, 1865
Smithfielld, Va. Aug. 29, 1864 Ridges or Sailor Creek, Va. April 6, 1865
Berryville, Va. Sept. 3, 1864 Appomattox Court House, Va. April 8, 1865
Summit, Va. Sept. 4, 1864 Little Laramie, D.Ter. Aug. 1, 1864
Opequan, Va. Sept. 19, 1864 Winchester, Va. Sept. 19, 1864
Winchester, Va. Sept. 19, 1864 Luray, Va. Sept. 24, 1864

 


Transcriber: Barb Jones
Created: 2 June 2010