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Grand Haven and Ottawa County
In Grand Haven and Ottawa County generally, a sustained feeling
of the most ardent patriotism existed throughout the contest with the Southern
Confederacy, and many were the noble and generous deeds that might be recorded.
Senator Ferry, the late C. B. Albee, and many others, were liberal of their
menas, and attentive to the wants of the soldier and those near and dear to him.
Capt. Elmer H. Dicey, then a machinist in the city, and now of Chicago, raised a
company at the opening of the war, Co. B of the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters,
which left sixty strong and rendezvoused at Kalamazoo, entering the Army of the
Potomac, in Burnside's 9th Corps. On the 30th of June, 1864, at the
explosion of the mine before Petersburg, all the commissioned officers of the
company were either killed or wounded, and Orderly Sergeant D. P. Sanford became
the leading officer, and the company was the first to enter Petersburg.
Co. G, 21st Michigan Infantry, rendezvoused at Ionia under Capt. Horace Albee,
Isaac Hunting, of Grand Haven, Major, and this company was raised chiefly at
Grand Haven, Alderman Isaac H. Sanford, the clothier, and others, taking an
active part in organizing it, and also a company in the 3rd Michigan Infantry.
There was one company of the 14th Michigan Infantry, composed chiefly of men
from Grand Haven and vicinity; and there were many Ottawa men in the Mechanics
and Engineers.
Grand Haven never was behind in the tally of men required, and when the was was
over, the city had overpaid its quota by 106 years service, which divided by
three, would give nearly 35 men over, as the term of enlistment was for three
years. The city was always liberal in entertaining and banqueting the men
in passing through the city. Although the majority was always democratic,
they were war Democrats.
There were a number of Grand Haven men in Loomis' Battery, among others John
Miller, one of the youngest in the battery, which was raised in Coldwater.
H. C. Akeley was in the 2nd Cavalry, as was also Lieut. G. H. Osgood.
James A. Stephenson was in the 3rd Cavalry. Among the other veterans,
either from the city or now residents, may be mentioned Major B. D. Safford,
Capt. S. C. Moore, Capt. Glover, John Thornton, Senator Farr, Major N. H. Ferry,
and three of the Sandford family, G. D., H., and D. P.
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